What an interesting and intriguing book this is! Delving into the writings of the early Church fathers of the second, third and fourth centuries, it examines their attitudes towards music in the church and the influences of pagan music all around them. A reading of this book will make church musicians and pastors reconsider what they are permitting to pass in to the ‘worship’ of the churches. It seems that there is nothing new under the sun. These men of godly heart and brilliant mind wrote incisively and searchingly with deepest concern for the well being of the churches in their day. We would do well to go through this book. Some chapters are excellent, especially the one which deals with the thought of Augustine of Hippo as he examines the power of music. But in each section there is food for thought and challenge to the worldliness that encroaches into the church of today in the guise of identifying with the current scene. Worship wars continue to rage in the churches. Music is controversial, not only in the church but in society in general. The title of the book introduces its thrust-the idea of the church participating in ‘the new song’. Clarity, freshness and substance were what concerned these men. There is great wisdom here, lessons from the old world that indicate the separateness of the church in matters of her singing and yet in that period she grew so rapidly! The churches unique identity extended right through the words they sang as well as the style of music they used. There is pure gold in this book as the author has done such extensive study to bring together quotations that reveal the attitudes of these fathers of the church. We would not have the time to engage in such study. The analysis of their views that Stapert brings is gracious and pulls no punches. He does leave the reader to form his own judgments though, whilst letting us know his own. A serious reading of this book and taking its subject matter to heart will result in a more balanced view on the relationship between the spiritual and the aesthetic not only in music but in all the arts. Perhaps this is a book that at first sight would be more for scholars than anyone else but a diligent study is recommended especially for leadership and musicians in the churches.
