Christian Music and WorshipClass Handout

Prepared by: Barbara Irene Bennett

Introduction

I. Is this class important, if so, why? II. Music in Heaven

a. Ezekiel 28:13-14b. “Lucifer was the covering cherub, the most exalted of the heavenly created beings; he stood nearest the

throne of God, and was most closely connected and identified with the administration of God's government, most richly endowed with the glory of his majesty and power.” ST, April 28, 1890

c. “Satan had led the heavenly choir. He had raised the first note; then all the angelic host had united with him, and glorious strains of music had resounded through heaven in honor of God and His dear Son.” Story of Redemption, 25.2

III. Music Present During the Creation of the World a. Genesis 1; Psalm 107:8; Job 38:4, 7b. “Above the new-created earth, as it lay, fair and unblemished, under the smile of God, "the morning stars

sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy." Job 38:7. So human hearts, in sympathy with heaven, have responded to God's goodness in notes of praise. Many of the events of human history have been linked with song.” Education, 161.2

IV. Music Present in the Garden of Eden a. “The angels united with Adam and Eve in holy strains of harmonious music, and as their songs

pealed forth from blissful Eden, Satan heard the sound of their strains of joyful adoration to the Father and Son. And as Satan heard it his envy, hatred, and malignity increased, and he expressed his anxiety to his followers to incite them (Adam and Eve) to disobedience and at once bring down the wrath of God upon them and change their songs of praise to hatred and curses to their Maker.” Story of Redemption, 31.2

V. Music Plays a Role in the Great Controversy a. Daniel 3:4-7b. Exodus 19:8; 32

VI. It’s All About the Use of Music in Worship

Occasion Who was worshiped?

Who is the worshiper?

What kind of music?

Worship God Adam & Eve Joyful, happy songs of praise to God (1SP29)Holy strains of harmonious music (SR 31.2)

Worship Golden image of Nebuchadnezzar

All of Babylon and the captive Jews, except Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego

Attraction & outward show with agenda to force a person into false religion (ST May 6, 1897)

Worship Golden calf All of the Israelites except the Levites

Like that of low, common pleasure parties where pleasure lovers eat & drink (CT 367-8); Music that draws the mind away from Christ (RH July 10, 1900)

Music and the Frontal Lobe

I. Introduction a. 2 Corinthians 3:18b. Five senses – Hearing, Seeing, Touching, Tasting, and Smelling (also considered to be the avenues to the

soul)c. “Those who would not fall a prey to Satan's devices must guard well the avenues of the soul; they must

avoid reading, seeing, or hearing that which will suggest impure thoughts. The mind must not be left to dwell at random upon every subject that the enemy of souls may suggest. The heart must be faithfully sentineled, or evils without will awaken evils within, and the soul will wander in darkness. Everything that can be done should be done to place ourselves and our children where we shall not see the iniquity that is practiced in the world. We should carefully guard…the hearing of our ears so that these awful things shall not enter our minds…Those who would have that wisdom which is from God must become fools in the sinful knowledge of this age, in order to be wise. They should shut their eyes, that they may see and learn no evil. They should close their ears, lest they hear that which is evil and obtain that knowledge which would stain their purity of thoughts and acts. And they should guard their tongues, lest they utter corrupt communications and guile be found in their mouths.” {AH 403-4}

II. Functions of the Frontal Lobe a. The seat of judgment, reasoning, intellect, and the willb. The control center of our entire beingc. Calls the shots for our spirituality, character, and moralityd. See Revelation 22:4 – God’s character to be in our “foreheads”, stamped in our frontal lobes

III. Cases of People Who Had Suffered From A Damaged Frontal Lobe a. Phineas Gage: A railroad worker who had an accident causing his frontal lobe to be hit by a tamping

iron. He survived the accident but he became a different person altogether. From being a religious, devoted, faithful man, he became sexually promiscuous, irreverent, gave up his faith in God altogether, more irritable, and eventually joined the circus.

b. Patricia (nurse): wanted a frontal lobotomy to resolve her guilt problems. Before lobotomy, she was extremely efficient as an operating room nurse, was very fond of books, and belonged to the nurses’ literary circle. After lobotomy, she lost ambition in life, lost interest in work and sympathy with patients, became a mediocre worker (I do not care attitude); lost interest in books.

c. Frontal lobotomy (definition): a surgical procedure that physically removes a portion of the lobe or functionally removing by severing its nerve connections. This is done to “help” people who were violently or criminally insane.

