I have what some might call a “musical background.”  I grew up playing piano, started playing guitar and bass sometime around middle school, and have suffered from the notion that I am a singer for quite some time now.

Because of its consistent and everlasting presence in my own life, the way I think about music has always contained spiritual undertones.  It is healing, it centers me, and it provides an outlet for emotions that I honestly do not think I could express otherwise.  One sexy chord pattern from John Mayer does more for my soul than a thousand kind words.

I know I’m not alone in this.  Music has taken over so many facets of our lives that almost everyone has some strong connection to it, whether as a listener, a real musician, or even a drummer.  It fills what used to be silence while we run, in the car, during showers, studying – heck, I’m listening to Lady GaGa’s new hit right now.

With such significance heaped upon music everywhere else, it seems like the sounds we use to relate to our faith and to God should have even more significance.  By and large, this has been true.  Ninth Century monks used to get into fiery debates over whether you could sing two tones at once.  Mainstream Christian churches still argue about which instruments to allow in worship services.  It must be important – why else would Psalms be the longest book in the Bible?

Outside of Christianity, Eastern contemplative traditions focus on vowels and pitches as a pathway to enlightenment.  Qur’anic recitation is a Muslim art form beautiful enough to give you chills (though they maintain that it is not singing).  Hindu tradition tells of a goddess of knowledge, music, and the arts – Saraswati.

All told, music, pitch, rhythm, tone, instrumentation – they all unite to offer each of us a unique way to relate to our faith.

So, this year, I am asking, “what is the meaning of music?”  What does it signify for the liturgy or church service, the clergy, and individuals?  What are the theological, metaphysical, cosmological implications?  The one thing I learned in moving from a hand-clapping, guitar-playing Baptist church to a strict organ and choir Methodist church, is that church music has more layers of meaning than you would ever guess at first glance.  Heck, John Wesley’s brother thought it was so important that he just went ahead and made his own hymnbook!  (I guess he really took it to heart when his dad said, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.”)

Music has enormous meaning for individuals, too.  Meaning that might not be easily articulated, but can make the difference between attending this church or that church.  I can’t tell you how many times I have heard of people leaving churches because they did not connect with the music.  It might seem shallow at first, but think about it:  If the music you use to interact with the God you so desperately seek an intimate relationship with…doesn’t click, then how do you express the worship that is beyond words?

All that is to say, music is important.  During this upcoming year, whether I am blowing on a bottle in a country church in the mountains while slapping my knee or singing along to the organ in a towering cathedral, I will seek the heart of the music of faith.