Asking the clergy: How spiritual is music?
English playwright and poet William Congreve (1670-1729) wrote in "The Mourning Bride" in 1697 that "Music has charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak."
But can music also soothe the soul? Can a spiritual path lit only by music be as direct as one lined by the spoken word? Our clergy shed light on the topic.
The Rev. Chester Easton, First Presbyterian Church of Mineola:
If you listen to the gospel music channel all morning, that's really great, but that's not all that you need.
The question is whether someone needs other people to live an effective Christian life. Yes, you do. We are to worship in community. But music definitely has a place in worship.
Looking at the Scriptures, music (usually with words) is frequently the method of God's people worshipping. The Psalms are a book of worship, often set to music and memorized. Miriam and Moses broke into song at the deliverance of the Hebrew people from the Egyptian army (Exodus 15). The future king of Israel, David, soothed the reigning king, Saul, with music played on the lyre (a stringed instrument), and thus assisted in causing Saul's evil spirit to depart (1 Samuel 16).
Personally, God brings the tunes and words of various praises and hymns to my mind at different times throughout each day.
Pastor Bill Giangrande, New Covenant Church, East Meadow:
According to the Bible, faith comes by hearing the word of God. While music can uplift the soul, unless the person has had an experience of conversion of the heart though God's word, the song is not as effective. It is not that God can't or hasn't used music, but true conversions come from people receiving and understanding the word of God.
It is the revelation of God's word that creates a change in someone. The definition of being spiritual is Christ living in you.
The long and short of it is: I could feel great during a song, but feeling great doesn't necessarily make me more spiritual. The real revelation is when we hear and receive the word of God (Romans 10:17).
Music may make someone want to know more about God. Wanting to know more doesn't necessarily mean you're looking for salvation. You have to want a relationship with God.
When a person knows God, music can increase the intimacy of the relationship that is already there. Music serves different purposes depending on where you are in your spiritual journey. Just because you're moved by a song, doesn't mean you've moved closer to salvation.
The Rev. Lynda Bates-Stepe, Commack United Methodist Church:
Both music and sermon are limited in that we can't say it all in any one sitting. There's always more to learn about God and God's love. Music can touch our hearts and souls. It can engage us in a different way than can a sermon. When we are listening to a sermon, we're listening with our heads. With music, our hearts are more engaged. Hymns and music bring back memories. And those memories have certain emotions attached to them.
I do think that during a service that has only music, God can be made real to people. They are experiencing the presence of the living God. But, in general in your spiritual life, you need more than just listening to music. You need a community of people of faith. It is important to have other worship options and other worship experiences. In this instance, I'm referring to music as a one-time experience, not a full expression of the Christian faith. Music is not a substitute for going to church and the community of faith.
Rabbi Levi Gurkov, Chabad of Oceanside:
According to the Chabad Hasidic philosophy, music can be just as effective, and actually, more effective. Music is the pen of the heart and a window into the divine and into the soul. The effect of music is so potent that in ancient times all services that were in the holy temple in Jerusalem were always accompanied by song and musical instrument. In modern times, on the Sabbath, we do not use any musical instrument. We do use our voices and our hands to clap.
From a Jewish perspective, you need to connect to a higher, divine existence, to God. We connect in many different ways -- emotionally, physically, intellectually. Music has a broad, universal effect. Yes, you need to study and know the word, but there is this deeper dimension out there.
Music without the intellectual collection will be fleeting, just as the written word without music would not be fulfilling. You must integrate the two. A parent can pontificate how much he or she loves the child, but sometimes a child needs a hug, which can express so much more. Music is the hug of God. It encapsulates the unspoken word.
