8 comments

1. The quote doesn’t say that we should pay no attention at all to tune, but that it should be subordinate to the meaning. I ask myself though, “Why have music at all if it’s so prone to distract? Why not congregational ‘speaking’ instead of singing?” I want to respect the gravity of Augustine and Calvin but wonder if they took it too far (Augustine also cites his worry that it was sinful for him to watch lizards catching flies because it was idle curiosity, Confessions 10.35). Would God have allowed music in the first place if it was such a great stumblingblock? It appears that even the prophets had some ecstatic experiences connected with music (2 Kings 3:15)

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   • Cole,

     Calvin is warning us to pay attention to the affect produced by the tune. How does that lead to, “why have music at all?”

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2. I’m Christian with 3.5 years drama school experience, and I love reading the Bible aloud in church.
   In drama school, we learnt about oratory by watching the speeches of Martin Luther King Jnr, Hitler and Churchill. We also watched great Shakespearean actors like Kenneth Brannagh do monologues from Henry 5th, Hamlet.

   This is why we need preaching (dramatic delivery) AND teaching (less dramatic, more direct communication). Apollos, Ezekiel, Aaron, Whitefield, Voddie Baucham was eloquent.

   If we are going to church for 1 hr 15 mins, then our hearts and minds must be engaged by a knowledgeable and passionate teacher, seeing Law and Gospel, and ultimately, seeing Christ’s presence manifested in the Word.

   If one preaches dramatically and beautifully, he needs to be ready to answer questions afterwards. I don’t see a problem with inflections in sermons.

   If I’m excited by the text, the congregation will be excited.
   If I’m bored, so too the congregation

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   • KC,

     I’m opposed to boring people and I share your concern but I’m also chastened by the fact that one of the charges made by the self-described “Super Apostles” (in 1 & 2 Corinthians) against the Apostle Paul was that he wasn’t a very scintillating preacher. Indeed, Acts tells us that while Paul was preaching, one fellow fell asleep, fell out of the window, and had to be resurrected by the Apostle who put him to sleep.

     I’ve no brief for being boring but the power of the sermon and worship is the Holy Spirit’s, not ours.

     Again, I think we preachers especially need to study communication and we all need to become better communicators. We have a great message and it ought to be reflected in our delivery.

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3. the organist (and calvin prof.) at calvin crc when I ws there as a lad refused to play anything in 6/8 time.

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4. I understand that this is a matter of keeping first things first in our minds and hearts, and to that extent I am in full agreement…..a tune should never outweigh the message. But just as good preaching sometimes involves emotive expression, so too does worship. Scripture encourages singing with joy, and what’s a song without a tune? Surely one can enjoy a melody and at the same time be primarily focused on the words being offered….they don’t have to me mutually exclusive….I look forward with great anticipation to singing in Glory (Revelation 5:9).

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5. As a player, I understand the influence music and the way I play, the inflection, the timing and the alternate chords I use, all have an effect on the substance of the worship. Granted we could eliminate the singing and the music and chant the Scripture, but still that would be in a certain key. This has been a point of contention for centuries, and we still haven’t found a way around it. Acapella is close, but that involves complex harmonies and a key that’s suitable for all in the congregation. The worship we do here is tainted, the worship we do in heaven will be such that the mind cannot comprehend (Rev. 15:3).

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6. I imagine that as a singer I ought to give heed to this admonition.
   I know in many churches it’s more like entertainers making sure the people don’t feel like they came to church for nothing. At least they got an emotional rush from the music. Most have a desire for that rather than the word preached from the pulpit.

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