Wikipedia

Draft:Religion and Music

Not to be confused with religious music.

Religious perspectives on music vary widely across different faith traditions. Some religions have embraced music as an integral part of their worship and religious practices, while others have viewed it with suspicion or even outright hostility.[citation needed]

Shamanism edit

See also: Shamanic music and Imitation of sounds in shamanism

Just like shamanism itself,[1] music and songs related to it in various cultures are diverse. In several instances, songs related to shamanism are intended to imitate natural sounds, via onomatopoeia.[2]

Sound mimesis in various cultures may serve other functions not necessarily related to shamanism: practical goals such as luring game in the hunt;[3] or entertainment (Inuit throat singing).[3][4]

Christianity edit

Main article: Christian music

The history of Christianity includes an extensive tradition of music in worship, spanning from early Gregorian chants[5] to present-day contemporary Christian music.[6]

Islam edit

Main article: Islam and music

The subject of music within the realm of Islam is quite contentious and generates varying perspectives. Some strands of Islamic thought approve of music, whereas others perceive it as haram (prohibited) or at least deem it undesirable. Numerous Islamic academics hold the view that music has the potential to incite behaviors that go against the teachings of the faith and detract from the devout worship of Allah.[7]

Other groups such as Sufis consider music highly in a devotional form. Sufi music is a big example of it.[7]

Judaism edit

Main article: Jewish music

In the Jewish faith, music has long been a cornerstone of religious observance, tracing back thousands of years. It is referenced within the Hebrew Bible, where it serves the purpose of both glorifying God and marking momentous events. The early Israelites engaged in musical activities using a range of instruments such as lyres, harps, and trumpets.[citation needed]

In contemporary times, music continues to be a fundamental element in Jewish religious practices. Services held in synagogues frequently incorporate Jewish hymns and prayers, as well as modern Jewish melodies. Furthermore, Jewish music has been influential in the broader realm of popular music, with numerous renowned artists and music creators of Jewish descent contributing to its development.[citation needed]

Hinduism edit

See also: Hindu music

In Hinduism, music is seen as a powerful vehicle that fosters spiritual growth and enlightenment. The religious texts of Hinduism from antiquity illustrate music as a channel for forming a connection with the divine and achieving serenity of the spirit. Classic Hindu tunes often amalgamate vocal elements with instrumental contributions, aimed at invoking specific emotions and creating unique moods.[citation needed]

Perhaps the most recognized type of Hindu music is the bhajan, which is a spiritual hymn typically executed in a reciprocal singing style. An integral part of many Hindu religious ceremonies and festivals is the incorporation of music and dance, highlighting their importance in these celebrations.[8]

Buddhism edit

Music has played a varied role in Buddhist traditions. In some Buddhist schools, music is seen as a way to calm the mind and promote mindfulness. In others, music is discouraged or even forbidden, as it is seen as a form of sensual pleasure that can distract from the pursuit of enlightenment.[citation needed]

In some Buddhist cultures, music is used in religious ceremonies and festivals. Tibetan Buddhist music, for example, often features chanting and the use of traditional instruments such as the dungchen (long horns) and the damaru (hand drum).[citation needed]

Confucianism edit

Main article: Ritual and music system

Chinese philosophers took varying approaches to music. To Confucius, a correct form of music is important for the cultivation and refinement of the individual, and the Confucian system considers the formal music yayue to be morally uplifting and the symbol of a good ruler and stable government.[9] Some popular forms of music, however, were considered corrupting in the Confucian view.[10] Mozi on the other hand condemned making music, and argued in Against Music (非樂) that music is an extravagance and indulgence that serves no useful purpose and may be harmful.[11] According to Mencius, a powerful ruler once asked him whether it was moral if he preferred popular music to the classics. The answer was that it only mattered that the ruler loved his subjects.

