Sad news from Nebraska. . .

In fulfillment for the requirement of a final recital as part of his music degree, a doctoral student at the University of Nebraska recently orchestrated a drag performance mocking the Roman Catholic Mass (and, by extension, the Lutheran Divine Service).  Imitations of the ordinary, the Kyrie, Gloria, Credo, Sanctus, and Agnus Dei, were performed at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church of Lincoln (an ELCA congregation).  The doctoral student, identified as Joseph Willette, said via Instagram that this performance “truly feels like the culmination of [his] past couple of years studying music composition as well as gender, sexuality, and queer communities.”  “At the core of this work lies the juxtaposition of the holy and the profane, the sacred and the sinful,” he said.  The “sacred” of the Mass was contrasted with the “sinful” in “the queer imagery and art forms,” Willette said.  “Mass of Perpetual Indulgence for chamber orchestra, electronics, soprano solo, and drag performer was written to bridge the gap between queerness and spirituality, to sanctify queer people and celebrate our lives and communities,’’ states the description on the video published to YouTube.  After the performance, Willette earned a doctorate of musical arts in composition at the Glenn Korff School of Music.  

While it is unknown if the congregation knew or understood what was going on in this performance, the ELCA is at the forefront of LGBTQ+ causes among Lutherans.  There was no distancing of the congregation, the school of music and its faculty, or the University of Nebraska from this work -- at least at the time I wrote this.  One can only presume that mocking Christianity in its various forms is the one bigotry left to be acceptable in America.  What is even more pathetic is that the whole university system owes its very life to the work of the Church in establishing such schools from the medieval times through the present day.  Speaking as a Nebraskan by birth, I am saddened that this is what passes for educational endeavor and reward or for musical accomplishment at the University.  It has been widely known and lauded for its musical schools and faculty in the past but certainly the diversity ideal has impacted what it was in favor of mere shock and offense.  How sad.