The Bible doesn''t tell us much about dancing. Jesus said there was dancing and rejoicing at the return of the prodigal son
( Luke 15:25 ). In addition, some dancing entered into the games of children ( Matthew 11:17 ).
Because Jesus'' first miracle was to make wine at the wedding at Cana,
and because all Jewish weddings involved dancing and celebration, it
would be unwise to set hard and fast rules for all Christians regarding
all kinds of dancing. Christians should avoid both legalism and license.There
are many
different kinds of dances, just as there are different
circumstances in which dancing takes place. A square dance in a
well-lit civic center is much different than a slow dance between
strangers in a dark, smoky bar. Similarly, a romantic waltz by a bride
and groom and their entourage is different from dances with movements
clearly intended to be erotic. I recall feeling mildly scandalized when
a girl in the public elementary school I attended in conservative West
Michigan tap danced at a Christmas assembly. Today, however, when I see
1950s tap dancing and ballroom dancing on television it appears
nostalgic and completely unobjectionable.Cultural conditions
vary a great deal from place to place and time to time. The joyous
whirl of a Polish polka is foreign to a staid Dutch Calvinist. Cultural
conditions also change. For example, the relationship of men and women
in many conservative Arab societies more closely resembles the way men
and women related to each other in biblical times than the way that men
and women interact with each other in daily life in America and other
parts of the Western world. (In biblical times men and women were
strictly segregated. It was improper for unrelated men and women to
even carry on informal conversations, much less touch each other to
make a point -- or dance.)The attitudes that people bring to
dancing are also extremely important as well. I''ve attended weddings
where an occasional unmarried couple on the dance floor was interacting
inappropriately, while at the same time grandfathers were dancing with
granddaughters, cousins were dancing with cousins, friends with
friends, sweethearts with sweethearts -- all in ways that were
respectful, joyous, and honorable. Should the lovely interaction of the
vast majority of the people at the wedding who were dancing have been
forbidden in order to prevent one couple from making a spectacle? Or
would it have been better, perhaps, for the master of ceremonies to
approach them tactfully about the need to change their
behavior?Dancing, like many other issues, is governed by the principles of Christian liberty -- that freedom from bondage to sin ( Romans 6:18-23 ; 1 Corinthians 15:56 ), the power of evil ( Colossians 1:13 ), and the law as a means for salvation ( Galatians 4:21-5:1 ) that results from voluntary submission to righteousness ( 1 Corinthians 6:12;10:23 ).Some
circumstances, like high school dances, present today''s Christian
parents and young people with difficult decisions. Given the influence
of our popular culture, girls tend to dress and behave seductively, and
boys tend to pay more attention to girls who do. Unfortunately, under
such circumstances dancing can easily degenerate into inappropriate
behavior. Concerned parents need to take the lead in a culture that no
longer can be expected to be an ally in rearing morally and emotionally
healthy young people. For example, Christian parents in a school
district -- along with others who share their concerns -- should work
for a consensus about attire and behavior that will protect and benefit
all of the young people at school events. In some cases, Christian
leadership for both parents and young people might best be expressed by
holding an alternative social event. In other cases it might be
expressed by permitting youth to attend the event modestly dressed, behaving in a dignified and respectful way.Relying on Christian
liberty to govern behavior rather than rules makes life more
complicated. But such liberty also acknowledges the reality that
different Christian people will have different perspectives on issues
with no clear biblical support or prohibition.