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"The Conflict" movement takes this all even further as Morse suggests that Satan is responsible for corrupting the papacy ("Do You Know My Name?") to sell indulgences in order to buy loved ones into heaven. Luther has it out with the Catholic Church ("Party to the Lie"), only to go into hiding ("Underground"), where he translates the Bible into the German language for all to read. Faith sustains him through his persecution ("Already Home"), which segues into the brief third movement, the pop ballad "Heaven in My Heart," which is in essence his "Here I stand, I can do no other" moment.

But then "The Conclusion" movement wraps things up by bringing Revelation back into it, showing God's people living with him in the New Earth. The point is to show that the church has been redeemed, but it fails to bring cohesion to the album, other than the concluding lyric of "In Closing … " (excerpted at the top of this story). Like Luther, Calvin, and others after them, any of us can be used by God to instill change in the church and the world in which it resides. Is he, in fact, calling us to do so now?

Like all of Morse's albums, the music is amazing from a technical standpoint. Morse has a dynamic tenor, and his style is varied, incorporating pop ballads, folk, and even some Latin into his prog rock sound. You probably won't find a more rhythmically precise and musically ambitious album all year. However, progressive rock treads a fine line between epic and self-indulgent. At best, Sola Scriptura is like a symphony, carrying recurring themes and motifs to strengthen its message. But the abundance of intricate solos can also leave you cold, as if proficiency is more important than inspiration. Great, they know their musical scales … now what's it all mean?

And that's the final arbiter when evaluating Sola Scriptura. Morse has a lot to say, but unless you know your church history, it all gets a little lost in translation. This is a great subject for an album of its kind, and for the most part it's successful. But it's also difficult to digest, stuffed with nonspecific references begging for misinterpretation. The church needs to remain diligent in keeping God's Word at its foundation, but we must also be discerning. After all, as Morse himself has demonstrated, there's a difference between questioning the unbiblical practices of the church (yesterday as well as today) and challenging historical Christian beliefs rooted in hundreds of years of theological studies—as well as prayer—to understand God's Word.

Unless specified clearly, we are not implying whether this artist is or is not a Christian. The views expressed are simply the author's. For a more complete description of our Glimpses of God articles, click here

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