The Bible and Music

I think that the challenge of this exercise was distinguishing if an allusion was a common expression in English or a  Biblical reference. I find that many common cliches were originally Bible verses, or if they haven’t, they allude to themes found in the Christian religion. I think that this is where I struggled, as well as some of my peers. This also presents a challenge between defining the boundary between text and paraphrase. While paraphrasing offers a simpler answer to many religious questions, the question becomes if some meaning is lost with the shortening. But is intention necessary in order for the song to carry meaning, or the meaning to be understood?

I believe that meaning has two levels; a collective and an individual aspect. This is how symbols carry so much power. Symbols are understood on a societal, collective level, yet each person can value them in an individual way. We discussed this phenomena in Carrie Underwood’s “Something in the Water”, because it symbolizes a collective understanding of baptism, yet Carrie has a personal connection through her own experience  in her personal faith journey.

(I cannot believe I did not put “Let it Be”-Beatles on my list so here it is now.)