The theology of music in the liturgical celebration

Abstract

We are a singing creation of God, each of us have a song and our songs make up the harmony of God ’s creation. Music has played an important role both in the social and religious life of people all through generations and it has special functions in the religious functions particularly in worship. Scripture manifests that music is a constituent part of God's creation whose meaning, nature and role is correlated with the Kingdom of God, Music is beyond humanly structured sound and art. The problem is lack of understanding of given music as a basic human and universal created need of and for human. The Church has accepted and continues to accept music as aids to her official corporate worship of God. For use in the solemn celebration of her liturgy the Church prescribes certain norms to maintain theology of music in the liturgical theology. The primary question which believers in Christ have to consider as regards music meant for worship is not on the historical or esthetic plane, nor even on the technical or sociological plane. It is a religious question. In the liturgical celebration the point at issue is not "music-making", but entry, by means of the art of music, into the salvafic mystery. And though all true music can be turned into prayer and praise, not every musical composition introduces Christians with equal effectiveness into the prayer and praise of the Church. If so, what is the theological concept of music? The meaning and role of music in the liturgy of the Church are based on the primary and indispensable source of the true Christian spirit. This work is a study of 'Theology of music' which is concerned with the origins and developments of music. Contemporary understanding of music is more as an art than to serve as 'handmaid' to the liturgy. Therefore, the question of lack of understanding of the intrinsic relationship of music in the full liturgical celebration is discussed. The full liturgical celebration in the eschatological dimension of faith is accomplished in the contextual settings. This work is probed into the relationships between liturgy and music with a view to understand theological concept of music in its Asian context. The scope of the thesis therefore begins with the Biblical meaning of music in the liturgy, followed by the cultural context of which music and worship are integral elements. It also seeks to understand and analyse how the Church understood and used music in its worship through the centuries. I wish that this thesis should be significant as an attempt to study the meaning and role of music in liturgical celebration where not many works have been done to understand Church music especially in the Asian setting by Asians themselves and Missionaries. The term 'music' in this work is applied in two aspects - its integrity in human expressions of words and actions and its use in vocal and instrumental settings in the liturgy. This thesis is confined its work within the limits of the nature, meaning and role of music in the liturgical life and worship of the faithful. No attempt is made to pursue the subjects of critical analysis of historical, artistic and technical development of music. Likewise, no effort is taken to deal with historical developments of various liturgical rites. For bibliographic materials approaches have been made to various libraries of theological seminaries such as St. Andrew's Theological Seminary, Tamilnad Theological Seminary and Asian Institute for Liturgy and Music in Philippines and India. Possible consultations were made with liturgeologists and Church musicians. Sources and approaches for music and liturgy are from the Scriptures, Treatises of the Church Fathers and contemporary writers. Remarkable works accomplished in the field of liturgy and liturgical music by Geoffrey Wainwright, Joseph Jungmann, Alexander Schmemann, Gregory Dix, Joseph Gelineau, Erik Routley, Erik Werner and Gerardus Vander Leeuw respectively were the primary sources for this thesis. It must be admitted that very few studies are available in English on the theology of music. The most significant contributions to a theological understanding of music in worship remain German studies. Asian publications in this respect is practically nil. In spite of the paucity of sources, attempts are made to approach to issue on critical Asian principle. The work is divided into five chapters. The task of the first chapter is to discover the Biblical perspective of music and songs. Attempts are taken to discover the unity of music and the worship of God by His people. This chapter also tries to understand music and songs as given to humanity to offer praise and glory to God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit by perpetually singing the "Song of the Lamb" from creation to the end of time. The first part of this chapter focuses with the Old Testament. Some of the purposes, origin and function of music are understood in the history and life of Israel, and in the development of his worship. The New Testament part of this chapter then continues what has begun with the Old Testament in order to understand further the meaning and purpose of music with the "Christo-centric" development. In isolating the Biblical perspective of music, music as universally given is understood also from the aspect of religion and society. Therefore, it was considered to emphasize on culture and music in the next chapter. The authentic celebration of the Gospel is realized when it is celebrated in the culture of the people. The second chapter seeks to understand further that music is given, but is expressed in other forms, which may be similar or different from the Hebrew culture of the Bible. Therefore, this chapter attempts to understand the relationship of music and culture and its forms of worship. In the first place this chapter comments upon music as an art in the cultural environment. If music is claimed as human behaviour, an attempt is made to probe whether music is an art given by God or music is humanly structured sound. The range of implications music has both as a product of human behaviour and as an integral part of human interaction is discovered. Discovery leads to the problem of classifying music as profane, religious or sacred. The search continues to discover the use and function of music in the society. If religion is considered as a social institution, then the relationship of music with religion is understood. The worship is a primary activity of any religion. The nature of worship with its ceremonial rituals and functions of music is also discussed. The Church 'people of varied cultures. Therefore, it may be proper that a study must also be made In the Church's understanding of music. The third chapter deals with the understanding the facts that the liturgy of the Church is a joyful celebration of salvific work of God. Hence an intrinsic relationship of music and song with the liturgical celebration is emphasized. The earlier part of this chapter manifests that the Eucharist is the liturgy, which celebrates God's work of salvation in the life of the people. The liturgical tradition of the Church reveals the nature of full celebration of the liturgy of the Eucharist and the role and function of music in celebration. This chapter outlines the historical usage of music in the liturgy during the period from the Patristic age to the present. In order to understand the full celebration of the liturgy of the Eucharist, this chapter extends its study of the other forms of liturgical celebrations such as the Divine Office and some forms of blessings in the Church. The great Easter Vigil is the Feast of feasts. Therefore, the Christian Pascha as a joyful celebration with the function of music is stated. Study is done to establish the facts that the full celebration of Paschal mystery is the most joyous celebration of the Christian year. The full realization of liturgical celebration is accomplished only when Asian cultural values are recognized. Hence possibilities are explored to adopt native music in the Church celebration. The chapter on "Liturgical music in the Asian context" is important and its main concern is to seek to understand the problems being encountered by Churches in the adaptation of contextual and contemporary music in the worship. This chapter attempts to tackle problems of Church music is mere a problem of music or a vital question for the Church itself. Are Asian Churches not called to transform all foreign elements of liturgical celebrations into the cultural context? The task of this chapter is to explicitly state that fuller realization of liturgical celebration in the Asian context can only be realized by using cultural music However, this section is limited because of lack of texts available, except few periodicals from India. The first part of this chapter seeks to understand the association of music with the educational, evangelical and pastoral areas of mission of the Asian Church, The joint responsibilities of ministers and musicians in the accomplishment of celebration in the Asian context is discussed. The crisis of Church music in the Asian setting is the target of the second part. The practical difficulties encountered by Churches to use native/ indigenous music in worship is dealt with. Recent problems of concerts in Churches, adopting theatric music and tourist art attraction of Asian worship forms also commented upon. These problems have become more serious because musical practices which the people value so much have become tourist attractions in the street or they may fade away in the future years ahead. Discussions are not primarily on the artistic crisis which is affecting Church music at present, rather be on the crisis conditioned by the situation of theology, in other words the properly ecclesiastical and theological crisis of Church music in its context. Liturgical music is the 'sign' of the joy of salvation. In the joyful celebration music and songs continue to fuse in the contextual liturgical life until the heavenly celebration is fully accomplished at the end of time. Therefore, the eschatological nature of cultural music in the critical Asian context is attempted to discover as final work. At the outset of the concluding chapter the hypothesis of an integrity of theology of music and theology of liturgy is ventured. This chapter is very limited for reasons theology of music was explained then and there in every chapter for coherence and lack of materials on regional languages.