THEOLOGY OF MUSIC IN CHRISTIAN WORSHIP: A CASE STUDY OF TWO HYMNS IN THE ANGLICAN COMMUNION

Abstract

Music constitutes an integral part of human life. According to Gardner (1983) “it is something we get exposed to from childhood through adulthood. From the sounds of lullabies from mothers to whistle of the wind, down to the pattering sounds from raindrops, there is no limit to the ways we connect to musicâ€. Music is one of the most universal ways of human expression and it is present in everyday lives of people of all ages and cultures around the world. Graham (2020) describes music as representing an enjoyable activity in itself, but to him, its influence goes beyond simple amusement. Music brings positive effects to people engaged in it. Recent research in music sciences identified several dimensions of human life (cognitive, psychological, social and emotional) which music has positively affected. This is to conclude that without music, human life is meaningless and empty.