Sacred and Profane Sounds—part 5

Sacred and Profane Sounds—part 5

            Jonathan Friedman believes that “…wile musical function seems as diverse as humanity itself, the major functions of music are essentially identical across the globe.”  He went on to say that music’s perceived religious benefits were much the same in that setting [in biblical life] as they are today.”  Music in Biblical Life, p. 19.  If his assessment is correct, and I believe that it is, there is much justification for studying music in the Bible in the light of current Christian perspective.  There can be little doubt that the Levite musicians who were I charge of all musicing in the ancient Jewish Temple as well as having the responsibility for the musical training did so in light of the understanding that music could either be sacred or profane (see: Psalm 89:15, 1 Chronicles 25:7, Amos 8:3, Amos 5:23, Isaiah 14:11 etc.)

            Current liberal Christian thought in the twenty-first century purports that any Christian musician who is prescriptive in his or her approach to sacred music is an inward reaching caring musician.  Conservative Christian musicians, for the most part, believe very strongly that there is truth in the belief that when it comes to religious musicing there is definitely music that is “sacred’ and “profane”.  There is no reason to believe that merely because a Christian musician is careful in the process of prescribing which forms of music are appropriate to utilize in musicing unto a high and Holy God is bigoted or non-caring about the congregation who will hear and perform worship music.