d. 14 year old girl struck by a car and damaged both sides of frontal lobe. The effects: temper outbursts when frustrated verbally and physically assaultive in an abrupt, unpredictable, and short-lived manner Sexually promiscuous from early teens No sustained friendships Heavy user of alcohol and marijuana Impulsively attempted suicide twice

IV. Additional Effects of a Compromised Frontal Lobe a. Memory impairment (especially of recent events)b. Distractibility and restlessnessc. Flight of ideas (fantasies, emotional instability)d. Apathy (lack of initiative)e. Indifference to one’s condition (happy-go-lucky)

V. Frontal Lobe Diseases a. Maniab. Obsessive compulsive disorderc. Appetite increased. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)e. Depression

VI. Implications of Frontal Lobe Research a. An impaired frontal lobe results in an impaired character

b. Self-control, trustworthiness, reliability, serious reading, abstract reasoning, interpersonal relationships are all complex functions that depend on a healthy frontal lobe

c. Aside from accidents, the main causes of a compromised frontal lobe root from improper lifestyle habitsd. Many people today suffer from a damaged frontal lobe, not because of accident but as a result of poor

lifestyle choicesVII. Lifestyle Factors That Affect The Frontal Lobe

a. Drugsb. Alcoholc. Caffeined. Diet and nutritione. Intemperancef. TV or movie-watchingg. Music

VIII. How Does Music Affect the Frontal Lobe? a. Music enters the brain through its emotional regions where the temporal lobe and the limbic system

resides. It bypasses the “master brain” or the frontal lobe – attacking the nervous system directlyb. From there, certain kinds of music triggers a response from the frontal lobe that influences the will,

moral worth, and reasoning powerc. Other kinds of music will evoke very little frontal lobe response, but will produce very large emotional

response, with very little logical or moral interpretationd. Also impacts heart rate, respiration, blood pressure, digestion, hormonal balance, moods and attitudes

IX. Different Music Yields Different Effects a. Tests results have proven that listening to rock music causes memory and learning problems. Not

because of its harmonic or melodic structure, but because of the heavy rhythm.b. There was abnormal branching and sprouting of nerve cells as well as disruptions in the normal

amounts of messenger RNA, a chemical crucial to memory storage.c. It also caused the frontal lobe to atrophy which affects moral worth, learning, and reasoning power.d. Tests results have proven that listening to harmonious types of hymns and symphonies help college

students learn spatial relationships in geometry, increased spatial-temporal reasoning, higher scores in “object assembly tasks”

e. Classical music affects the brain’s organization and abilities, through its melody and rhythm. The rhythm raises the level of serotonin produced in your brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter, involved in the transmission of nerve impulses that helps maintaining joyous feelings. When the brain produces serotonin, tension is eased.

f. The brain is also recharged.X. Results of Exposure to Harmonious Music

a. Music can affect the hormone system Affects breathing rate and electrical resistance of the skin Pupils dilate, blood pressure and heart rate increase Allows the brain to concentrate more easily and assimilate more information in less time

b. Music simultaneously stimulates the left and right hemispheres of the brain Boosts learning and information intake therefore augmenting cognitive skills Learning may be increased five-fold

c. Mozart effect Complex music improves performance of spatial-temporal reasoning and short-term memory Mozart’s concerto from the “baroque” period with 60 beats per minute affects the amplitude and

frequency of brain waves Children who have taken music lessons experience advantages in cognitive skills

d. Animals on Classical Music The right balance of rhythm and melody help hens lay more eggs, cats to relax, and cows to

produce more milk Lab rats showed a natural predisposition towards music

o 2 boxes connected by a tubeo One box had Bach’s Air on the G string, the other box had rock musico Most rats chose to go to the box with Bach’s music (even when the music was switched

from one side to another)

o Rats were then placed in a maze, and those that followed the classical music exited the maze quicker and easier than those that chose the path of rock

o The ones that were frequently exposed to classical music had a physically more developed brain than those not being exposed

XI. Jimi Hendrix, a famous rock musician quotes: “You can hypnotize people with music and when you get them at their weakest point, you preach into their subconscious what we want to say.” Life Magazine, 1969.

XII. Additional Reading: “The Effects of Rock Music”, by Tore Sognefest from the book The Christian and Rock Music: A Study on Biblical Principles of Music, pp. 235-253.

