Concerning Secular and Sacred Music part 3

 

Concerning Secular and Sacred Music part 3

 There is also the matter of sacred music that was not composed with corporate worship in a church I mind.  An example of such music was the sacred oratorio by G.F. Handel. It was conceptualized as public concert music.  However, the texts are chosen from the Bible and the music part of the oratorio is appropriate for use in corporate worship.  Since there is no contradistinction caused by the music part of the music or the texts, the oratorio may be appropriately considered to be sacred music.

One of the unfortunate philosophical positions of some Christian musicians is that all religious music is appropriate in the life of a Christian and conversely that all non-religious (secular) music is inappropriate in the life of a Christian. On the surface it seems that including only sacred music in the performance praxis of a Christian musician would greatly simplify music philosophy.  This faulty praxis only complicates matters since it removes the responsibility of the Christian to prove what is “acceptable unto the Lord”.  This faulty music paradigm has spawned generations of Christian musicians who believe that there are no absolutes, rules, or standards of sacred or secular music. To them, there is only one guideline – it has to be religious in nature by having a religious text.  Under this mindset, sacred and secular music is a standardless art that does not have to be evaluated or pass any tests of suitability and appropriateness or correctness or incorrectness. (See Music Philosophy in Christian Perspective, Chapter 2).