Is Music a Closed System?--Part 1

 

Is Music a Closed System?--Part 1            

    The belief that music is a closed system is a spurious notion because, as a closed system, music would be independent of any outside influences. If music is not related to real life it would be completely amoral and independent of any moral jurisdiction. That condition would allow the Christian musician to become autonomous in his or her musicing.  There is no aspect of a Christian’s music philosophy that may be allowed to become autonomous simply because we are accountable to God in every area of our life.  Therefore, I cannot believe that God, who in the beginning created music, created it as a closed system. I believe God created the mathematical ratios that produce sound so that we could worship Him with these sounds.  I also believe that He created these ratios that produce pitches so that these sounds could become a part of the abundant life that the Christian should enjoy.  This “abundant life” or perissos (4012) which is spoken of in St. John 10:10 means that God has created music, among many other things, in superabundance or exceedingly and abundantly above and beyond the necessary things for mere existence. 

    As can be expected, Satan is always present in this dark world to assist men and women in messing up God’s wonderful creation called music.  Any philosophical belief about music that denies that God intends music for our good and that Satan intends to use his influence to pervert it so that music can aid our spiritual failure is simply a naive and over simplistic misguided belief system.