Ignace Jan Paderewski was, at one time, both the prime minister of Poland and a virtuoso pianist. A story is told about a mother who brought her young son to hear him perform. The boy was just beginning to learn the piano and she wanted him to hear a master, so she...
Art is a collaboration between God and the artist, and the less the artist does, the better.
We’ve made worship self-centered instead of God-centered. We lobby for what we want: “I don’t like the songs.” “I don’t like the volume.” It’s as if we’re worshiping worship instead of worshiping God. If worship is a decision, then the greatest worship happens when...
Music is as well or better able to praise Him than the building of the church and all its decorations: it is the Church’s greatest ornament…religious music without religion is almost always vulgar. from Conversations with Igor Stravinsky ———————————Gender-neutral...
We do in fact say things like, “Oh, that kind of music, that kind of preaching, that kind of ceremony, isn’t pleasing to God.” Now, I don’t want to sound disrespectful, but I’m not yet convinced that those of our number who argue this way have really heard a word from...
Some people might object that while the music a choir sings should, of course, be great, the congregation’s singing need not be so elevated. This profoundly disturbing attitude seems to be prevalent throughout the United States. Why do we settle for less than the best...
In the theater, the play is staged before an audience who are called theatergoers; but at the devotional address, God himself is present. In the most earnest sense, God is the critical theatergoer, who looks on to see how the lines are spoken and how they are listened...
The same breath is blown into the flute, cornet, and bagpipe, but different music is produced according to the different instruments. In the same way, the one Spirit works in us, God’s children but different results are produced, and God is glorified through them...
Wisdom is knowledge deepened by love. The wise person knows more deeply by way of love than by way of argument because the eye of the heart can see the truth of reality. Hence the wise person is one who knows and sees God shining through everything, even what seems...
The Lorica of St. Patrick (The Deer`s Cry) I arise to-day: vast might, invocation of the Trinity,— belief in a Threeness confession of Oneness meeting in the Creator… I arise to-day: might of Heaven brightness of Sun whiteness of Snow splendour of Fire speed of Light...