Scanning the Religion section in our local newpaper a couple months ago I came across an article inviting people to come to a Taize (pronounced teh-ZAY) outdoor worship service for music and chanting… Huh? What is this all about?..I wondered. I kinda forgot about it till yesterday when I ran across a church web-site promoting a Taize service.
A google episode revealed that Taize started in the little village of Taize in the heart of the Burgundy region of France. Taize was founded by Brother Roger Schutz (murdered by a worshipper in 2005)and was established in 1949. In this monastic community the brothers sought to awaken spirituality, promote peace and unity by ecumenism.
The worship service consists only of music, chanting, and silence. There are no sermons, programs, announcements, etc. I never did find out if they took an offering but I will assume probably so. (They light lots and lots of candles) On the Taize web-site in France there were some snippets of a CD to listen to. This music was extraordinarily beautiful, monastic in nature. When I got to the videos on YouTube though the music sounded more like the strained uncertain singing in my own church. The lyrics are most commonly Latin. This is so everyone will have a tough time learning the words, I guess. Actually it was stated that the phrases were easier to sing in Latin. I looked at alot of videos and they only showed the singing and not the chanting. No one filmed the silence. Not good viewing material I suppose.
I found many churches are using the Taize services including, Lutheran, Methodist, Presbyterian and other non-descript denominations. This makes me very nervous. Below are a few excerpts of the web-sites I found among many. I included the web address for verification.
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Good Friday – SERVICE
LIGHTS: Scene 1. The Worship Leaders enter the sanctuary from the side doors. In silence they reverence the altar, then sit in their regular chairs. The Lector reads the lessons from the ambo, but the Pastor may deliver the sermon while seated. All stand for the bidding prayer.
As the cross is carried to the altar and during the reverencing of the cross, the tower bell may toll with at least 30 seconds of silence between each ring. Tolling may continue until the beginning of the final hymn. Alternatively, the bell may be tolled three times.
Members of the congregation who wish, come forward singly or in small groups to reverence the cross or pray, while the congregation sings Taizé chants. At the end of the Adoration, LIGHTS: Scene 3, (dim, Jesus window off). The congregation sings a hymn, a final sentence is said, and the Pastor and Worship Leaders leave in silence through the double doors at the side. Members of the congregation may remain in the sanctuary for prayers and meditation.
Taize service brings peace, healing to congregation
in Bethel Park
Thursday, July 26, 2007
By Margaret Smykla
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07207/804283-55.stm
Of the Taize Sung Prayers service at Christ United Methodist Church, Linda Williams, minister of music and worship, said “we like to think of it as an oasis from the hustle and bustle of our lives.”
Taize is a peaceful service of quiet prayer, songs, meditation, anointing of oils and prayers for healing and reconciliation. The prayer songs are often sung over and over again like a mantra, and are sometimes drawn from holy scripture.
The songs are frequently sung in different languages. There are no sermons or announcements.
The Bethel Park church, 44 Highland Road, holds the roughly 40-minute service at 7 p.m. on the first Wednesday of each month in its sanctuary.
The next Taize service will be on Wednesday. It is open to the public.
http://www.ctkelc.org/worship/TaizeWorship.html
A meditative service in the tradition of the ecumenical community of Taizé, France is held every Saturday at 6:00 pm. The services are centered around the silent meditation on Holy Scripture and the celebration of the Eucharist. The songs which have become the hallmark of Taizé spirituality are woven through the entire service.
Taizé Service to Include Prayer Around the Cross on the first Saturday of each month.
.A wooden cross on the floor of the altar sanctuary confronts worshipers with the suffering of Christ on behalf of humanity. In its presence the suffering of the world and our own burdens come to light. Christ gave salvation to all on the tree of the cross. It is the tree where life might be restored. Worshipers may choose to meditate on the cross from the pew or may enter the altar sanctuary and kneel at the cross.
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What bothered me was the chanting and the silence which can fall into contemplative spirituality. This is definitely a red-flag area so I am not endorsing Taize. I didn’t find any teaching from the Bible. There is no call to repentance, no praying for forgiveness, no preaching of the cross and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. No anything really, except the presence of a cross.
How can people come to know Christ without the preaching of the Gospel? But this is becoming more common in the churches of today, a spirituality with no Holy Spirit. No message of sin. People don’t want to hear about sin anymore. They just want to go to a church, sing, meditate, and feel good about how “spiritual” they are. I guess that’s fine if that is all you want, but I pray that you long and thirst for the Word of God.
