Toward a Bible Based Theology of Music and Musicing Abstract           This paper discusses the fundamental differences between a Bible based music philosophy and Bible based Music Theology.  We will also discuss, from a Christian perspective, Bible Based Music Philosophy.  This paper will define music theology and music philosophy. It is not a presentation of a music theology, but rather a suggested path toward the development of a Bible based music theology.  It is also a discussion of what may and may not be used appropriately in a music theolo ..read more

  Are They Musical Convictions or Preferences? Part 2    I am not saying that my philosophical preferences do not matter.  I am simply acknowledging that my relationship with other Christian musicians matters more than most of my musical preferences.  They matter enough for me to disagree agreeably with my Christian colleagues who are of a different opinion about music education and church music preferences. So, I must very carefully differentiate between my musical preferences and Bible principles of musicing which are not negotiable. The Christian musician must remem ..read more

  Are They Musical Convictions or Preferences? Part 1   What the music educator firmly believes about the nature and value of music at its deepest levels should exude from that musician’s musical convictions.  A musical conviction is the strong feeling of being sure that what that musician believes about music is true and therefore must be followed.   A musical preference is different in that it is a greater liking for one musical alternative over another.  As the reader can see there is a dramatic difference between the two terms. I am not only passionate about m ..read more

  Music is Analogous to Language-part 2 Since there are several ways in which music communicates  understandable meaning, I am drawn to the conclusion that instrumental music does often refer outside of itself.  It may refer by implication, association, emotional previous connection, by what the sounds mean in the context of community, and by the specific emotional states that the music part of the music arouses in the performer and listener.  When I refer to specific emotions, I mean that the complex emotions aroused have real life meaning—not that music’s “meaning is in a ..read more

  Music is Analogous to Language-part 1 Although there is a host of music philosophers who believe that music is incapable of communicating any real life meaning, many musicians and music philosophers have been over the centuries and are currently so convinced that music communicates real life meaning that some of them consider music to be a “language”.  Others have considered it to be a language of emotions.  I consider music to be analogous to but not completely synonymous with spoken and written language.  Although what music communicates is somewhat like what a spoken o ..read more

  Understanding Sacred Music The reason the Levite musicians could prophesy “in the words of God” for the service of the LORD is simply that they understood sacred music.  The Bible does not tell us that these musicians were proficient in all the artistic wisdom of Hurrians, Hittites, Babylonians, Assyrians, Persians, Sumerians, or Akkadians, but rather in the sacred songs of the Temple.  Likewise, in the New Testament, in the Ephesian letter, church musicians are admonished to “speak to yourselves in psalms (psalmos 5568) and hymns (humnos 5215) and spiritual songs (pneumatikos ..read more

  Putting Specifics to What One Believes-part 2 As to the issue of naming names, St Paul mentioned Demas in 2Timothy 4:10 and in Galatians 2:11 Paul mentions Peter, ”But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed”.  Note that Paul mentioned people by name in his letters to other Christians.  Certainly modern thought would consider that St, Paul was not politically correct, but I would remind the reader that he wrote these letters under the inspiration of the blessed Holy Spirit.  It is one thing to think about what is right and ..read more

  Putting Specifics to What One Believes-part 1 It is not considered politically correct to specify what and whom when it comes to sacred music and musicing.  So, Christian musicians tiptoe through the tulips so to speak when it comes to putting specifics to what one considers to be wrong with some religious music and musicing. The Matthew 7:1,statement, “Judge not, that ye be not judged” is often used as a prohibition of making any musical judgements that are specific even though these judgments have legitimate foundations that have a Bible and or a music basis. The Bible also state ..read more

  Training Our Own   part 3        One more concept is note-worthy in this passage of Scripture. 1 Chronicles 25:1 records, “Moreover David and the captains of the host separated to the service of the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who should prophesy with harps, with psalteries, and with cymbals…” The musical sons of Jeduthun prophesied (naba, nabiy 5012, 5030--to sing by inspiration as a prophet) with the harp.  It is significant that the six sons were taught to sing by inspiration while they played the harp, psaltery, and cymbals b ..read more

  Training Our Own   part 2    The Christian music educator has an awesome responsibility like Heman to be the King’s “seer” or a beholder of a vision of God’s kingdom (see 1 Chronicles 25:5).  Christian musicians are responsible to pass that vision on to those with whom they minister and those who are “under your hands”.  1 Chronicles 25:3 states, “Of Jeduthun; Gedaliah, and Zeri, and Jeshaiah, and Mattithiah [and Shimei mentioned in verse 17], six under the hands of their father Jeduthun, who prophesied with a harp, to give thanks and to praise the LORD.” T ..read more