Triune God Flashcards
(19 cards)
Music in worship…
• Unites people in praise
• Inspires people to praise God
• Can make worship feel more joyous or solemn
• Increases the beauty of worship
• Helps people to feel more involved in worship
What may Christians feel about singing and music?
They may feel inspired by the singing and music and mass and may even feel closer to God
What are the different types of music used in the Catholic liturgy?
• Psalms
• Plainchant
• Traditional hymns
• Contemporary worship songs
• Mass settings
What are Psalms?
• Pieces of poetry from the book of Psalms in the Old Testament. Often set to music and sung as part of worship
• An important part of the Divine Office: a colllection of psalms and readings that every priest, monk and nun has to recite (or sing) at least four times a day
• Also used during mass
• Form the basis of many hymns used in church e.g. “The Lord’s my Shepard”
What are plainchants?
• Ancient form of music usually sung unaccompanied, to a limiting range of notes
• Used in monasteries to sing the Divine Office in Latin
• Also used in church services, especially when the Latin parts of the Mass are sung
What are traditional hymns?
• Religious songs that praise God
• Have been used by generations of believers
• Most written to be accompanied by an organ
• Usually sung in congregation, such as during mass
What are contemporary worship songs?
• Religious songs that have been created recently to be used in worship
• Usually accompanied by modern instruments, such as guitars and drums
• Often sound more upbeat than traditional hymns, though some are more effective
• Usually sung in church by the whole congregation, such as during the mass
What are mass settings?
• The parts of the mass that are sung rather than said, e.g. the Alleluia, the Sanctus, and the Gloria
• Before the 1960s, the music was often quite complex and sung by a choir
• Since the 1960s, the music has become more simpler, allowing the whole congregations to join in more often
Why are psalms used in worship?
• Centre around the praise of God
• Talk about the joy of praising God through song
• Cover a wide range of human experiences and emotions
• Recognise that everything comes from God and that without him, people are nothing
Why are plainchants used in worship?
The Catholic Church considers it to be ideal to use in the Mass, as it is ‘specially suited to the Roman liturgy’ (Sacrosanctum Concilium 116)
Why are traditional hymns used in worship?
• Help people to feel involved in worship
• Have stood the test of time: their ability to help people praise God has been proven over many years
Why are contemporary worship songs used in worship?
• Help people to feel involved in worship
• Some people think this type of music is disrespectful, because its upbeat nature can distract people rather than helping them focus on God
• Others think it is more accessible and appealing than traditional hymns
Why are mass settings used in worship?
• Simpler Mass settings help people to feel involved in worship
• Help to make the Mass appeal to the whole congregation
What is “Gloria”?
• A hymn to praise God’s glory and goodness
• Begins with the words ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven’ (Luke 2:14 (NRSV))
When is ‘Gloria’ used?
• Used near the beginning of the Mass
• Not used during the more sorrowful seasons of Advent and Lent
What is ‘Alleluia’?
• A Hebrew word meaning ‘praise God’
• A hymn of joy and triumph that praises God
• Announces the presence of Christ
When is ‘alleluia’ used?
• Used to introduce the readings of the Gospel at Mass, to greet the presence of Christ
• Also sung three times durinh the Easter Vigil to announce the resurrection
• Not used during Lent
What is the ‘Sanctus’?
• A Latin word meaning ‘holy’
• A hymn to praise God’s holiness
• Based on Isaiah’s vision in the Temple, when the angels cried out, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts (Isaiah 6:1-3 (NRSV))
When is the ‘sanctus’ used?
• Used before the Eucharistic Prayer in Mass
• Not used during the more sorrowful seasons of Advent and Lent
