Music as a Communicative Act of Faith
A Theological Interpretation of Liturgical Participation
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 22434488 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Paweł Piotrowski (0000-0002-3251-7579, University of the National Education Commission, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 107 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Publication date | 2026-07-18 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Pharos Journal of Theology (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2414-3324 • E-ISSN: 2414-3324 |
| Publisher | Africajournals (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.46222/pharosjot.107.4035 |
| OpenAlex | W7169678182 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 6 |
This article develops a theological interpretation of liturgical music as a communicative act of faith. While sacred music has traditionally been examined from historical, aesthetic, pastoral, and liturgical perspectives, its communicative significance has received comparatively limited attention within contemporary theology. The study argues that liturgical music should not be understood merely as an artistic accompaniment to worship or as a vehicle for transmitting religious content. Rather, it functions as a communicative act through which the worshipping community responds to divine revelation, participates in the mystery celebrated, and realizes ecclesial communion. The analysis begins by examining the theological foundations of liturgical participation, with particular attention to the concept of participatio actuosa as articulated by the Second Vatican Council and developed in contemporary liturgical theology. It subsequently explores the symbolic and sacramental character of liturgical signs and investigates the distinctive mode of signification proper to music. Drawing upon the works of Romano Guardini, Alexander Schmemann, Aidan Kavanagh, Joseph Ratzinger, Karl Rahner, Jeremy Begbie, Don Saliers, and other contemporary theologians, the article proposes that music occupies a constitutive place within the communicative structure of Christian worship. The central contribution of the study is the development of a model of musical faith communication consisting of six interrelated dimensions: Divine Revelation, Liturgical Proclamation, Musical Mediation, Communal Participation, Confession of Faith, and Ecclesial Communion. Within this framework, congregational singing is interpreted not merely as the expression of previously held beliefs but as a performative act through which faith becomes audible, embodied, and communal. The article concludes that liturgical music functions as a privileged medium of faith communication, contributing directly to the formation of ecclesial identity and communion. By integrating insights from liturgical theology, ecclesiology, theology of revelation, and communication theory, the study offers a new perspective on the theological significance of sacred music within Christian worship.
Confession (law) · Faith · Interpretation (philosophy) · Liturgy · Musical · Performative utterance · Singing · Worship · Diverse Musicological Studies · Musicology and Musical Analysis · Pentecostalism and Christianity Studies
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |