Liturgy and Worship Commons^™

Making Music In The House Of God: How Augustine Influenced Jean Calvin And Martin Luther's Opinions On Musical Worship, Emma N. Ross

Musical Offerings

Music for worship has been a divisive topic throughout church history. Augustine of Hippo influenced Jean Calvin and Martin Luther’s theology of music, although in different ways. Their opinions differed, but all three men cared deeply about applying a correct interpretation of the Bible to church music. Augustine’s opinion of music was that, when correctly understood, it had the capacity to glorify God. However, music could become a dangerous earthly pleasure if the senses were allowed to have control. Calvin argued that music must be used with care, not due to the problem of music, but rather the weakness and …

From Silence To Golden: The Slow Integration Of Instruments Into Christian Worship, Jonathan M. Lyons

Musical Offerings

The Christian church’s stance on the use of instruments in sacred music shifted through influences of church leaders, composers, and secular culture. Synthesizing the writings of early church leaders and church historians reveals a clear progression. The early musical practices of the church were connected to the Jewish synagogues. As recorded in the Old Testament, Jewish worship included instruments as assigned by one’s priestly tribe. Eventually, early church leaders rejected that inclusion and developed a rather robust argument against instruments in liturgical worship. The totalitarian stance on musical instruments in sacred worship began to loosen as the organ increased in …

From Silence To Golden: The Slow Integration Of Instruments Into Christian Worship, Jonathan Lyons

The Research and Scholarship Symposium (2013-2019)

The Christian church’s stance on the use of instruments in sacred music shifted through influences of church leaders, composers, and secular culture. Synthesizing the writings of early church leaders and church historians reveals a clear progression. The early musical practices of the church were connected to the Jewish synagogues. As recorded in the Old Testament, Jewish worship included instruments as assigned by one’s priestly tribe. Eventually, early church leaders rejected that inclusion and developed a rather robust argument against instruments in liturgical worship. The totalitarian stance on musical instruments in sacred worship began to loosen as the organ increased in …

Sing To The Lord A New Song: John Calvin And The Spiritual Discipline Of Metrical Psalmody, Brandon J. Bellanti

Musical Offerings

The purpose of this essay is to evaluate the way that psalmody - specifically metrical psalmody - serves as a sort of spiritual discipline. In other words, this essay seeks to demonstrate how the singing of psalms can be a tool to aid in spiritual growth. Much of the research for this essay focuses on the theological writings of the Protestant reformer John Calvin, as well as the way in which he incorporated metrical psalmody into his liturgical framework. The research also comprises primary writings from Aristotle, Plato, Saint John Chrysostom, Saint Basil, and Saint Augustine - all of whom …

Ancient Worship Wars: An Investigation Of Conflict In Church Music History, Michael J. Wood

Musical Offerings

The purpose of this research is to prove that conflict in church music is nothing new. Even in the time of the early church fathers, dissenting views on what were acceptable and unacceptable practices in church music were present. The music of the 2nd century through the 14th century is examined.

The method used to find specific conflicts in church music history involved reading early Christian literature on music. When possible, both sides of the conflicts included in the project are presented. However, oftentimes only one side of an argument can be found since there is not an abundant supply …

Conservative Radical: Martin Luther’S Influence On Congregational Singing, Jonathan Knight

B.A. in Music Senior Capstone Projects

Martin Luther played an influential role in the transition from the priest-dominated Catholic worship to congregationally accessible evangelical services. This study demonstrates that, though his musical reforms were not dramatic, they were intentional and effective. Luther’s understanding of music theologically, theoretically, and practically enabled him to effectively utilize available musical resources to make music increasingly accessible, for the purpose of teaching the Word of God. Through Luther’s hymns, people began proclaiming the Word of God musically. Through liturgical reform, Luther provided congregations with a framework through which to incorporate congregational song in the liturgy. Through music education, Luther increased musical …