Look here for more information about Taize:
https://kimolsen.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/crisis-in-the-church-more-about-taize/
kim
DiscernIt 
19 comments
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July 30, 2007 at 6:11 am
Peg
Hi, came across your blog while blogsurfing and thought I’d take a shot at answering your questions. (BTW you have a good collection of quotations as a foundation to start with.) Having taken part in a local Taize service now and then (not too far from Bethel Park actually) I can say basically its purpose is quiet contemplation and prayer.
You’re correct in saying Taize grows out of the monastic (and therefore Catholic) tradition, and for some people this alone makes it suspect. I hope your readers are wise enough to see that all Christian traditions have both good and bad in them, and not throw the baby out with the bathwater. Having just finished doing some reading in church history, I’ve learned it was largely due to the monastic orders that true Christianity survived the corruption of the Middle Ages’ Catholic hierarchy at all. And it was their work on which much of the Protestant Reformation was built (Martin Luther himself being a monk).
With that as background, in response to your thoughts — Taize was never intended to be a replacement for Sunday morning worship or for Gospel preaching. Bible teaching, conviction of sin, salvation, receiving the Holy Spirit, etc requires a preacher and a fairly large crowd of people. This kind of worship is more seeker-oriented and/or evangelistic in nature — its purpose being to convert people and bring them to faith (or to renew their faith) in Christ. The focus is on the worshipper and what the worshipper needs to do to get right with God.
Taize is meant to be not instead of but in addition to these things. It is not outreach-oriented, it’s for people who are already believers. It is a type of prayer meeting or prayer fellowship. The focus of the whole thing is totally God-ward — not on the worshipper, and not on a preacher. That’s why the services have only quiet music and soft lighting. As much as possible all distractions are shut out so ALL attention can be focused on God.
I know all the candles and contemplation seem strange to folks who are raised in evangelical Protestant traditions. Speaking as someone who has worked as a church musician for almost 30 years in just about any denomination you can name, all I can say is it takes some getting used to. But like gourmet cooking it’s worth the effort. Taize is most definitely NOT a new form of heresy or a new age practice (though some folks try to make it that). Just remember there are nut cases in every Christian movement… look to what the leaders actually teach.
BTW if you’d like to know more about where I’m coming from feel free to pop over for a visit: http://getstarted.wordpress.com
Peg
July 30, 2007 at 6:33 am
Kim
Thank you for your thoughts…Yes i found that when i was watching the services, they were quite nice. What to watch for though is the altered consciousness that can occur from meditation by stilling the thought process.
This would be a problem for the Christian.
July 30, 2007 at 6:37 am
Kim
Looked at your site.
i like http://icanhascheezburger.com/ too!
July 30, 2007 at 8:30 am
moveintothehood
I have never been to a Taize service but it sounds interesting. I agree it should not replace a service that contains the study or preaching of the Word of God, but it sounds like a wonderful addition, and a new way (for me any way) to connect with God. Until recently I was very leary of meditation in almost any form. But it seems to me that emptying ones mind of all the junk we are assaulted with on a daily basis is a good thing (as God is the Focus of our meditation)
July 30, 2007 at 8:56 am
Kim
Dear MITH
There are two kinds of meditation. One kind is to fill your mind and concentrate on a thought, and the other is to empty your mind of thought by repetitions. As Christians we should never empty our minds because this can allow a deceiving spirit to enter. I am still unsure of Taize because i haven’t found out how the meditation is being promoted. Even using God or Jesus as the focus when meditating becomes dangerous because the repetition become meaningless and the mind is still emptied.There is no protection. If you think of it please look at my article on contemplative spirituality.
God Bless
kim
July 30, 2007 at 7:06 pm
Peg
Hi Kim, Thanks for the clarification in your last post, I was just about to ask what the difference is. Am I summing this up right — the kind of meditation to be avoided is the type like when you sit cross-legged on the floor and repeat a word or phrase like “OM” or that kind of thing?
Here’s a related question — and I don’t mean to open a huge can of worms, I’ve just never really heard it addressed — if emptying the mind is the wrong kind of meditation, what do we make of speaking in tongues? Some charismatics say one begins speaking in tongues by turning off the concious mind… I’ve always wondered about that.
BTW the kind of meditation I like — the kind I was taught in the (evangelical wing of) the Episcopal church — is linked to prayer, in fact I’d go so far as to call it a form of prayer. I use a scripture passage or one of the prayers in the Book of Common Prayer to start thinking deeply about a specific topic, while at the same time lifting my thoughts to God and asking Him to direct them. It’s amazing where the Spirit can lead…!