Confucius not only advocated and advocated the restoration of the Ritual Music System, but also practiced it physically. Legend has it that he asked Laozi about rituals and became so obsessed with music that he "did not know the taste of meat for three months".[citation needed]

 
The Shijing or Classic of Poetry

Confucius heavily promoted the use of music with rituals or the rites order. The scholar Li Zehou argued that Confucianism is based on the idea of rites. Rites serve as the starting point for each individual and that these sacred social functions allow each person's human nature to be harmonious with reality. Given this, Confucius believed that "music is the harmonization of heaven and earth; the rites is the order of heaven and earth". Thus the application of music in rites creates the order that makes it possible for society to prosper.[12]

Originating from ancient China, Confucianism is a highly esteemed philosophical system that places profound importance on moral values, social equilibrium, and respect for authority. While music doesn't stand as the cornerstone of Confucianism, it nonetheless has had considerable influence on Chinese cultural development, with Confucian values shaping its essence.[citation needed]

As per Confucian philosophy, music is regarded as an effective instrument for instilling virtues and promoting social unity. It was a firm belief among the ancients that music held the power to mold people's behavior and emotional responses, thereby contributing to the establishment of a peaceful society. It's stated that Confucius himself was a proficient musician and played a substantial role in the advancement of music during ancient Chinese times.[citation needed]

In the context of Confucian tenets, music is viewed as a pathway to inculcate moral virtues such as respect, compassion, and self-restraint. There was an ancient belief that music could serve as a means to refine the mind and foster good personality traits. In response, Confucian scholars established a system of musical learning that stressed studying classical musical scripts and adhering to respectable musical behavior.[citation needed]

The progression of traditional Chinese music also felt the touch of Confucianism. Scholars in Confucianism proposed that music should mirror the ethical and moral standards of society, promoting simplicity, elegance, and harmony. They established a system of musical scales and modes that celebrated balance, believed to replicate the harmony and order inherent in nature.[citation needed]

Presently, music holds an indispensable role in Chinese culture and is often incorporated in Confucian rituals and ceremonies. The study and performance of Confucian music persist, and the philosophy's emphasis on harmony and social order continues to leave an imprint on Chinese music and culture.[citation needed]

Jainism edit

Emerging from the depths of antiquity, Jainism is a respected religious system that originated in India. It vigorously advocates for 'ahimsa' or non-violence, encouraging its followers to exercise this principle toward every living creature. Jainism perceives music as a spiritual vehicle capable of leading to enlightenment, although it recommends prudence regarding some musical forms that could potentially provoke hostility or harm to living entities[13].

Sikhism edit

Main article: Sikh music

Rooted in the cultural landscape of India's Punjab region in the 15th century, Sikhism represents a faith system that endorses monotheism. In Sikh religious practices, music is considered fundamental, serving as a spiritual bridge that allows individuals to form a deeper connection with the divine. The central religious scripture of the Sikhs, the Guru Granth Sahib, comprises an anthology of divine hymns and spiritual anthems that are integral to collective worship. The distinguishing feature of Sikh music is its reliance on traditional Indian instruments, namely the harmonium, tabla, and dhol.[citation needed]

Baha'i Faith edit

Music is significant in the Bahai faith.[14]

