Tuesday, November 25, 2014

A Place for Choir and Organ in Liturgy

In considering whether organs and choirs have a place in liturgy, you could say that the burden of proof lays with our Catholic, Anglican, and Lutheran brother's who've relied on their use for hundreds of years.  Because the Bible doesn't command them, the Calvinist stands on surer ground.  Nevertheless, organ and choral music are useful to enhance congregational singing and lend majesty and splendor to worship which ought to be present.

Nicholas Wolterstorff has written a very honest article articulating the Reformed position on choirs and organ in liturgy.  He seems to assume the Regulative Principal rather than explaining it outright.  His closing point about simplicity is very good and I think acknowledges the flow of redemptive history.  Christ's redemptive work has drawn us nearer to God than rich outward signs of the OT were ever able to do.  Going out on a limb, we might say that "the look" of our worship should mimic (and prepare us for) the glorious scenes in Revelation even more than OT ceremony.

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