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The ethical dilemma of playing “Mary, Did You Know?”
It’s that time of the year again when I, as a church musician, wrestle with the ethical dilemma of playing “Mary, Did You Know?,” a song that combines a beautiful melody with suspect — some would argue, terrible — theology.
Yes, Mary knew and the musicians with whom I play know my qualms about the song. They encourage me, humor me, and support me as I come around to playing it, knowing the song is appreciated by many and it’s not the only church music we play with suspect theology baked into the score.
This year, I have been pondering something more concerning than the words of “Mary, Did You Know?”— the fact that Mary would not be welcome in most church pulpits.
The question we should be asking, and singing, is not “Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?” Instead, we should ask why Mary would not be welcome in many pulpits, and why other women God has called, remain excluded from the pulpits and leadership of so many churches.
Mary, who said “yes” to God and, in the Magnificat (Luke 1: 46–55), her song of praise, “no” to injustice around her, would not be allowed to preach these words in many churches today though men will stand in those same pulpits in the coming weeks and preach from them.
The question we should be asking, and singing, is not “Mary, did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?” Instead, we should ask why Mary would not be welcome in many pulpits, and why other women God has called, remain excluded from the pulpits and leadership of so many churches.
That’s a question long overdue for wrestling with and a song I would look forward to singing.
Curtis Ramsey-Lucas is editor of The Christian Citizen and author of #InThisTogether: Ministry in Times of Crisis, available from Judson Press. For more, subscribe to our Weekly newsletter.
The views expressed are those of the author and not necessarily those of American Baptist Home Mission Societies.
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