Keeping Religious Musicing Christian—part 2

Keeping Religious Musicing Christian—part 2

             I never advocate musicing in a traditional manner simply for the purpose of proving a point or to be peculiar or old fashioned.  Neither do I ever contend that every way that the world musics is wrong, substandard, or that it must be summarily rejected because it is inappropriate as a vehicle of worship.  Furthermore, I never contend that a Christian musician cannot gain valuable insights about music and musicing from the music of those who do not love and serve God.  I am merely contending that the Christian musician must make wise choices of music and the way that he or she musics.  At the risk of sounding trite, I contend that Christian musicians should be concerned with presenting God musical offerings that are true to the purposes of worship of a holy triune God rather than utilizing worship vehicles that are merely trendy.

             Every music worship leader must be sure that the music being used in worship is, as Tolstoy put it, “Christian art”.  Art forms that the world considers “great art forms” are not always appropriate vehicles for worshiping the blessed Triune God that we love and worship.  Some religious music that may be considered a high art form that is currently being used by Christian musicians may be correctly considered to be religious music, but it is not always sacred music and ipso facto Christian music.  Music, being an art form, communicates the various implications of the composer’s and/or the arranger’s world view.   An arranger and/or performer can super-impose his or her world view over the original composer and librettist’s original worship intent in such a manner as to render that music no longer appropriate for worship.  When this happens, the original intent of the text and/or music part of the music is so eclipsed that it is no longer sacred music but instead it has been rendered merely religious music—there is a difference.

Thought for the Day

 Worship leaders should use traditional church music because it valuable and relevant to 21^st century worship rather than because it is traditional.