July 30, 2007 at 7:25 pm
Peg
PS May I suggest one other test — that is, when considering any spiritual practice, what kind of fruit does it bear? For me that’s always the bottom line.
July 30, 2007 at 8:37 pm
Kim
Peg…
Meditation according to NewAgers is the doorway between worlds, key to entering the metaphysical or the world beyond the 5 senses. Trying to contact the spirit world is divination and it is forbidden in the Bible. Of course the “OM” is used in Yoga, but if one substituted the name “Jesus” instead, the attempt is still the same. Christian terms are used often in occult practices to make it more acceptable to the church. One has to be very cautious these days.
We are told “Use not vain repetions, as the heathen do” Matthew 6:5
Can of worms is right….Once my Dad heard a translation of someone speaking in tongues, and as he described it i could see the awe in his eyes as he talked about how beautiful the words were in the praise of the Lord. On the other hand my Mother and Aunt once attended a meeting years ago and found that the people there were all speaking in tongues but were praising the leader “TED” and calling him Lord. Fear welled up in them realizing that the meeting was demonic and they quickly departed. I have seen some video of a charismatic leader speaking and laughing in tongues and i feel it is NOT of God.
I believe this gift exists today,(i do not have this gift) but i also believe that it can be counterfeited by Satan.
Do not take my word on these subjects. There is a great site that features many great discernment writers. Everyone needs to research this things for themselves.
http://erwm.com
July 30, 2007 at 10:24 pm
Kim
I like what Dave Hunt says when he is accused of being divisive when researching occultism in Christianity. “I am just testing the fruit”
July 31, 2007 at 2:24 am
Peg
Nice to know Dave Hunt and I agree. 🙂
And I’m with you on your evaluation of the Charismatic gifts. I don’t speak in tongues either but I’ve heard it done in ways I would consider both Biblical and un-Biblical.
Good to meet you! I’m adding your blog to my blogroll — let’s keep in touch!
July 31, 2007 at 5:55 am
Kim
Hey thanks, nice to meet you too!!
August 1, 2007 at 8:51 pm
carla
Hey, you changed your blog! Looks good! I finally added you to my blogroll lastnight. Good stuff.
August 21, 2008 at 5:50 am
Judy
My goodness, Kim…for someone who has never actually been to and experienced Taize services at their original location (Taize, France), you sure have a lot of opinions! I have visited Taize many times, and can tell you that all of your fears are unfounded. There is a bible study, led by one of the theologian brothers, with small groups meeting together afterwards to ask questions and study the scripture talked about. During the worship services, held three times a day, the “meditation”, which you seem so concerned about, is simply 10 minutes of silence which follows after a reading of a short Gospel passage (repeated in several languages). The meditation is simply a time to sit quietly in the presence of God, doing whatever is right for you at the time – contemplating the scripture passage just read, clearing your mind of thoughts and talking to God, or simply, enjoying God’s presence in quiet, as you would sitting on a porchswing with your beloved on a quiet summer evening. I would encourage you to “come and see” Taize yourself, and evaluate it after that!
August 21, 2008 at 8:01 am
Kim
Hi Judy…thank you for your input…
I don’t necessarily have to attend a function to get a feel for it or to determine whether it is right for me or if it is something that i should recommend to a God fearing Christian. My Bible tells me right from wrong.
I have talked to two people who have attended such services. We have taize services in our city and a woman i know attends them. She likes them but she also believes that Jesus is not the only way to God. So she does not believe John 14:6. The service is very Buddhist in nature so it appeals to her.
If i want to meditate on the Word of God then i should be reading scripture than being in the “silence”. How can you think about scripture while “clearing your mind of thoughts?”
We are taught in the Bible to pray constantly and to be always be walking with the Holy Spirit.
I have also talked to another discerner who attended a local service and found the services very Catholic and the songs repetitious, something warned against in the Bible.
I like these verses:
Jhn 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Jhn 4:24 God [is] a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship [him] in spirit and in truth.
Phl 3:3 For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
What does it mean to worship in truth? The truth is the Word of God. And we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit. This means that we are to be cleansed by the confession of sin, to know that we are being used by God as his instrument, choosing to obey his word, and trusting in Him totally. Also we have to remember that the power belongs to God. This power and the filling of the Holy Spirit enables us to live for Him and to be a witness for Him. I have found that the filling of the Holy Spirit gives me boldness to be a witness for Jesus Christ and to spread the Gospel. The Holy Spirit always points to Jesus. It bears witness to the Lord.
