Music: A Fair And Lovely Gift From God

The great philosopher, Plato, said in book III of the Republic, “musical training is a more potent instrument than any other, because rhythm and harmony find their way into the inward places of the soul, on which they mightily fasten, imparting grace, and making the soul of him who is rightly educated …graceful, or of him who is ill-educated ungraceful; and also because he who has received this true education of the inner being will most shrewdly perceive omissions or faults in art and nature, and with a true taste, while he praises and rejoices over and receives into his soul the good, and becomes noble and good, he will justly blame and hate the bad, now in the days of his youth, even before he is able to know the reason why; and when reason comes he will recognize and salute the friend with whom his education has made him long familiar.”

What did Plato think he knew about music that we might see as absurd from today’s way of thinking? Is it crazy to think that music has the power of educating the soul? Aristotle, his pupil engaged the question as to whether music was a mere refreshment on the order of sleep or wine, or whether we should “suppose that music tends to be productive of virtue, having a power, as the gymnastic exercises have to form the body in a certain way, to influence the manners so as to accustom its professors to rejoice rightly?

Chris Kurth and Josh Grieve of the rock group Iron Sharpens Iron are special guests of host Lindsay Brooks and staff apologist Sam Welbaum as they approach music from the perspective of Biblical theology and philosophy, to understand music’s place and function, both in the Church and in the daily lives of men and women. Playing and analyzing examples of the music of Iron Sharpens Iron and Singer/Songwriter Carla Hassett, as well as Lindsay playing examples from the keyboard, the power of music in imparting knowledge as well as forming the soul is explored in this episode.

EXCLUSIVE: Acoustic performance of “Prodigal” by Iron Sharpens Iron in the second hour! {s5_mp3}musicgodsgift.mp3{/s5_mp3}
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