Catholic Praise Music Vs Other denominations

  • Thread starter Thread starter Paddy1989
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
Paddy1989 said:
Based on your quote of his where he states not allowing the devil to claim all the good music, I’ll try and explain more in depth and clearer later on when I’m free. Basically what I explained at the beginning how music genres doesn’t need to have the word Jesus in it to be interpreted as Christian
Click to expand...
Are you a musician? Do you play an instrument/sing/conduct? Are you part of your parish’s music ministry?

Also, may I ask how old you are (or at least what age group you fit into)?

I have played piano in church since I was a little girl of 10. Several years ago, I started taking organ lessons and now consider myself a competent organist.

I am 62 years old, and grew up Protestant, so I was there throughout the “Music Wars” of the Protestant church, when many churches turned young men with long hair away from their church, and some churches didn’t allow guitars and drums in their worship services. I lived through the debates and controversies about “appropriate church music.” At one point, our church hired one of the most famous Protestant composers in modern times to be our Music Minister, and he completely gutted any traditional music out of the church and locked up the fine organ–it was only played at funerals by those who requested it, and only one elderly lady was around to play it.

Many many people left our church after that to attend one of the mainline churches downtown. Of course, over the years, many people had left our church because they wanted the Christian rock music and praise/worship music, and there were plenty of churches in our city that offered really good CCM and P&W. In fact, we are within easy driving distance of Willowcreek (20,000 visitors every Sunday in the worship services), and there is actually a church plant of Willowcreek in our city, and they hire a professional praise band, not just “Boomer Rockers” like me and others my age.

That’s why I want to know where you are age-wise–I would like to know if you have lived through the same Music Wars which split many churches and drove many Christians away from any kind of organized church.

Satan uses music to split churches, including the Catholic Church. It’s so evil–to use something good to destroy what Jesus established. IMO, it’s not the musical “style” that splits the churches–it’s the way Christians react to the musical styles and insist upon their own personal preferences and belittle the personal preferences of others and claim that only “certain music” is worthy to be used in worship of Jesus Christ. Jesus didn’t pray that we would use the “right” music–He prayed that we would be ONE.
 
Last edited:
Paddy1989 said:
Now Catholics on this are quite split, myself included, many prefer the more beautiful timeless spiritual music that has stood the test of time throughout the ages which has done so for great reason.
Click to expand...
Do you mean “in general”, or “in the context of Mass”?
 
In spite, I sing “Sweet Sweet Song of Salvation” just about every day.
 
Catholics don’t typically attend mass depending on the music, many protestant do but they don’t have the mass and church is different for them. I’m 30 and grew up in a Catholic environment in Ireland where so called christian rock or Pop is never played during mass. Neither was gregorian but instead beautiful music that reflected the spirit of the mass itself which is deep and profound.

As I said in my first post which I tried to dive deeply into many music genres created in the 20th century were styles created to tell the human story in unique styles most relatable to it’s audience of the time. Understanding the philosophy behind these styles and how they came about is key in understanding how they should be presented. The way in which it delivers it’s messages (lyrics, melody etc) has to be In harmony with it’s style. It’s why lyrics like God is totally wonderful might work with Pop but feel out place in blues for example which could praise God in an entirely different way that fits it’s style. I hope this makes sense. I have pondered this for a while as I have noticed how secularists and Catholics alike react to these new Christian pop and rock groups compared to more spiritual music. When I returned to Ireland on holiday this year, I remember hearing the music at mass and being floored by how beautiful it was, it was instrumental with guitar playing and a lyrics to match it’s style in reverence. The styles and lyrics played by more contemporary music at times is almost childlike compared to liturgical music we have been used to. The lyrics in my opinion don’t fit the deep spiritual nature of the mass itself
 
Last edited:
As someone who is very passionate about music and listen on a VERY regular occasion spending a ridiculous amount of headphones so I can sit down, enjoy and relax with it I have a huge appreciation for it. I listen to almost every genre and I notice the effects what each genre is for and what its intended to do as I’m sure most who feel the same about music. For example I was listening to some music last night that was more for reflection and meditating. It was by Sacred Earth and popular among Buddhist circles and other Faith’s for example because of its style in aiding in pulling one self out of the world and reflecting on it.

All the comments on YouTube were based on this, each person commented on how this music lifted them up to reflect on things and through this reflection they would essentially pour their soul into their comments. I just can’t ever imagine rock doing the same thing as it’s effects are quite different but of course no less important. The same as Dance music allowing people to Express themselves through joy. They lift us up in different ways depending on their style. I just can’t see how Rock or some contemporary music could have the same spiritual effect as harmonic/instrumental spiritual music which transcends all ages. It transcends all ages because unlike some other genres isn’t just an expression that is meant to relate to those through a particular time period like blues, rock, pop etc. Rather it searches for the deepest longings for the soul
 
Last edited:
Paddy1989 said:
I just can’t see how Rock or some contemporary music could have the same spiritual effect as harmonic/instrumental spiritual music which transcends all ages. It transcends all ages because unlike some other genres isn’t just an expression that is meant to relate to those through a particular time period like blues, rock, pop etc. Rather it searches for the deepest longings for the soul
Click to expand...
The key phrase is, “I just can’t see how…”

Everyone is different. Some people see things that you can’t see, and you see things that they can’t see. Neither of you are superior, and the music that means nothing to you may mean heaven to someone else.
 