What does it mean to “have no confidence in the flesh?” We need to come to God through His Word, and not through worship systems. Many eastern religions try to contact God through their flesh by going within. But the Bible teaches that man’s heart is basically evil. No one is righteous. So this method of reaching God is deceptive. When i sense the presence of God my sin makes me feel unworthy. Instead of confession, people tend to rely their feelings (flesh) to feel good about themselves.
So what doctrines are they teaching in the Bible Study?
October 9, 2012 at 8:46 am
Russ Ward
The spirit of the prayer meeting is evangelistic and ecumenical. It is not intended to be theological stance other than “basic” christianity…Jesus, the Cross, the resurrection and ascension. It is suppose to be an outreach to bring in mainly college age seekers. It is not a “service” like wednesday night or Sunday. It is suppose to be open to the community for an ecumenical prayer time. We will not do anything that does not Glorify the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. A simple gathering of prayer silence, song, scripture reading is all that this meeting will consist of
I don’t think the lighting thing is any different than the blazing concert style lighting that we have in many “modern” style churches. Many churches have low lighting. I don’t think that the mystics have the monopoly on low lighting. As far as repetition…there is repeating phrase in most praise and worship choruses today. As long as we understand that repeating a phrase does not do anything other than emphasize a point…it does not have any mystical power or anything. I choose not to worship my Christmas tree just like I choose not to engage in mystic practices. I still like Christmas trees…just say’n 🙂
The people I know that practice Taize style worship Just sing phrases and have moments of silence. There are sects of charismatic Pentecostalism that do things out of the wrong spirit…this does not mean that I throw I out Pentecostalism. I think the danger here is over-compensation…trying sooo hard to avoid mysticism that we miss out on all the fullness of the different varieties of Biblical worship. I am in the middle of a semester of studying various types of worship styles and their theological underpinnings. I have examined this…there are some people who may misuse this venue but others find it to be a very intimate time with God. If it draws you into God’s presence and you begin to look more like Christ….mission accomplished.
..
October 9, 2012 at 6:24 pm
Kim
The prayer meeting is very important in the life of the Christian. Christians meet to share their praise, their thankfulness and then their pleas and intercessions.
I like this verse…”And pray in the spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints.” Ephesians 6:18
And this verse…” The Lord is far from the wicked but he hears the prayer of the righteous.” Proverbs 15:29… which of course means those who are redeemed, those who believe and have repented are now right before God are heard. Although someone who is truly seeking Him….God promises that He make Himself known but the person still has to repent and receive the Holy Spirit.
Notice it says that we are to be alert. This involves a thinking and active mind. We can be silent and hopefully this means we are thinking, praying and truly meditating and memorizing God’s Word.
And we do not go into God’s presence. We are given the Holy Spirit upon belief and the Holy Spirit lives in us.
How do we look more like Christ and what is Biblical worship?
It is important to realize that becoming more like Christ starts by receiving Him as Savior from our sins. Then we grow in our knowledge of God by reading the Bible daily, studying it, and being obedient to what it says. This process causes us to grow and occurs over an entire lifetime in Christ. When we have entered Heaven for eternity with God this process will reach its culmination.
When we receive Jesus as Savior we begin to become more Christlike. As we study our Bibles our knowledge of Him grows. There is really no shortcut of “being in God’s presence” that teaches us about Him. Then we must be obedient to God’s Word. This is a lifetime process called sanctification.
Romans 12:1-2 instructs us about the process. Filling our minds with God’s Word, obedience , offering our lives as worship and becoming separate from the world.
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
If people who do not know the Lord attend a Taize service and think they have met Him and have been His presence and then leave, they are deceived.
An outreach without the Gospel is not evangelism.
November 13, 2012 at 7:51 pm
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February 16, 2013 at 2:40 pm
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February 28, 2013 at 8:34 am
Maurice Harting
I would warn everyone not to get involved with Taize or the contemplative prayer movement. No where does the Bible mention that we should empty our minds and become silent before God and start chanting repetitive lines over and over again like a Hindu mantra. There are plenty of examples in the Bible that do show us how to pray with content and with full use of our mind and avoid repetitiveness and contemplative prayer isn’t one of them. People like Richard Foster have done a great disservice by introducing contemplative prayer in to the Christian community for which it will pay the price for dishonouring God through means not ordained by God.