heavy lifting
ever wonder what it is about music that has the ability to lick the soul & stir emotions from distant memories? why you can't remember something that happened 2 days ago, but can recall every lick from some obscure song tied to the ancient past in a way that's only relevant to you? what makes a hook a hook and why does it reverberate thro your being @ the speed of sound, yet remains to haunt even after the vibration stops?
i've recently stumbled across the best explanation to date for this puzzling phenomenon. it's found in this exert from the book by j. moltmann, the way of jesus christ, that was sent to me from my brother in cali. it's some pretty heavy lifting, but may be your flavor.
check it...
if we look back @ the creation story told in the priestly writing, we find the immanent unity of creation expressed in 2 formulas: 1. in the formula of creation through the divine word:'god said, "let there be light"; & there was light' (gen.1.3). 2. in the presupposition for creation through the word, a presupposition which has received too little notice; the vibration of the present spirit of god: 'the spirit of god hovered over the face of the waters' (gen.1.2). the hebrew word ruach is better translated as 'wind' or 'breath' than spirit. the hebrew word rahaph is generally translated 'hover' or brood'. but according to deut. 32.11 and jer 23.9 it has rather the meaning of vibrating, quivering, moving & exciting. if this is correct, then we should not think only of the image of a fluttering or brooding dove. we should think of the fundamental resonances of music out of which sounds & rhythms emerge. in thinking about 'creation through the word', we should not therefore think primarily in metaphors of command & obedience. a better image is the song of creation. the word names, differentiates & appraises. but the breath is the same in all the words, & binds the words together. so the creator differentiates his creatures through his creative word & joins them through his spirit, who is the sustainer of all his words. in the quickening breath & through the form-giving word, the creator sings out his creatures in the sounds & rhythms in which he has his joy & his good pleasure. that is why there is something like a cosmic liturgy & music of the spheres.
sleeps a song in every thing
that is dreaming still unheard.
& the world begins to sing
if you find the magic word.
the ancient pythagorean symbol of the music of the spheres & the harmony of the universe already pictures the unity between music & the cosmos. in considering how the unity of creation is to be understood, the priestly writer suggests that the creative & distinguishing word of god is preceded by the presence of the pulsating breath of god which translates the divine energies into vibrations. cosmic vibrations is the origin & ground of all forms of energy & matter in the cosmos. the vibrating breath of god is, as it were, the note to which the creation of the world is tuned. we therefore have to say that god creates all things through his defining & differentiating word in the primordial vibrancies of his spirit. if the spirit of god is understood as the quickening breath of god, then no word goes out from god other than in the vibrancies & the keynote of his spirit. in the unity of created things, word & spirit complement 1 another. the word specifies & differentiates through its efficacy; the spirit binds & creates symmetries, harmonies & concord through its presence. god is 'he who breathes through all creation', says 1 of our hymns. through the spirit & the word, god communicates himself to his creation & enters into it. his spirit, immanent in the world, is the pulse of the universe. in the later wisdom literature, word & spirit are used interchangeably. the new testament writings do not make any systematic distinction either, between word & spirit in creation. the 2 together circumscribe the mystery of god in the world & stress christ's mediatorship in creation, out of which all things receive both the fellowship that binds them & their own unique character.
these 2 aspects also make it clear that the creation is not merely a 'work' of 'god's hands', but that through his vibrant, quickening spirit, god already dwells in it; for through his ceaselessly uttering and creating word he is the foundation & continuance of all things. god is the innermost life of the world. the creation psalms tell us that creation-in-the-beginning was already understood as 'god's temple'. heaven & earth are his home. the home in which he desires to dwell & arrive @ his rest. & in designating the cause & basis of creation, this also names its purpose & end: god's endless sabbath. in the apocalyptic writings this is described as the new creation in whose midst 'the heavenly jerusalem' stands, as the cosmic temple which is able to receive the unveiled glory of god, so that the creator can dwell in his creation & can arrive @ his rest in it, & so that all created beings may find their happiness in his infinite abundance.
