STATE OF THE MUSICAL ARTS IN THE CHURCH

I have been considering traditional church music, namely the loss of high art music in the church. Why is it that quality art has all but completely vanished from the church? In other words, why is it that the church has dumbed down the artistic value of music within the context of worship? In many ways, there is an anti-intellectual movement in the church currently. The truth is that legitimate art music (non-popular music) requires a higher level of intellectual involvement than that which is found in most churches today. This used to not be so perhaps because the popular music in centuries past represented the highest level of artistic achievement rather than what pleased the ears. In considering this fact, it occurs to me that giving in to the wants and desires of people in the music utilized in church creates a path toward selfishness. “Wants and desires” summarizes the reason for presenting low art music above high art music. The story, however, would be vastly disparate if the summary were not wants and desires but rather needs. The wants and desires of the church are, for lack of a better term, shallow, but the needs are incredibly deep, particularly in the area of church music. We must consider this in the future. I somehow doubt we will though. This is not a slam on popular music, as I myself tend to enjoy it, realize its legitimacy, and even support it (as is evident in my personal utilization of it in the context of corporate worship), but we must not throw the baby out with the bathwater, which is obviously happening in the current context of the church. Taking the current path, the high art music of the church in times past is fading and unless people rise up together to stop its demise, shallow intellect will dominate the church.