A Defense for Christian Music Education part 1

 

A Defense for Christian Music Education  part 1

With the introduction above, we are now ready to defend CME. Albert Barns stated, "It was the original appointment (Gen. 1:26) that man should have dominion over the lower world, and be its absolute lord and sovereign.  Had he continued in innocence this dominion would have been entire and perpetual.  But man fell, and we do not see him exerting this dominion.”  The only possible way that music can ever even partially come under the supervision and dominion of Christians is if our children receive a Christian music education.

Music education, as it is understood  in Western civilization, is found in the OT as early as Deuteronomy 31:19, “Now therefore write ye this song for you, and teach it the children of Israel: put it in their mouths, that this song may be a witness for me against the children of Israel.”  Furthermore, music education was carried out at the command of YHVH (Deut. 31:16).  Verse 22 of the same chapter attests to the fact that Moses was the music educator, “Moses therefore wrote this song the same day, and taught it the children of Israel.”  This passage of Scripture  explains that Moses wrote the  music and the words, Probably as a unit, i.e., a melos.  This early account of Moses being a music educator in ancient Israel gives the reader greater understanding to Acts 7:22, “And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.”