originally published 7/15/2015

Singer and theologian Jonathan Arnold explores why people of no religious commitment pay money to hear specifically sacred music. Arnold hypothesizes that for many people who consider themselves atheist or agnostic, sacred music provides a “real presence” of something much more powerful than themselves. In his book, Sacred Music in Secular Society, Arnold interviews a number of composers, conductors, and performers, a philosopher, and a theologian to glean insight into what might be happening for these listeners. This interview was originally published on Volume 126 of the Journal.

22 minutes

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