See Also edit

Bibliography edit

  • Barüske, Heinz (1969). Eskimo Märchen. Die Märchen der Weltliteratur (in German). Düsseldorf • Köln: Eugen Diederichs Verlag. The title means: "Eskimo tales", the series means: "The tales of world literature".
  • Boglár, Lajos (2001). A kultúra arcai. Mozaikok a kulturális antropológia köreiből. TÁRStudomány (in Hungarian). Budapest: Napvilág Kiadó. ISBN 978-963-9082-94-6. The title means "The faces of culture. Mosaics from the area of cultural anthropology".
  • Czaplicka, M.A. (1914). "Types of shaman". Shamanism in Siberia. Aboriginal Siberia. A study in social anthropology. preface by Marett, R.R. Somerville College, University of Oxford; Clarendon Press. ISBN 978-1-60506-060-6.
  • Deschênes, Bruno (2002). "Inuit Throat-Singing". Musical Traditions. The Magazine for Traditional Music Throughout the World.
  • Diószegi, Vilmos (1968). Tracing shamans in Siberia. The story of an ethnographical research expedition. Translated by Anita Rajkay Babó (from Hungarian). Oosterhout: Anthropological Publications.
  • Diószegi, Vilmos (1962). Samanizmus. Élet és Tudomány Kiskönyvtár (in Hungarian). Budapest: Gondolat. ISBN 978-963-9147-13-3. The title means: "Shamanism".
  • Diószegi, Vilmos (1998) [1958]. A sámánhit emlékei a magyar népi műveltségben (in Hungarian) (1st reprint ed.). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó. ISBN 978-963-05-7542-3. The title means: "Remnants of shamanistic beliefs in Hungarian folklore".
  • Fienup-Riordan, Ann (1994). Boundaries and Passages: Rule and Ritual in Yup'ik Eskimo Oral Tradition. Norman, Oklahoma: University of Oklahoma Press. ISBN 978-0-585-12190-1.
  • Fock, Niels (1963). Waiwai. Religion and society of an Amazonian tribe. Nationalmuseets skrifter, Etnografisk Række (Ethnographical series), VIII. Copenhagen: The National Museum of Denmark.
  • Freuchen, Peter (1961). Book of the Eskimos. Cleveland • New York: The World Publishing Company. ISBN 978-0-449-30802-8.
  • Hajdú, Péter (1975). "A rokonság nyelvi háttere". In Hajdú, Péter (ed.). Uráli népek. Nyelvrokonaink kultúrája és hagyományai (in Hungarian). Budapest: Corvina Kiadó. ISBN 978-963-13-0900-3. The title means: "Uralic peoples. Culture and traditions of our linguistic relatives"; the chapter means "Linguistical background of the relationship".
  • Hoppál, Mihály (1994). Sámánok, lelkek és jelképek (in Hungarian). Budapest: Helikon Kiadó. ISBN 978-963-208-298-1. The title means "Shamans, souls and symbols".
  • Hoppál, Mihály (1998). "A honfoglalók hitvilága és a magyar samanizmus". Folklór és közösség (in Hungarian). Budapest: Széphalom Könyvműhely. pp. 40–45. ISBN 978-963-9028-14-2. The title means "The belief system of Hungarians when they entered the Pannonian Basin, and their shamanism".
  • Hoppál, Mihály (2005). Sámánok Eurázsiában (in Hungarian). Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó. ISBN 978-963-05-8295-7. The title means "Shamans in Eurasia", the book is published also in German, Estonian and Finnish. Site of publisher with short description on the book (in Hungarian) Archived 2010-01-02 at the Wayback Machine.
  • Hoppál, Mihály (2006a). "Sámánok, kultúrák és kutatók az ezredfordulón". In Hoppál, Mihály; Szathmári, Botond; Takács, András (eds.). Sámánok és kultúrák. Budapest: Gondolat. pp. 9–25. ISBN 978-963-9450-28-8. The chapter title means "Shamans, cultures and researchers in the millenary", the book title means "Shamans and cultures".
  • Hoppál, Mihály (2007b). "Is Shamanism a Folk Religion?". Shamans and Traditions (Vol. 13). Bibliotheca Shamanistica. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó. pp. 11–16. ISBN 978-963-05-8521-7.
  • Hoppál, Mihály (2007c). "Eco-Animism of Siberian Shamanhood". Shamans and Traditions (Vol 13). Bibliotheca Shamanistica. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó. pp. 17–26. ISBN 978-963-05-8521-7.
  • Janhunen, Juha. Siberian shamanistic terminology. Mémoires de la Société Finno-Ougrienne, 1986, 194: 97–117.
  • Hugh-Jones, Christine (1980). From the Milk River: Spatial and Temporal Processes in Northwest Amazonia. Cambridge Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-22544-1.
  • Hugh-Jones, Stephen (1980). The Palm and the Pleiades. Initiation and Cosmology in Northwest Amazonia. Cambridge Studies in Social and Cultural Anthropology. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-21952-5.
  • Kleivan, Inge; B. Sonne (1985). Eskimos: Greenland and Canada. Iconography of religions, section VIII, "Arctic Peoples", fascicle 2. Leiden, The Netherlands: Institute of Religious Iconography • State University Groningen. E.J. Brill. ISBN 978-90-04-07160-5.
  • Menovščikov, G.A. (= Г. А. Меновщиков) (1968). "Popular Conceptions, Religious Beliefs and Rites of the Asiatic Eskimoes". In Diószegi, Vilmos (ed.). Popular beliefs and folklore tradition in Siberia. Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó.
  • Nagy, Beáta Boglárka (1998). "Az északi szamojédok". In Csepregi, Márta (ed.). Finnugor kalauz. Panoráma (in Hungarian). Budapest: Medicina Könyvkiadó. pp. 221–34. ISBN 978-963-243-813-9. The chapter means "Northern Samoyedic peoples", the title means Finno-Ugric guide.
  • Nattiez, Jean Jacques. Inuit Games and Songs / Chants et Jeux des Inuit. Musiques & musiciens du monde / Musics & musicians of the world. Montreal: Research Group in Musical Semiotics, Faculty of Music, University of Montreal.. The songs are available online, on the ethnopoetics website curated by Jerome Rothenberg.
  • Noll, Richard; Shi, Kun (2004). "Chuonnasuan (Meng Jin Fu), The Last Shaman of the Oroqen of Northeast China" (PDF). 韓國宗敎硏究 (Journal of Korean Religions). Vol. 6. Seoul KR: 西江大學校. 宗教硏究所 (Sŏgang Taehakkyo. Chonggyo Yŏnʾguso.). pp. 135–62. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-03-26. Retrieved 2020-05-28.. It describes the life of Chuonnasuan, the last shaman of the Oroqen of Northeast China.
  • Reinhard, Johan (1976) "Shamanism and Spirit Possession: The Definition Problem." In Spirit Possession in the Nepal Himalayas, J. Hitchcock & R. Jones (eds.), New Delhi: Vikas Publishing House, pp. 12–20.
  • Shimamura, Ippei The roots Seekers: Shamanism and Ethnicity Among the Mongol Buryats. Yokohama, Japan: Shumpusha, 2014.
  • Singh, Manvir (2018). "The cultural evolution of shamanism". Behavioral & Brain Sciences. 41: e66, 1–61. doi:10.1017/S0140525X17001893. PMID 28679454. S2CID 206264885. Summary of the cultural evolutionary and cognitive foundations of shamanism; published with commentaries by 25 scholars (including anthropologists, philosophers, and psychologists).
  • Turner, Robert P.; Lukoff, David; Barnhouse, Ruth Tiffany & Lu, Francis G. (1995) Religious or Spiritual Problem. A Culturally Sensitive Diagnostic Category in the DSM-IV. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, Vol.183, No. 7, pp. 435–44
  • Voigt, Miklós (2000). "Sámán – a szó és értelme". Világnak kezdetétől fogva. Történeti folklorisztikai tanulmányok (in Hungarian). Budapest: Universitas Könyvkiadó. pp. 41–45. ISBN 978-963-9104-39-6. The chapter discusses the etymology and meaning of word "shaman".
  • Winkelman, Michael (2000). Shamanism: The neural ecology of consciousness and healing. Westport, CT: Bergen & Gavey. ISBN 978-963-9104-39-6. Major work on the evolutionary and psychological origins of shamanism.
  • Witzel, Michael (2011). "Shamanism in Northern and Southern Eurasia: their distinctive methods and change of consciousness" (PDF). Social Science Information. 50 (1): 39–61. doi:10.1177/0539018410391044. S2CID 144745844.

