You Tube Theology

Professor Jeremy Begbie presented the 2010 New College Lecture Series titled Music, Modernity & God. The lectures were held at The John Niland Scientia Building on-campus at the University of New South Wales and were presented over three nights to over 500 people. This video excerpt comes from the third lecture in the series given on Thursday 16 September 2010. The lecture was titled Language -- Can we speak about God without words? While language is powerful, many point to its severe limits. This lecture explored the ways music has been caught up in the debate about the power and limits of language. Many say music can 'transcend' words. Prof Begbie asked, 'What place is there for music in a faith that depends on God using human words to make himself known? Scarcely a day goes by when we are not surrounded by music: it is pervasive. But what we can easily overlook is the part music has played in the debates surrounding the pivotal issues that have shaped our culture, issues that at their deepest level concern belief in God. Over the three lectures Professor Begbie argued that music is much more than just an accompaniment to life, it is an important part of the life God has given us and both reflects and speaks of God's purposes for us. He suggested that if we didn't have music we would be all the poorer because music can help us to 'read' the story of our culture with the eyes of Christian faith, responding in fresh ways to some of the deepest dilemmas and truths of our time. Furthermore, music offers metaphors that can help us to understand the deep truths of Christianity -- God, creation, freedom, rebellion and sin, salvation and redemption, the new creation to come and the fulfilment of God's promises in Christ. He led us to this conclusion by teaching using word, image, recorded music and performance on the piano. It was a memorable and deeply challenging series.