i've recently stumbled across the best explanation to date for this puzzling phenomenon. it's found in this exert from the book by j. moltmann, the way of jesus christ, that was sent to me from my brother in cali. it's some pretty heavy lifting, but may be your flavor.
check it...
if we look back @ the creation story told in the priestly writing, we find the immanent unity of creation expressed in 2 formulas: 1. in the formula of creation through the divine word:'god said, "let there be light"; & there was light' (gen.1.3). 2. in the presupposition for creation through the word, a presupposition which has received too little notice; the vibration of the present spirit of god: 'the spirit of god hovered over the face of the waters' (gen.1.2). the hebrew word ruach is better translated as 'wind' or 'breath' than spirit. the hebrew word rahaph is generally translated 'hover' or brood'. but according to deut. 32.11 and jer 23.9 it has rather the meaning of vibrating, quivering, moving & exciting. if this is correct, then we should not think only of the image of a fluttering or brooding dove. we should think of the fundamental resonances of music out of which sounds & rhythms emerge. in thinking about 'creation through the word', we should not therefore think primarily in metaphors of command & obedience. a better image is the song of creation. the word names, differentiates & appraises. but the breath is the same in all the words, & binds the words together. so the creator differentiates his creatures through his creative word & joins them through his spirit, who is the sustainer of all his words. in the quickening breath & through the form-giving word, the creator sings out his creatures in the sounds & rhythms in which he has his joy & his good pleasure. that is why there is something like a cosmic liturgy & music of the spheres.
sleeps a song in every thing
that is dreaming still unheard.
& the world begins to sing
if you find the magic word.
the ancient pythagorean symbol of the music of the spheres & the harmony of the universe already pictures the unity between music & the cosmos. in considering how the unity of creation is to be understood, the priestly writer suggests that the creative & distinguishing word of god is preceded by the presence of the pulsating breath of god which translates the divine energies into vibrations. cosmic vibrations is the origin & ground of all forms of energy & matter in the cosmos. the vibrating breath of god is, as it were, the note to which the creation of the world is tuned. we therefore have to say that god creates all things through his defining & differentiating word in the primordial vibrancies of his spirit. if the spirit of god is understood as the quickening breath of god, then no word goes out from god other than in the vibrancies & the keynote of his spirit. in the unity of created things, word & spirit complement 1 another. the word specifies & differentiates through its efficacy; the spirit binds & creates symmetries, harmonies & concord through its presence. god is 'he who breathes through all creation', says 1 of our hymns. through the spirit & the word, god communicates himself to his creation & enters into it. his spirit, immanent in the world, is the pulse of the universe. in the later wisdom literature, word & spirit are used interchangeably. the new testament writings do not make any systematic distinction either, between word & spirit in creation. the 2 together circumscribe the mystery of god in the world & stress christ's mediatorship in creation, out of which all things receive both the fellowship that binds them & their own unique character.
these 2 aspects also make it clear that the creation is not merely a 'work' of 'god's hands', but that through his vibrant, quickening spirit, god already dwells in it; for through his ceaselessly uttering and creating word he is the foundation & continuance of all things. god is the innermost life of the world. the creation psalms tell us that creation-in-the-beginning was already understood as 'god's temple'. heaven & earth are his home. the home in which he desires to dwell & arrive @ his rest. & in designating the cause & basis of creation, this also names its purpose & end: god's endless sabbath. in the apocalyptic writings this is described as the new creation in whose midst 'the heavenly jerusalem' stands, as the cosmic temple which is able to receive the unveiled glory of god, so that the creator can dwell in his creation & can arrive @ his rest in it, & so that all created beings may find their happiness in his infinite abundance.
posted by lee at 2:44 PM
1 Comments:
I don't know if I can lift this because I am not as "strong" as you are, but I do agree and understand what you said about music that stirs emotions and recalling every lick from an obsure song.
I was just listening to one such song and almost felt like I was floating.
God did'nt create all of us to respond to music the way you or I do. He uses different response mechanisms for all of us. I sure am glad He picked music for me :)
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