Resource for Jewish/Christian liturgy

[ContraMundum]

Finally someone is having a try at putting something together on this.

Liturgical worship and music from Judaism to Christianity. (http://www.liturgica.com/html/lit.jsp?hostname=null)

[SGM4HIM]

Good resource.

Got me thinking since my wife and I are involved in our Church's worship team.

A few years back I shared this information with a family at local hospital where we would sing and play instruments to those requesting.

A man said his denomination did not have any instruments other than voice. He said no mention of instruments was mentioned in the NT and the early church did not have them either.

Any historical buffs every study this or have comments of when instruments were used?
Were instruments used in 1st cent synagogues?

[Mikeb85]

Since that website has mostly (all?) Orthodox music and Liturgical info, hopefully it's alright if I post some videos.

Holy Friday Lamentations, Balamand Monastery (in Lebanon, under the Orthodox Christian Patriarchate of Antioch)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nonUrn3H8zY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mM-awNqJBl0&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_dVhJR-Ke48&feature=related

Trisagion Hymn in Hebrew (in Jerusalem, under the Orthodox Christian Patriarchate of Jerusalem)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_88TfVK5mAs

Gospel reading in Hebrew

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PKoEnTqVeC4

[ContraMundum]

Awesome links, Mike.

[ContraMundum]

Good resource.

Got me thinking since my wife and I are involved in our Church's worship team.

A few years back I shared this information with a family at local hospital where we would sing and play instruments to those requesting.

A man said his denomination did not have any instruments other than voice. He said no mention of instruments was mentioned in the NT and the early church did not have them either.

Any historical buffs every study this or have comments of when instruments were used?
Were instruments used in 1st cent synagogues?


OK...well, there is little evidence of the early church using instruments.

We know that Clement of Alexandria spoke of the Word as being an instrument in worship (not musical instruments per se) but at the same time he mentioned that at social gatherings Christians could praise God accompanied by the harp or lyre. Those who oppose intrumental accompaniment often try to allegorise his words, but I think it is pretty easy to work out that instruments in worship are not sinful as the worship in the Temple, and although typical in some respect (eg. "types" of future worship) God would never have allowed instruments in the Temple if they were sinful.

Early on, organs were used in churches but not for public worship. They were used as teaching aids for vocalists. We know of the Spanish Bishop Julianus mentioning them in Spanish churches as early as 450AD. Pope Vitalian introduced organs in Roman churches to improve the choir's performance and later we hear of them being built in France etc. This boom in organs could probably be attributed to the improvement of the instrument in design and cost. OTOH, Aquinas doesn't seem to like instruments in church and hints that they probably weren't used that much in churches in his time. I could go on but I don't want to bore the forum. LOL

Anyway, the Eastern Churches have never warmed too much to instruments, but it is also worthy to note that the Coptic Church has been using cymbals and chimes in worship since time immemorial. It is quite a sound to hear them chanting the psalms accompanied by those instruments playing in a Middle Eastern rhythm. Very good indeed.

I guess my bottom line is this: the whole of the body should be used to worship God. Every part of us is consecrated to His service when we raise our voices to Him and worship him liturgically in sacrament, sign and symbol. The whole human is involved. However a human using his God-given talent as a musician is just as much a dedication to Him as another's. In fact, it could be argued that he should use His instrumental talents in the service of God.

However, the church has a long-standing tradition of singing the psalms and the hymns unaccompanied too. Our liturgical tradition is beautiful and honouring to God. To hear Gregorian chant or Catholic, Anglican or Orthodox chanting is a precious treasure given to the church.

But I am not against instruments in church because of the following reasons:

a) The church's liturgy is not purely based on the synagogue service, but rather is the culmination and combination of synagogue and Temple. As the Temple had instruments, it is not inconceivable that we can honour and worship God with instruments in the church either.

b) God gives musicians talent and they should use it for His glory. They enhance the worship of the community (if done as an accompaniment to the liturgy, not as an act of entertainment for the congregation) and cast their talents before Him.

c) The whole of the human being should be involved in worship. This includes our bodies, voices and creative skills. Music is a gift of God to us, and as Bach said- it should all be to the glory of God.

d) Lastly, as there is no Apostolic rule against instruments in church, it must be regarded as an adiaphoron. In other words, a thing of religious observance which is left to the conscience of the people involved. It is ok to have instruments, or ok not to have them. Worship must always be done to praise God and not for our entertainment, and as long as that principle is preciously guarded and diligently sought after, we are doing the right thing.

Hope that helps.

[Mikeb85]

I'd like to make one note in this thread. Some (most unfortunately) of the videos I put up have embedding disabled, so to watch them you need to click the link at the top of the video to watch them at Youtube's website.

Some more:

Elevation of the Cross - Hamatoura monastery, Lebanon (Orthodox Christian Patriarchate of Antioch)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7SHOe05GBsM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LonVlXvxobM&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJatngEl_MY&feature=related

[ContraMundum]

Thanks Mike....I figured that out. :)

[Mikeb85]

Thanks Mike....I figured that out. :)

Lol. The whole embedding thing had me confused for a bit, so I just thought I'd say something. My generation is supposed to know how to use computers, but I still dislike them...

[SGM4HIM]

THANKS
ContraMundum

for the insight on musical instruments use in early church.

[ContraMundum]

THANKS
ContraMundum

for the insight on musical instruments use in early church.

No worries. Just ask away if you need more detail etc.

[Ivy]

My computer at work does not have speakers and I haven't been home much, so I finally just got to look at these links.

They were so inspiring.

[Tishri1]

cool thread guys:)