Christian History Home > Issue 95 > Singing the Word of God
Singing the Word of God
Protestant reformer Martin Luther planted the seed that grew into a rich musical tradition culminating in Bach.
Mark Noll | posted 7/01/2007 04:19PM
Johann Sebastian Bach was a Lutheran
by profession, a Lutheran by personal persuasion, and a Lutheran in his musical practice. Before he took up his post as cantor in Leipzig, he went through two theological examinations, which he passed by endorsing the Formula of Concord, a statement of faith from 1577 that encapsulated the high points of Martin Luther's theology. The inventory of Bach's books made after his death included two sets of Luther's works (one in German, one in Latin) and several volumes of his miscellaneous writings, along with a number of major works by Lutheran theologians.
Bach stood squarely in the Lutheran tradition, not just in following the substance of Luther's theology, but also in actively building upon what Luther had accomplished as a writer of hymns and a promoter of church music. What Bach harvested was a seed planted by Luther himself.
The dawn of the theological Reformation in Germany was also the dawn of Protestant church music, and the principal agent for ... To view this item, you must be a member of ChristianHistory.net.
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