Topic(s):  Bible Authority, Moral Issues, Worship

Todd Clippard

Dancing in church is indeed a sin, primarily because there is no authority for it in the New Testament. Colossians 3:17 says that all things are to be done in the name of, that is, by the authority of Jesus Christ. There is no command or example of anyone dancing in church. The church gathered to partake of the Lord's Supper (Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 11:18ff), to pray (Acts 2:42ff; 4:23ff); sing (Ephesians 5:19; Colossians 3:16); hear the word proclaimed (Colossians 4:16); and give as they had been prospered (1 Corinthians 16:1-2). No mention of any other activities such as dancing, burning incense, etc.

Additionally, the Bible teaches that dancing in general is a sin. When I say dancing, I speak of the modern dances, line dancing, and any other type of dancing that is designed to provoke the opposite sex. Consider the following:

We know that Herodias' daughter danced before Herod in Matthew 14:6 (cf Mark 6:22). Her dancing pleased Herod greatly, insomuch that he was willing to give her up to half of his kingdom. After consulting with her treacherous mother, the request was made to behead John the Baptist, whom Herod had imprisoned for condemning Herod's marriage as unlawful. The daughter's dancing excited some emotions within Herod, as this is one of the primary definitions given for the word translated "pleased" in this text (Strong's #700).

Though not condemned directly in the New Testament, we can make some determinations about the nature of dancing through a study of some New Testament words, particularly the word translated "lasciviousness" in Galatians 5:19. This word comes from the Greek aselgia, which is defined in Thayer's lexicon as "indecent bodily movements . . . unchaste handling of males and females, etc" (Thayer's Lexicon, entry # 766, p 79-80). Thayer's work was first published in the late 19th century, so there can be no perceived bias against modern dancing, which is certainly more lewd than that of the late 1800's.

Dancing would also be condemned as a work of the flesh under the definition of the Greek word translated "uncleanness" in Galatians 5:19. This word refers to any type of physical or moral impurity. Dancing certainly incites lusts and appeals to the baser desires of man.

Some years ago, I wrote an article on some of the issues facing Christians today. One of these issues was dancing. In my research, I came across a book by Judith Lynne Hanna titled Dance, Sex, and Gender (1988). In the promotional summary of the book, the following remarks were made:

"Through this inherently sexual art form, men and women express and question their sexual identity and roles...And in every society, dance expresses erotic fantasies and realities...and fluctuating boundaries between the male and female worlds" (emp mine jtc).

This statement comes from an anthropologist with no axe to grind concerning the moral implications of dancing; she simply states the facts!

Finally, the summary statement of the works of the flesh reads as follows, "and such like." Is dancing more closely affiliated with the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23, or with the works of the flesh in verses 19-21? I think the answer is a "no brainer."

Since dancing is so closely associated with the works of the flesh, and since "those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God," Christians should avoid dancing altogether.