Music in the Church

It's interesting to note that music in the church always evolves, and the tension between the old art and the new art is always rising to the surface.  This evolution, in all its directions, has been able to be captured for good by the church, to her eternal benefit.  In all this goodness, however, there is and also always has been a serious tension with the world's art throughout the history of the church.

A study of the history of music in the church (as seen, for instance, in Te Deum, by Paul Westermeyer) shows that the history of the evolution of the best (not pop) music is essentially the history of its evolution within the church.  Perhaps in the 18th century, what we think of today as "high music" broke forth from the bounds of the church as the enlightenment and the "romantic" movements alternated their emphases within the intellectual and emotional sides of the human soul.  But, by and large, music that lasts, whether congregational hymns or high art music, first evolved in the church.  And, also, all this time, the church has been critiquing her music theologically, in order to adjust it to have the best effect in the church.

One might summarize these two points by saying that 1) the best music comes about in the church, through a process of evolution and self-criticism, 2) this kind of music is always in contrast with the music of the world.

NOW!

This contrasts with what appears to be a fascination of modern evangelism, namely, that the music of the church must imitate the music of the target culture being evangelized.  In terms of history, it's hard to understand what this means.  It's historically inconceivable.  If music is next to God's Word (Luther), then what kinds of words, tunes, styles and instruments, especially when taken from the world, are appropriate and elevated enough to be a vehicle for God's Word?  In truth, should not the music of the church become the music of the world, rather than the other way around?

The church and the world have different cultures, and the culture of the church attracts by the difference!  Our music, in its distinctiveness, ought to reflect this difference.