Hindhu dancing

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I noticed that a Jesuit priest, Father Saju George, believes that God and the Sacred can be experienced through Hindhu style dancing.
jesuit.org/blog/index.php/tag/jesuit-father-saju-george/
According to the following article, he was scheduled to dance at a Catholic Mass at St Catherine’s, Bristol Street, Birmingham on Sunday 25 June 2006.
Other articles indicate that he has the approval of the Church. How appropriate is Hindhu style dancing at Catholic Masses?
ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_06/jun06/interview_saju_george.htm
 
This may be an interesting thread…
He is simply not denying his heritage, at quick glance, anyway; he is not merging two religions as far as I can tell… But let’s see where others weigh in…
 
Tomdstone said:
I noticed that a Jesuit priest, Father Saju George, believes that God and the Sacred can be experienced through Hindhu style dancing.
jesuit.org/blog/index.php/tag/jesuit-father-saju-george/
According to the following article, he was scheduled to dance at a Catholic Mass at St Catherine’s, Bristol Street, Birmingham on Sunday 25 June 2006.
Other articles indicate that he has the approval of the Church. How appropriate is Hindhu style dancing at Catholic Masses?
ballet.co.uk/magazines/yr_06/jun06/interview_saju_george.htm
Click to expand...
This is more a cultural thing than a religious thing the way he does it.
 
It is extremely inappropriate. If i was there, it would be a distraction in my prayers. It is not part of the mass. It is not reverent.
 
JLM28 said:
It is extremely inappropriate. If i was there, it would be a distraction in my prayers. It is not part of the mass. It is not reverent.
Click to expand...
He danced the offeratory prayer at one of Blessed Pope John Paul II’s Masses in Delhi in 1989
 
You’re welcome, Cheezey. While I think the Cardinal is addressing dance that is originally “secular” in nature, I think we can imagine what he would say about dance that is grounded in non-Christian religious meaning. I’m unclear, however, if the OP meant this, or by using the term “Hindu dancing” was referring to Indian dance in general, not all of which is worship-oriented, as far as I know- e.g. oriented toward Shiva, Krishna, Rama, etc.
 
I think also there’s more leeway for things that have been traditionally associated with worship in a culture to be incorporated, though they were originally aimed at other gods. Think of St. Paul and the altar to the unknown god, how he taught the pagans from the truth in their own religion. Do we not offer incense, though that was a custom of pagan Rome? The pagans reached for God in the way they knew - it’s Christianity’s job to bring their blind stumblings to the fullness of truth.

In our culture dance was never part of worship. It was associated with parties, and not uncommonly with immorality. So it would be inappropriate to bring secular dances into worship. But eastern culture has always carried the idea of a dance as an offering to a deity - why not have it offered to the true God rather than to idols?
 
DarkLight said:
I think also there’s more leeway for things that have been traditionally associated with worship in a culture to be incorporated, though they were originally aimed at other gods. Think of St. Paul and the altar to the unknown god, how he taught the pagans from the truth in their own religion. Do we not offer incense, though that was a custom of pagan Rome? The pagans reached for God in the way they knew - it’s Christianity’s job to bring their blind stumblings to the fullness of truth.

In our culture dance was never part of worship. It was associated with parties, and not uncommonly with immorality. So it would be inappropriate to bring secular dances into worship. But eastern culture has always carried the idea of a dance as an offering to a deity - why not have it offered to the true God rather than to idols?
Click to expand...
This is a good post.

Dance was a part of Old Testament praise and worship. King David danced before God.
Dance is a large part of Ethoipian Orthodox liturgy.

-Tim-
 
Faithdancer said:
While I think the Cardinal is addressing dance that is originally “secular” in nature, I think we can imagine what he would say about dance that is grounded in non-Christian religious meaning. I’m unclear, however, if the OP meant this, or by using the term “Hindu dancing” was referring to Indian dance in general, not all of which is worship-oriented, as far as I know- e.g. oriented toward Shiva, Krishna, Rama, etc.
Click to expand...
I am fascinated with Hinduism. But! Let me make this clear: I am fascinated with world religions and how they came to be; how people were or became so variant in their faiths. I have found mine! :gopray: I believe religious Hindu dancing has no place in the liturgy, the RCC, as well as any place where respect to the host is utmost. If the Pope were traveling, however, I’d expect him to witness local culture as he does; to visually see who the locals are, their culture, and perhaps how they practice their faith. This would include Hindu dance as per their faith, and Hindu dance as per their culture and/or “Saturday night” fun. . I do not know, but why not? It would be just an observation. Not approval or disaproval.
As to the bolded below, I’d like to follow up on the approval of the Church and whether Hindu style dancing is limited to the religious. I don’t think so, but I’ll check…
Tomdstone said:
I noticed that a Jesuit priest, Father Saju George, believes that God and the Sacred can be experienced through Hindhu style dancing.

According to the following article, he was scheduled to dance at a Catholic Mass at St Catherine’s, Bristol Street, Birmingham on Sunday 25 June 2006.
Other articles indicate that he has the approval of the Church. How appropriate is Hindhu style dancing at Catholic Masses?
Click to expand...
 
👍
DarkLight said:
I think also there’s more leeway for things that have been traditionally associated with worship in a culture to be incorporated, though they were originally aimed at other gods. Think of St. Paul and the altar to the unknown god, how he taught the pagans from the truth in their own religion. Do we not offer incense, though that was a custom of pagan Rome? The pagans reached for God in the way they knew - it’s Christianity’s job to bring their blind stumblings to the fullness of truth.

In our culture dance was never part of worship. It was associated with parties, and not uncommonly with immorality. So it would be inappropriate to bring secular dances into worship. But eastern culture has always carried the idea of a dance as an offering to a deity - why not have it offered to the true God rather than to idols?
Click to expand...
 
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