The spiritual implications of secular music at a Christian university
Bethel University students and faculty describe their beliefs on the role music plays in their faiths.
By Liam Neiwert and Aiden Penner
Jillian Edblad struggled to connect with contemporary Christian music ever since she attended Cambridge Lutheran Church in her youth with her family. Being in the church choir, she liked to sing hymns. However, she felt bored by a lot of other music present in the service.
Despite attending a private, Christian university, Edblad’s approach on secular music allows for appreciation of talent, rather than lyrical content. Concurrent with many students, Edblad does draw a line between secular music that has spiritual value and music that has none. While her opinion holds that there is no spiritual value to be gained from certain genres or artists, she can still admire the artistic method and the talent it takes to put a piece of art out.
“I appreciate the work some people do but I’m just personally not a fan of [secular music],” Edblad said. “I just can’t, it sounds bad. Its lyrics are bad. It makes me want to vomit.”
“The music that we listen to can definitely perpetuate our feelings or even change our feelings. If you’re listening to worship music people can just feel the Holy Spirit in the room.” — Hallie Haskell, psychology major
Another sophomore psychology major, Hallie Haskell, shares similar beliefs, although she puts more emphasis on worship music as her way of connecting with God.
While Haskell still listens to some secular artists like Noah Kahan and Zach Bryan, she has found an appreciation for worship music, especially its psychological effects.
“The music that we listen to can definitely perpetuate our feelings or even change our feelings,” Haskell said. “If you’re listening to worship music people can just feel the Holy Spirit in the room.”
Referencing instances in which pop stars like Doja Cat and Sam Smith have dressed up as satanic figures, Haskell claims Satan has some control on today’s music industry. She pointed out that before Satan fell from heaven, he was Lucifer, the leader of worship in heaven, and therefore he has knowledge of music.
Even the music that is meant to make its audience “feel good,” according to Haskell, usually ends up being derogatory for women and just describes the way men look at them, particularly in one popular genre.
“Rap music is a prime example of the way these men that are singing these songs are looking at women,” Haskell said. “Even if a guy is a good guy…you need to think about what you’re seeing, what you’re hearing, because that shapes you and that molds you.”
“I think it can be a healing property. Like when I feel like hot garbage, sometimes I just sit on the floor and listen to music and I feel better.” — Jillian Edblad, sophomore
Edblad’s opinion on secular and sacred music goes further than the role it plays in an individual’s spirituality. As a psychology major and a mental health advocate, she does acknowledge how all music, not just secular music, can be therapeutic. She believes music is a form of self care, and can help a person communicate how they’re feeling when words can’t.
“I think it can be a healing property,” Edblad said, “Like when I feel like hot garbage, sometimes I just sit on the floor and listen to music and I feel better.”
When missional ministries professor Erik Leafblad turned 18, he made the switch to only listening to Christian music and condemning secular music. Leafblad’s conviction to make this change came from his want to be a better Christian, and in doing so, he believes he hindered his relationship with God.
“It actually wasn’t about God and encountering something that was bigger than me,” Leafblad said. “It was actually about controlling the way in which I had my relationship with God.”
Meanwhile, Josie Scowcroft, a freshman music and philosophy double-major, sees music in a broader, more liberal sense. As an “arrogant” singer in 2nd grade, she successfully attempted to hit the whistle tone Queen of the Night aria from Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and decided from that point on she would pursue a future in music. As a result, Scowcroft feels a deep appreciation for all music, including secular, as an art form.
“I think that in its own way, secular music does glorify God,” Scowcroft said. “Because we can find beauty in the gifts and the creations that he’s given us.”
Despite her broad approach to music, Scowcroft still draws a line against music which puts others down. Similar to Haskell, she cites rap and modern pop as the primary genres for which that specific music can be found.
“I find a lot of Christian music to be propaganda and dishonest.” —Erik Leafblad, missional ministries professor
“A lot of it focuses very much on superficiality and the material possessions,” Scowcroft said. “It causes you to focus more on the current things you want to do, all the time.”
Leafblad sees the value in all music, whether secular or not, and believes secular music can often enrich one’s relationship to God in a way that some worship music can’t. Because most worship music objectifies God and often focuses on only the happy parts of life, it lacks the full human experience that secular music covers.
“I find a lot of Christian music to be propaganda and dishonest,” Leafblad said.
The way Leafblad looks at secular music is the presence of transcendence. He defines transcendence as the presence of something other and bigger than humans. Leafblad finds this transcendence in secular artists like Bon Iver, Tyler Childers and Gregory Alan Isakov.
As for her own listening, Scowcroft usually listens to jazz and opera, and typically just shuffles YouTube playlists of the genres.
Edblad, Haskell, Leafblad and Scowcroft all believe to some extent that anyone can find value from any genre of music they choose to listen to, depending on the individual’s heart, but Scowcroft still acknowledges that some genres can be detrimental to a person’s faith.
“Spirituality is the responsibility of an individual,” Scowcroft said. “If they noticed that listening to a certain type of music is damaging to that part of them, it’s their responsibility to do something about that.”