The Elements of Music

I. Melody is the way sound is organized in space in a horizontal manner. It is a succession of tones of different heights (pitches) – we speak of high notes and low notes. In order to qualify as a melody, this succession of pitches must be organized and perceived as happening in an orderly relationship with one another.

a. Melodic organization happens on the level of form and rhythm. A single-standing melody is a very versatile entity; indeed it can be accommodated to any style, from opera to church – and even to rock. Because of the flexible character of the melody, the same tune has often been used for different settings, from secular to sacred or vice versa.

b. Melodies have a strong cultural flavour and are shaped according to the scale patterns used in a given setting. While Western melodies use the diatonic scale built on 12 equidistant semitones, Arabic and Asian tunes use scales made of five or six tones within the octave (pentatonic and whole tone) and may accommodate intervals smaller than a semitone. This gives them their characteristic flavour that is sometimes difficult for ears not attuned to those sounds to appreciate.

c. The way notes are organized into a meaningful and beautiful continuous line – a melody – is one of the most difficult challenges for the composer. Great composers often distinguish themselves by their gift of melody. One composer even mentioned how he would struggle for weeks with small details that would make the melody sound just right. Many composers mastered the difficult art of writing effective melodies, melodies that touch the heart and remain forever in the memory of the listener, melodies perpetuated through the ages.

d. It is a general assumption that the emotional impact of music resides in the particular qualities of the melody. In reality, harmony and rhythm, the other two components of music, play a much more important role when it comes to touching our emotions.

e. Characteristics of a good melody should be that it should have a well-shaped contour, variety, as well as a climax and resolution.

f. “The art of sacred melody was diligently cultivated [in the schools of the prophets]. No frivolous waltz was heard, nor flippant song that should extol man and divert the attention from God; but sacred, solemn psalms of praise to the Creator, exalting His name and recounting His wondrous works. Thus music was made to serve a holy purpose, to lift the thoughts to that which was pure and noble and elevating, and to awaken in the soul devotion and gratitude to God.” Education, 161.

II. Harmony is another way music is organized in space – this time in a vertical manner. As two or more voices blend together, they form a musical fabric very much like the texture of a woven cloth.

a. Chords are the vertical structures of harmony wherein several pitches are sounding simultaneously. Chords are the foundation of harmony.

b. Chords are classified into consonances and dissonances. Consonances are often described as forming pleasant, agreeable sounds, whereas dissonances are said to produce unpleasant distressing sounds. Consonances are generally associated with relaxation and closure; dissonances are associated with forward movement and tension.

c. A style can be defined by its harmony. Specific chords and harmonic patterns define jazz, blues, or country in the field of popular music, but also baroque, classical, late Romantic, and 20th

century styles in classical music.d. Several functions can be attributed to harmony.

Within the field of sensations it creates interest and expectation (tension) and brings about feelings of pleasantness (relaxation) or unpleasantness.

On the level of cognitive appreciation, harmony brings structure and organization to the music.

e. Harmony has the ability to impact a forward movement to the music, to have it stall, or to bring it to a close by a slowing down of its harmonic rhythm. Harmony also lends “color” to a piece, according to the types of intervals that make it up. As the harmonic language evolved throughout the centuries, composers were able to create impressions such as strength, tenderness, fright, awe, tragedy, seduction, contentment, etc.

III. Rhythm is the element of music that inspires most heated debates. Out of misinformation, ignorance, or simply prejudice, most of rhythm’s antagonists are quick to condemn it as the “evil” element in music. However, rhythm is not only a basic ingredient of music, it is essential to every aspect of our lives. We can not live without rhythm. Therefore, to look down on rhythm as an invention of evil would be to deny a basic principle of Creation. Indeed, rhythm is the governing principle of life.

a. Rhythm is the way music is organized in time, and it refers to the way sounds are ordered in time and to their relative durations.

b. Beat or pulse refers to the subdivision of the musical flow into regular basic pulsations or units of time.

c. Meter concerns the organization of these pulses or beats into distinct groupings of 2, 3, and 4.d. Syncopation involves a rhythmic displacement created by articulating weaker beats that do not

fall on any of the mean beats of the measure.

The Story of Christian Music – Part 1

I. Antiquity (Prehistoric Times – 200 AD)

HISTORICAL EVENTSa. Old Testament times (Moses, David, Jehoshaphat)b. New Testament times (Jesus, Paul, apostolic church)c. Persecution of the disciples and the early church (Acts)d. Fulfillment of the coming of the Messiah e. Crucifixion and resurrection of Christ (Roman power)f. Prophecies revealed, people of God forewarned

GENERAL MUSICAL CHARACTERISTICSa. Dependent to other artsb. Monophonic, which means it comprised of a single melodic linec. Largely improvisedd. Believed that music had a power to affect life, character, and well-being of a person

