The Bible and Music

As we near the end of the semester, I have been reflecting on some of the lessons and ideas that I will take away from this course. One idea that we have examined throughout the semester is the inherent beauty of music. I have been contemplating our judgment and classification of beauty. I think we often categorize things according to our likes and dislikes. This course has challenged my views on certain genres of music. While I still have musical preferences, I believe that I have become more open and receptive to the musical opinions of others.

I have also reached the conclusion that the experience of beauty in music is often a gradual process. Some musical compositions do not provide the immediate gratification that a breathtaking sunrise or delicate snowfall would provide. One can observe the beauty in music after listening to a song for a third or fourth time or perhaps even after the song has ended. I think the transitory nature of musical preferences confirms my theory about the gradual nature of recognizing beauty in music.

Through my reflections, I observed parallels between the experience of beauty in music and the experience of beauty in the Bible. I have found that my appreciation of the beauty in certain bible passages has taken years. My appreciation of the symbolism and deeper meaning of many passages in scripture did not happen overnight. Similarly, my appreciation of the lyrics in songs by the Doors or Jimi Hendrix has developed over several years.