John Calvin’s perspective on music and worship, and its implications for the Seventh-Day Adventist Church

Abstract

Different views on worship and music have been expressed by different Reformers. The Reformers rejected some aspects of medieval worship such as the Gregorian chant, the use of elaborate vocal and instrumental music, overly theatrical performances at worship, the unwarranted expense of elaborate ceremonies, enormous pipe organs and the uselessness of text unintelligible to the common man. The Reformers aimed at introducing simple forms of worship and music in the Church,
and to restore the true worship of God and therefore introduce
congregational singing and participation in worship. This paper surveys John Calvin’s views on worship and Music. Calvin held that the Word of God should be central to worship and that prominence should be given to the Bible over any other obsessions. He therefore prohibited many things in worship because he wanted God to be the focus of worship and
devotion. The study concludes that although the Church today cannot limit itself to singing of the Psalms alone, nonetheless, music sung in the Church should be Bible-based to draw the attention of worshippers to God.