Augustine's view of music as 'the science of proper modulation' speaks to our need for the presence of God in our sabbath keeping. In De Musica, Augustine is careful to note the measurement of the absence of sound as well as its presence. This absence is known to us as a 'rest', and where the rest occurs silence is commanded. We need 'the presence of absence' - places of repose - to properly hear and participate in the rythm of the poetry that is God's handiwork in creation. Pickstock takes this further, suggesting that Augustine's view of 'the alternation of sound and silence in music' is a 'Christianization' of the Pythagorean approach. This means that 'creation exhibits a perfect order or beauty' and that 'nothingness...is a necessary part of this order.'
Thus, 'when human creatures fail to confess this nothingness, when their life in time is without pauses...this order is denied and a greater...disharmony ensues."
God established sabbath as an intial aspect of the rythm of the created order. Fallen man seeks continuously to overthrow this order, denying the proper place of rest, by over-working himself and others, or, on the other hand, by divesting himself of labor and treating life as a continuous party. Labor without rest and rest without labor are both violations of God's creation, and the image of God in human beings.
More often than not I hear people say that when they are working they wish they were playing and when they are playing they think of all the work they must do. This can only lead to exhaustion, both physically and psychologically. Let us hear the music - including the the presence of the absence of sound; let us hear and receive the 'rest' Let us work and let us rest, and all to the glory of God.
"While the earth remains, seed-time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease." - Genesis 8:22
"I did not speak with my mouth...I was silent...and while I kept silent, the fire burned..." - Psalm 39
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
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4 comments:
Your conclusion reminds me of a favorite quote, though I'm pretty sure the Psalm came first:
"Drawing on my fine command of the English language, I said nothing."
-Robert Benchley
David, this is just fantastic. What Pickstock book are you citing?
Matt,
This is from her article in a book edited by Lewis Ayers entitled "Christian Origins". Ayers is one of my favourite ancient church historians.
To further your "work/play" conundrum, I've heard it said that we worship our work, work at our play, and play at our worship.
Another apt analogy is that our page of life is filled to the edges with type - there is no white space!
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