Harmonising with the devil

When I spoke to some Christian organ scholars from Cambridge last June, one of their main questions was what to do when asked to provide music for heresy.

Music Richard Simpkin

Many of us don't have to face this issue very often, as in God's grace we are working in churches where the pastor wants his congregation to sing truth. Every now and then, when we come across a line in a song with which we disagree, we can simply omit to sing that line, and then write a gracious note to the pastor about the concern. However, some of us sing in choral societies where we are asked to sing things with which we are uncomfortable.