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Religious Music & Entertainment

2023-07-06T09:31:41-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Be Careful When You Sing This Song on July 4th

Last updated on: July 6, 2023 at 9:31 am By Delvyn Case

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God Bless America has become one of our country’s most beloved patriotic songs. But its beauty and power mask an underlying danger for us Christians. Written in 1938 by Irving Berlin, the song celebrates the fertility and beauty of our land as evidence of God’s favor upon on us. But it’s not just a song of thanks and praise. It is also, literally, a prayer. It is a song that asks for God to stand beside us and guide us.... Read more

Religious Music and Entertainment

fourth of july

politics

2023-03-30T19:08:02-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

How Long, O Lord? Three Musical Settings of Psalm 13 for Lent

Last updated on: March 30, 2023 at 7:08 pm By Delvyn Case

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If you are like me, you can’t wait for Lent to end. Whether you gave up coffee, chocolate, alcohol – or even if you didn’t – Lent can be a real slog. The lectionary gives us prayers and psalms that constantly remind us of our sin. Our churches usually (or, in my opinion, ought to!) feature music that doesn’t shy away from the darkness of the season. There’s nary a trumpet in sight – and you can forget about alleluias!... Read more

Religious Music and Entertainment

2023-03-12T16:33:17-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Does Sacred Music Need Words?

Last updated on: March 12, 2023 at 4:33 pm By Delvyn Case

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“Preach the Gospel at all times; when necessary, use words.” This famous phrase is attributed to St. Francis of Assisi. Although there’s no proof the quote originated with him, its enduring legacy attests to its provocative power. Some have embraced it. They agree with the sentiment at its core: that true witness to our faith comes principally from our actions. Many others have challenged it. For some, the idea of focusing on actions can keep us from learning how to... Read more

Progressive Christian

Religious Music and Entertainment

2022-06-02T13:56:21-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Breath, Body, and Spirit: A Musical Dramatization of the Day of Pentecost

Last updated on: June 2, 2022 at 1:56 pm By Delvyn Case

Ruach is a new composition that dramatizes the sudden, chaotic, and shocking moment when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples on Pentecost. Composed in 2018 and revised in 2022, Ruach is a sacred concert work that is inspired – figuratively and literally – by this mysterious yet earth-shattering event: When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole... Read more

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2022-04-26T10:52:45-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Pop Songs about Jesus: Lent Edition

Last updated on: April 26, 2022 at 10:52 am By Delvyn Case

Guest post by Rev. Jonathan Evens. For over 50 years, pop musicians in all genres have explored the meaning and significance of Jesus in their music. The result is a rich collection of songs that consider important spiritual questions like faith, doubt, and prayer in unique and often provocative ways. Delvyn Case and I have recently been in conversation in a short series for HeartEdge to try to mine this rich resource to share rock and pop music for... Read more

2022-04-26T10:54:55-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Christmas Song That Makes Christians Squirm

Last updated on: April 26, 2022 at 10:54 am By Delvyn Case

There’s a Christmas song that makes me really uncomfortable. It makes me think about things I’d rather not – especially this time of year. And as a Christian, it makes me feel ashamed. No – it’s not “Baby it’s Cold Outside” – though that song has always been problematic. It’s not Santa Baby, with its creepy sexualization of old Kris Kringle. It’s not even Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers’ “I Believe in Santa Claus”, which – while starting out promisingly... Read more

2021-08-10T15:41:00-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Missing Piece in a Gospel Music Classic

Last updated on: August 10, 2021 at 3:41 pm By Delvyn Case

Sam Cooke’s “Touch the Hem of His Garment” retells a famous Bible story – but with one significant omission. That’s why it’s so powerful. This classic 1956 song appears on a recording by the Soul Stirrers. Written several years before he “crossed over” to secular pop music, releasing romantic classics like “You Send Me” and “Wonderful World”, this great song is much more than just a musical version of a familiar story. Listen to the song here. Here is the... Read more

2021-03-31T21:13:03-04:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

What do shadows sound like?

Last updated on: March 31, 2021 at 9:13 pm By Delvyn Case

Sometimes words are not enough – especially when we contemplate the great mysteries of our faith, like Christ’s crucifixion. That’s when we need music. As we commemorate Good Friday, I offer my choral work Tenebrae factae sunt. It is a dark and dissonant musical setting of some Jesus’s final words from the cross. It’s not an easy piece to listen to. But then again, its words are not either. Last year I wrote about this piece in an article for... Read more

2021-03-10T11:24:35-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Your Psalms Are Too Loud – And So is Your God

Last updated on: March 10, 2021 at 11:24 am By Delvyn Case

A full-voiced choir. Trumpets, cymbals, and drums. THIS is the kind of music best suited for the Almighty King. Except…is it? Psalm 19 begins: The heavens are telling the glory of God; and the wonders of his work display the firmament. The most famous musical setting of these lines appears in Franz Josef Haydn’s oratorio “The Creation” from 1798. It’s a blazing and glorious piece that has become a standard church anthem: Take a listen: The Bible often describes... Read more

2020-12-18T10:58:09-05:00

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Carol of the Bells: A Theological Reading

Last updated on: December 18, 2020 at 10:58 am By Delvyn Case

Hark! These bells bring peace and joy – but something else as well. They call us to contemplate the Incarnation. The “Carol of the Bells” is a song you definitely know, even though you might not know its name. Written by the Ukrainian composer Mykola Leontovych in 1914 and given lyrics by Peter J. Wilhousky, it is a remarkable composition. (It also has an extraordinary backstory, including a political assassination…) Unlike most joyous songs of the season, it is in a minor... Read more

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