Instruments in Church

Draft

John Arthur Smith notes in Music in Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity:

A major problem with most of the earlier discussions of this topic is their failure to distinguish between sacrificial and non-sacrificial rites where musicians are concerned… Ancient Jewish cultic music was valid only in connection with the cult, and the cult was valid only at the Temple in Jerusalem. When Jerusalem fell to the Romans in 70 CE, and the Temple destroyed, the cult ceased, and with it cultic music.

Unlike the instrumental music associated with temple ritual, the synagogue practiced only vocal chanting. The earliest Christian synagogues (churches) retained this practice. In the second century, Clement of Alexandria writes:

“Leave the pipe to the shepherd, the flute to the men who are in fear of gods and intent on their idol worshipping… In their wars, therefore, the Etruscans use the trumpet, the Arcadians the pipe, the Sicilians the harp, the Cretans the lyre, the Lacedæmonians the flute, the Thracians the horn, the Egyptians the drum, and the Arabians the cymbal. The one instrument of peace, the Word alone by which we honour God, is what we employ. We no longer employ the ancient psaltery, and trumpet, and timbrel, and flute, which those expert in war and contemners of the fear of God were wont to make use of also in the choruses at their festive assemblies.” (in The Instructor.)

In the 4th century Chrysostom writes:

[Instrumental music] was only permitted to the Jews as sacrifice was, for the heaviness and grossness of their souls. God condescended to their weakness, because they were lately drawn off from idols; but now, instead of organs, we may use our own bodies to praise him withal. Instruments appertain not to Christians. (Homily on Psalm 149)

In the east, the early Christian tradition of a cappella music remains to this day (A capella is of course Italian for “at church”). The Greeks had of course had pipe organs since the 3rd century BC, but never thought of using them in worship; organs were used in the sports arena, and in the imperial court. The iconoclast emperor Constantine Copronymus sent one to Pepin, King of the Franks, in 755.

Meanwhile, in the west, as late as the 13th century, Aquinas confidently wrote:

“Our church does not use musical instruments, as harps and psalteries, to praise God withal, that she may not seem to Judaize.” (Thomas Aquinas, in Bingham’s Antiquities, Vol. 3, page 137)

The Anglicans were the only Protestants to use instrumental music before 1750 AD: When the Reformation came to England, the Anglican church came within one vote (58-59) of abolishing instrumental music in 1562:

“XI. THE ENGLISH CONVOCATION, an ecclesiastical body in the church of England composed of bishops and clergy with Upper and Lower houses, is an important witness in the case:”In the beginning of the year 1562,” says Hetherington, “a meeting of the Convocation was held, in which the subject of further reformation was vigorously discussed on both sides. [Here is one alteration that was proposed] That the use of organs be laid aside. When the vote came to be taken, on these propositions, forty-three voted for them and thirty-five against; but when the proxies were counted, the balance was turned, the final state of the vote being fifty-eight for and fifty-nine against. Thus, it was determined by a single vote, and that the proxy of an absent person who did not hear the reasoning that the Prayer-Book should remain unimproved, that there should he no further reformation, that there should be no relief granted to those whose consciences felt aggrieved by the admixture of human inventions in the worship of God.” (Hetherington’s Hist. Westmin. Assem. of Divines, p.30.)

Those opposing the introduction of instruments were following the counsel of Calvin, among others:

“Musical instruments in celebrating the praises of God would be no more suitable than the burning of incense, the lighting of lamps, and the restoration of the other shadows of the law. The Papists therefore, have foolishly borrowed, this, as well as many other things, from the Jews. Men who are fond of outward pomp may delight in that noise; but the simplicity which God recommends to us by the apostles is far more pleasing to him. Paul allows us to bless God in the public assembly of the saints, only in a known tongue (I Cor. 14:16) What shall we then say of chanting, which fills the ears with nothing but an empty sound?” (John Calvin, Commentary on Psalms 33)

John Wesley, founder of Methodism, is quoted by Adam Clarke to have said:

“I have no objection to instruments of music in our chapels, provided they are neither heard nor seen.” (Clarke’s Commentary, Vol. 4, page 684.)

“The organ in the worship is the insignia of Baal” (Martin Luther, Mcclintock & Strong’s Encyclopedia Volume VI, page 762.)

Update: This quote is ubiquitous but poorly-sourced. Luther is quoted as calling the organ “a Romish idol of Baal” (des Römischen Abgott Baals in Erinnerungsschrift etlicher vom Adel und Städten p.74.) Heinrich Eckhard’s Fasciculus Controversiarum Theologicarum states, “Lutherus organa Musica inter Baalis insignia refert,” which a 19th century author translates as: “Luther considers organs among the ensigns of Baal.” No primary source seems to be extant.