More than Music
By Robert Adams
In the days before the first pandemic Thanksgiving, New York City freelance violinist Heather Bixler’s spiritual disquiet boiled over. The city was shut down, Broadway was dark, music venues ... Read More...
The Confessions of Mark Heard
By Joey Royal
Mark Heard, who died in 1992, was one of the truly great American songwriters. He spent much of his career on the margins of the Christian music industry, and never found mainstream success du... Read More...
Turn Up the Sad Songs for Advent
By Cole Hartin
Advent is the season of longing, of preparation, of hope. As I’ve been reflecting on these themes over the course of the last few weeks, I’ve realized that most of the music I am drawn to year... Read More...
“Imagine” Is Harder Than You Think
By Charlie Clauss
I’m sure I wasn’t the only one excited that the Olympics, postponed from 2020 due to the pandemic, finally happened this August. With cases on the rise in Japan, it was not a sure thing. Wa... Read More...
I Hate That Hymn
By Steve Schlossberg
The only thing complained about in church more often than the lousy sermon is the lousy music. Bad preaching we learn to begrudgingly tolerate because we find ourselves without alternati... Read More...
Harmonious Gospels: Symphony in (Year) B
By Jay Thomas
As the season after Epiphany trudged through these long winter months before ceding its place to Lent, the Christmas season faded to an afterthought in the rearview mirror. The regular hum-drum... Read More...
Losses at the Holidays
By Marisa Crofts
Some of us have lost family members. Some of us have lost jobs. All of us have lost something at some point this past year, whether that’s a favorite hobby or just time with friends.
Goin... Read More...
Being Distracted by the Right Things
By Sam Keyes
Three times now in an introductory course on sacraments and liturgy, I’ve asked students to reflect on a playlist of Church music that I assembled for them. To do such a thing at all challenges ... Read More...