II. Antiquity: Hebrew MusicPHILOSOPHIES IN MUSICa. Creation was accompanied by music: Job 38: 4, 7; Genesis 1b. Music is a sermon: Exodus 15:1, 2; “This was the wisdom of Moses to present the truth to them in song,

that in strains of melody they should become familiar with them…for this would speak to them, to warn, to restrain, to reprove, to encourage. It was a continual sermon.” Evangelism 496, 497.

c. Music is a witness: Deuteronomy 31:19-22d. Music for battle and devotion: 2 Chronicles 20:19-29; “It was with songs of praise that the armies of

Israel went forth to the great deliverance under Jehoshaphat.” Education, 163; “Music was made to serve a holy purpose, to lift the thoughts to that which is pure, noble, and elevating, and to awaken in the soul devotion and gratitude to God.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 594.

e. Music molds the character: ““The Lord had chosen David, and had ordered his life that he might have an opportunity to train his voice, and cultivate his talent for music and poetry. The Lord was preparing him in his solitary life with his flocks, for the work He designed to commit to his trust in afteryears.” Signs of the Times, June 8, 1888.

f. Music heals: “In the providence of God, David as a skillful performer upon the harp, was brought before the king. His lofty and Heaven-inspired strains had the desired effect. The brooding melancholy that had settled like a dark cloud over the mind of Saul was charmed away.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 643.

g. Music frees a nation from idolatry: “The service of song was made a regular part of religious worship, and David composed psalms, not only for the use of the priests in the sanctuary service, but also to be

sung by the people in their journeys to the national altar at the annual feasts. The influence thus exerted was far-reaching, and it resulted in freeing the nation from idolatry.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 711.

h. Music gives victory over sin: “With a song, Jesus in His earthly life met temptation. Often when sharp, stinging words were spoken, often when the atmosphere about Him was heavy with gloom, with dissatisfaction, distrust, or oppressive fear, was heard His song of faith and holy cheer.” Education, 166.

i. Music amidst suffering: Acts 16:23-26; “The keeper of the jail had heard with amazement the prayers and singing of the imprisoned apostles…He had expected to hear bitter wailing, groans, and imprecations; but lo! His ears were greeted with joyful praise.” Spirit of Prophecy, Vol. 3, 383.

j. Music plays when one repents: Zephaniah 3:17; “We learn from the Word that there is joy among the angels of heaven over one repentant sinner and that the Lord rejoices over His church with singing.” Voice in Speech and Song, 441.5

III. Antiquity: Greek MusicPHILOSOPHIES IN MUSICa. Music is moral: “Music is a moral law…It is the essence of order and lends to all that is good, just, and

beautiful.” Platob. Music influences the soul: “Music directly imitates the passions or states of the soul…when one listens to

music that imitates a certain passion, he becomes imbued with the same passion; and if over a long time he habitually listens to music that rouses ignoble passions, his whole character will be shaped to an ignoble form.” Aristotle

c. The soul reflects the music it hears: Musical training is a more potent instrument than any other, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul, on which they mightily fasten, imparting grace, and making the soul of him who is rightly educated graceful, or of him who is ill-educated ungraceful. Socrates

MUSICAL CHARACTERISTICSa. Largely monophonic, or with very simple accompaniment played on a string instrument by the singerb. Mostly improvisedc. The ability to embellish shows the skill of performerd. Music was inseparable from poetry and dramae. Music had a crucial role in ceremonial rites an mythology

IV. Middle Ages (300 - 1450 AD)

HISTORICAL EVENTSa. Conversion of Constantine brought about a new breed of Christiansb. Monasteries, churches built (papal power)c. Scholasticism, feudalism, chivalryd. St. Francis of Assisi, Thomas Aquinas, Louis IXe. Rise of middle classf. Great Plagueg. Beginning of the Hundred Years’ War

GENERAL MUSICAL CHARACTERISTICSa. Domination of Gregorian chantsb. Performance of music in church is relegated to a fewc. Normally monophonic and sung in a capella, without meter, in limited range, and in Latin

PHILOSOPHIES IN MUSICa. Music should not distract the listener from worship: “I admit that I still find some enjoyment in the music

of hymns, which are alive with your praises, when I hear them sung by well-trained melodious voices. But I do not enjoy it so much that I cannot tear myself away. I can leave it when I wish...I realize that when they are sung these sacred words stir my mind to greater religious fervor and kindle in me a more ardent form of piety than they would if they were not sung; and I also know that there are particular modes in song and the voice, corresponding to my various emotions and able to stimulate them because

of some mysterious relationship between the two… I waver between the danger that lies in gratifying the

senses and the benefits which, as I know from experience, can accrue from singing. Without committing myself to an irrevocable opinion, I am inclined to approve of the custom of singing in church, in order that by indulging the ears weaker spirits may be inspired with feelings of devotion. Yet when I find the singing itself more moving than the truth which it conveys, I confess that this is a grievous sin, and at those times I would prefer not to hear the singer.” from Saint Augustine, Confessions, trs. R.S. Pine-Coffin (Penguin, 1961) 238-239.

