David Wilson "Baptist Pastor 'Shocked' at Heavy Metal Gig in Church" The Irish News September 7, 2006.
A Baptist minister has hit out at the playing of rock and heavy metal music at a Derry church. Around 900 young people attended a concert organised by Kilfennan Presbyterian Church in its grounds last weekend.
'Somewhere Else' featured a range of groups, including heavy metal and rock bands, and was organised to give young people an alternative to the city's bars and clubs.
But Pastor Mark Bradfield of Bethel Hall Baptist Church branded the gig on Saturday night a disgrace and said he was "shocked" at what he saw "I was ashamed it was taking place in a Christian church, which is supposed to be setting a standard and leading young people to Christ," he said. "There is not one little bit of edification that could be gained from this concert.Young people were throwing themselves around, not even dancing. The music was at painful levels."
The minister said there was little reference made to Jesus during the concert and claimed heavy metal music was "far removed from the teachings of Christ".
Pastor Bradfield claimed heavy metal was too closely associated with immorality to be used in a church."This was inappropriate in trying to bring young people to Christ, inappropriate for trying to place a conviction in their hearts and inappropriate for setting an example for the free gift of eternal life," he said.
He also claimed the concert had an unnecessary corporate feel, contrary to the teachings of Christianity. "Jesus would have done what he did in the Temple and overturned the tables," he said.
Kilfennan Presbyterian Church minister Rev Rob Craig defended the concert and the church's use of modern music, although he said he appreciated not everyone supported such events.
Earlier this year it was reported that Pope Benedict had criticised the use of some modern music within the Catholic Church. In Italy Mass recitals have recently been set to guitar music while in Spain flamenco music has been introduced to services. An album called Mass in F Minor has also been produced by US psychedelic band The Electric Prunes. Pope Benedict told an audience at the Sistine chapel he was against any radical modernisation. "It is possible to modernise holy music. But it should not happen outside the traditional path of Gregorian chants or sacred polyphonic choral music," he said.