Paddy1989 said:
It transcends all ages because unlike some other genres isn’t just an expression that is meant to relate to those through a particular time period like blues, rock, pop etc. Rather it searches for the deepest longings for the soul
Click to expand...
Music is written in a specific time, but that doesn’t mean it is only relevant for that time.

Blues, rock, pop, etc. are not just for a particular time period. Certainly, some songs fade out of public attention, but many blues songs from the very beginning of blues are still very powerful, as are many of the early rock and pop songs.

Just last night (June 30), we watched a documentary about John Denver, and the songs, especially Country Roads, Take Me Home, were just as poignant, perhaps even more so now that we are older, than they were back when we were teenagers.

The people who love country music in the United States are especially careful to preserve the earliest songs in the genre. Country music is constantly evolving, and the music of the Carter Family and some of the cowboy singers is very different than the music of Keith Urban. But those of us who love this genre of music love the old standards from way back at the beginning of the 20th Century, and even earlier–a lot of the folk songs of the mountains, farmlands, and plains.

Same thing for classical music. The great composers like Handel, Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Debussy, Chopin, etc. wrote for their time, but their music is still profoundly moving and meaningful to those of us who listen to it today.

One of the reasons I am studying Church music history is because I believe that we need to hold the music of our Christian ancestors close and not abandon it just because it is ancient or “out-of-style.” I happen to love a lot of the early 60s Christian rock–I think it is more meaningful today than ever. And I especially love the gospel songs of the late 19th Century in the U.S.

I’m glad that you have found music that helps you to know God better. I like to try to find meaning and refreshment, challenge and exhortation, and all that God wants me to know, in ALL Christian music, not just the styles and songs that are appealing to me.
 
Absolutely, remember everything I have been saying is only based on MY opinion and observations of how Christianity through art has impacted society. I love discussions such as these. I just hope day we don’t start having so called Christian trance music next, everyone up break dancing in the Church hahaha. In all seriousness at mass and church I think the music should reflect the spirit of the mass itself which is complete adoration of Christs sacrifice, to participate in it and worship God. Grungy guitars with lyrics that don’t fit or dance music just doesn’t cut that for me.
 
Last edited:
Also ALL music is Christian because being a Christian is a follower of Jesus our Creator who instituted all harmony, all of creation itself. When harmonious sounds are created with such order they are a reflection of harmonious creation itself, that is before any lyrics is even thought of. The sound style and lyrics then fit together to allow one to say something through a particular style of sound, to convey truth or even falsehoods. That’s kind of my point in all this, so called Christian rock is an Oxymoron because it forgets that ALL music ALL art ordered towards truth glorifies God. In as much as when you or I show love and kindness to others, we participate and share in Gods love. Art does the same and has the potential to speak universally in it’s own language to the very depths of our soul which is why it’s so profound.

Looking at some contemporary music in churches, it’s clear the song writers were trying too hard to be relevant to young people today and create a sound style and lyrics that matched what they FELT would be more relevant. I have heard this from many including my own partner who criticised it for its tonality and lyrics being almost quite child like. I noticed this myself and compared it to other more lyrically poetic songs which style matches the poetic beauty of the lyrics. I hope that makes sense

You don’t need to put the word Jesus in a song for it to Glorify God anymore than literature needs to have a Jesus character for it to glorify God by conveying metaphysical truths of nature about love, human value and dignity etc. Rock or other genres for that matter don’t need to have the word Christian in the front of it to glorify God. The people behind the art are what glorify God through how they use it
 
Last edited:
Ok so after explaining this my dislike also for so called Christian Rock or Pop is that it’s trying too hard to imitate a style not meant for it’s lyrics. The lyrics and musical style don’t match up. I’m sure all of you have heard those cheesy Christian pop songs about Jesus being our friend etc because when such tonality is used with such simplicity it’s lyrics are forced to match.

For many styles of music the tonality is based on how one expresses themselves in which they may want to convey certain emotions through that tonality, they then add the lyrics that fit that tonality. Think of Kashmir by led Zepellin, pull out the lyrics of it and try and add praise Jesus is my friend style lyrics instead and see what you would do to it

Spiritual music is music that by it’s very tonality and style lifts someone up to unify themselves with the divine Creator and his Creation. The lyrics then poetically match that. Gregorian, instrumental, Choir music etc are all forms of that. They of course move with the age as we do but the philosophy and character behind this style of music remains the same. Rock changes through the ages for example but it’s philosophy and Character is the same. The Same as all genres including spiritual music which is why I very much dislike a particular style being gutted open by well meaning people so they can fit a lyrics that is out of sync with it’s style in the first place. That’s why it always feels out of place
 
Last edited:
This is why i love Catgolicism in how it expresses itself with art throughout the ages
 
Paddy1989 said:
I just hope day we don’t start having so called Christian trance music next, everyone up break dancing in the Church hahaha.
Click to expand...
There are Catholic artists in every genre of music. This is a GOOD thing.

This does not mean everyone is “break dancing” in Mass.

Catholic EDM

Loading…

www.ministryofsound.com

Loading…

www.phillymag.com

Catholic hip hop http://www.phatmass.com/music/

Catholic metal http://catholicmetal.com/

Catholic roots/bluegrass Meet The Hillbilly Thomists - Word on Fire
 
Peeps said:
Instruments were not used for the first several centuries of the Church (many of the Church Fathers considered them inappropriate and worldly),
Click to expand...
To this day, they generally aren’t used in Eastern Christianity, whether Orthodox or Catholic. When you find an organ in an Eastern church, it’s a hard-core latinization (and, yes, you find some in Orthodox church in the US.)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top