V. Renaissance (1450 – 1600 AD)

HISTORICAL EVENTSa. Single papacy restored to Romeb. Printing of the Biblec. End of Hundred Years’ Ward. Columbus’s voyage to West Indiese. Reformation (started by Wycliffe)f. Martin Luther’s 95 Theses nailed to the church doorg. Lutheran chorales publishedh. Council of Trent

GENERAL MUSICAL CHARACTERISTICSa. Developed harmony (4 voices) b. Music is servant to the textc. Singing is still relegated to a few special performersd. Music too complex for regular church-goer

VI. Singing in the Time of the Reformation

Martin Luther’s Musical Backgrounda. A Kurrende singer, a youth going from house to house with other poor children, singing for a piece of

breadb. Studying to be an Augustinian monk, he was able to study music extensivelyc. He is an accomplished singer, lute player, and a composer

PHILOSOPHIES IN MUSICa. Music should be done by all: “I am not ashamed to confess publicly that next to theology there is no art

which is the equal of music, for she alone, after theology, can do otherwise only theology can accomplish, namely quiet and cheer up the soul of man.” Martin Luther’s Letter to Ludwig Senfl, October 4, 1530

b. Music should further the gospel: “I want to see all the arts, especially music, used in the service of Him who gave them and made them.” Luther’s Preface to Wittenberg Hymnal (1524); Luther would draw from all of these types of song to disseminate the gospel. Whether propaganda, parody, news, dissemination, or storytelling, all songs became part of his way to spread the good news, either in oral or printed form. LD Doukhan, In Tune With God, 162-163

CONTRAFACTAa. Definition: “In vocal music, the substitution of one text for another without substantial change to the

music.” New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musiciansb. Uses: (1) Secular songs were borrowed for the sweetness of their melodies and because people were

already familiar with them. It speeds up the process of fixing the words in the memories of the people. (2) To substitute good lyrics for evil lyrics so that people would forget the immoral songs by singing the new ones. (3) To use them as tools to teach truth and principle (4) There was a shortage of melodies for the great number of texts that sprung up during the early Reformation.

c. Sources of tunes: (1) Secular songs (Folk songs or love songs), (2) Hymns of the Catholic church and (3) Chants and sequences of the Catholic church

LUTHER’S RELEVANCY FOR TODAY1. The word of God must be heard and proclaimed: For Luther, hearing and saying / singing the Word of

God were of primary importance. His whole effort was centered on the Word of God, how it was understood and proclaimed. One of his major purposes for music was to proclaim the Word of God and make it understandable.

Our music today should accompany the Word of God and not some subjective or simplified interpretation of it. This presents a two-fold task: to make sure that the Word can actually be heard and understood (not overpowered by the music or the volume of the sound). Music in church is always servant to the Word.

2. Music in the church is an active and participatory experience: While the focus was on the Word of God, this focus was informed by the perspective of making the Word available to the community of believers. In all of Luther’s musical efforts, he always kept in mind what would be familiar with the people. This assures an active and participatory experience, in church or outside the church.

Our efforts in making music in church must be done keeping the congregation in mind. The songs must be apt for community singing. They must be easily singable, quickly learned, and have a familiar and attractive sound. The choice is determined by the needs of the congregation rather than by personal preferences.

3. Music is a power for good: “The devil is a sad spirit and makes people sad, therefore, he cannot stand rejoicing. And therefore, also, he flees from music.” (Luther, Letter to Ludwig Senfl) “For the evil spirit is ill at ease wherever God’s Word is sung or preached in true faith.” (Luther, Treatise on the Last Words of David)

We should see music as a gift from God, an instrument of the Holy Spirit that affirms the goodness of God’s creations and has power to change the world.

4. Professional musicians and ministers should work together: Luther was not alone in putting together the new body of hymns, he also sought for the help of professional poets and musicians. Luther always appealed for quality poetry and music, and the professional musician he worked with handed the songs in a skilful and adequate way.

Today both the minister and musician should work hand in hand in educating and influencing the church for good. They should set aside personal tastes, differences, and let the Holy Spirit work that unity may be achieved.