The Superbowl last night was a clear display of two liturgies. Stapleton’s magnificent rendition of “The Star Spangled Banner” was an ode to a nation. It is incredible what the power of a liturgy can do to stir imagination and patriotism. Stapleton didn’t seek to regurgitate old norms for the sake of the norms, but his interpretation of the national anthem brought out the emotional respect one should have for country. The tears were not manufactured–they were the response of a grateful people.
America is not simply an ideal; it is a palpable reality that demands thanksgiving. The national liturgies of a country–done in their proper context–accentuate a nation’s health and create an environment for the common good to blossom.
On the other hand, you saw a separate liturgy. Rihanna wasn’t simply dabbling in the profane; she was the embodiment of the profane. Her pregnancy, which ought to be a celebration of life, was contradicted by a homage to death itself.
The choreography was a perfectly exercised liturgy to entertain demons. Honor is not fitting for a fool (Prov. 26:1), and the creativity of wickedness causes the masses to lose respect for institutions and countries.
Liturgies matter.
What we saw last night was a clear display of conflicting worlds. One liturgy sought to re-energize love for a common tradition, and the other sought to make one after their own image.
