Journal

Brian Wren on Church music as functional art

Posted on April 15th, 2009, in the evening

[C]ongregational song, like church music in general, is a functional art, meaning that congegational songs are sung during the church's ordinary and festive activities, to add intensity to them and express their significance. Not all music should be functional. Any culture, and all cultural levels, need music that challenges conventions and pushes the boundaries. To say that church music is a functional art does not mean that art music andpopular music are superior or inferior to it. It means only that church music cannot be free art, an end in itself. "It is art brought to the cross, art which is dedicated to the service of God and the edifying of the church".

Brian Wren, Praying Twice, quoting Biddeford at the end

I've been thinking a fair bit about the distinction made here between 'free art' and 'functional art' (although not with those terms) as regards the contribution the various arts can make to the worship and mission of the church.

I think artists in a church context can feel frustrated by what seems to be restriction on freedom of expression when contributing to congregational life. I can sympathise to an extent, but I think self expression is only one aspect of the nature and value of art.

In my own experience, there is certainly something perculiar in writing songs for congregational worship compared with writing for self-expression. Perhaps the idea of 'functional art' may be a key to help artists contribute to church life more effectively.