References edit

  1. ^ Hoppál 2005: 15
  2. ^ "healthCheck" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  3. ^ a b Nattiez: 5
  4. ^ "Inuit Throat-Singing". Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  5. ^ Murray 1963, pp. 3–4.
  6. ^ McDowell, Amy D. "Contemporary Christian Music" – via Oxford Music and Art Online. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  7. ^ a b "Is there room for music in Islam?". BBC. 2007-08-07. Retrieved 2008-04-01.
  8. ^ Shivakumar, K. N. (2021-01-14). Shlokas and Bhajans: with general knowledge and subhashitams. Sangeet Bharati.
  9. ^ Bresler, Liora (2007). International Handbook of Research in Arts Education. Springer. p. 85. ISBN 978-1402029981.
  10. ^ Dorothy Ko; JaHyun Kim Haboush; Joan R. Piggott, eds. (2003). Women and Confucian Cultures in Premodern China, Korea, and Japan. University of California Press. p. 85. ISBN 978-0520231382.
  11. ^ Faye Chunfang Fei, ed. (2002). Chinese Theories of Theater and Performance from Confucius to the Present. University of Michigan Press. pp. 10–13. ISBN 978-0472089239.
  12. ^ Kirkendall, Jensen Armstrong (2017-12-14). "The Well-Ordered Heart: Confucius on Harmony, Music, and Ritual" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2021-04-13. Retrieved 2021-04-13.
  13. ^ "Songs of devotion". Jainpedia. Retrieved 2023-10-15.
  14. ^ https://www.bahai.org/library/authoritative-texts/compilations/music/music.pdf?a7a1316d
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