st0o+@andrew.cmu.edu (Steven Timm) (01/15/90)
In response to Nick Rothwell article 2139 1/7/90. Nick writes: > Would somebody care to define "Christian Music" for me...?` ..... > Presumably, I could (in principle, were I good enough...) > fire up my collection of synthesisers and software and make Christian > music (albeit without lyrics) as valid as somebody singing in church, > since it would (hopefully) stem from common beliefs and be trying to >communicate related ideas? Indeed you could, and I have done the same. As an amateur songwriter I write mostly religious tunes, and I generally write the music first. Yet, even though a song doesn't have words, and I may never find words for the tune, I still view my song as a religious song. Christian music exists only in a subjective sense. Whether a piece of music can be described as Christian music depends both on the performer and the listener. I could be part of an inspired (or in current parlance, "anointed") performance of Handel's Messiah and feel that I have really given glory to God, yet the music critic in the audience may only appreciate the performance for its musical quality On the other hand, the music of John Rutter, who has written some of the most beautiful modern church music, has inspired me as a listener on many occasions. Yet Rutter is an atheist who has no spiritual intent in writing his anthems which bring glory to God. I think it is very possible and enlightening to gain inspiration from a performance in which the performer may have no intent to inspire.