Old Light on New Worship: Musical Instruments and the Worship of God, a Theological, Historical, and Psychological Study

by John Price

Forward by Edward Donelly

I just recived a complementary copy of this today. I started reading. It looks very good and actually "scholarly" on the subject quoting over 200 sources.

And he's a Baptist. His view is non-instrumental. I'm very interested to see why he thinks so. He is quoting Ames, Thornwell, Manton, Knollys, Goodwin, Bunyan, Fuller, Calvin, Calderwood, Keach and many other good sources.

Wow.

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I got a copy of this last year for the RPW survey in CPJ 2. However, because we had to split the article and run 2000-2006 in a second part, the book is not covered in the current issue. I only got a cursory look but as it is new, it may become a new standard on the subject. The only drawback may be his decision to not cover the RPW in any thorough way.

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Chris Coldwell, Lakewood Presbyterian Church (PCA), Member
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It's a very good book, which I have recommended a few times on the PB before. I posted a few excerpts on this thread. Ted Donnelly of the RPC of Ireland wrote the forward. It's a valuable contribution to the discussion on musical instruments in worship.

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I'll second what Andrew has said. I found it to be an excellent book, very thorough on that particular subject, and as Matt observed, scholarly. As Chris pointed out, he starts out assuming that the reader understands the RPW, but really the issue of instrumements only ever becomes an issue after one comes to understand the RPW anyway. It is interesting that he is able to work out the a capella position so well, yet still hold to an uninspired hymnody position. Rarely do you find the two not going together, but I could see how his position as a Baptist would tend to push him against an EP position.

I met Ted Donnelly at last year's Trinity Pastor's Conference in Montville with Al Martin. He is a good and gracious brother, and a phenomenal preacher - in my opinion he even makes Spurgeon to look as a grasshopper!

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Philip A - Member, High Desert United Reformed Church, Apple Valley, CA.

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"where there is text, there is hope" - Richard A. Muller

I agree it is not essential to cover the RPW but if the book is to be useful by itself to the "newbie" it would have been good to cover it IMO. I recall there's a nice foonote early in the book answering albeit briefly comments made by Derek Thomas against the acappella position in the Ryken edited book, Give Praise to God: A Vision for Reforming Worship : Celebrating the Legacy of James Montgomery Boice (P&R 2003).

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Chris Coldwell, Lakewood Presbyterian Church (PCA), Member
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The Regulative Principle: Samuel Miller gives a succinct statement of this principle when he writes that since the Scriptures are the “only infallible rule of faith and practice, no rite or ceremony ought to have a place in the public worship of God, which is not warranted in Scripture, either by direct precept or example, or by good and sufficient inference.”

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Chris,

What do you think of the Hart/Muether book Price recommends in the introduction, With Reverence and Awe? I assume that is included in the upcoming CPJ 2 survey, yes?

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Philip A - Member, High Desert United Reformed Church, Apple Valley, CA.

"Reason also is choice" - Milton, Paradise Lost
"And then shall every word also seem consistent to him, if he for his part diligently read the Scriptures in company with those who are presbyters in the Church, among whom is the apostolic doctrine, as I have pointed out." - Irenaeus, Against Heresies, IV:XXXII.
"where there is text, there is hope" - Richard A. Muller

Philip,
I haven't read the book and the copy is in Dr. Smith's hands I'm pretty sure. Muther/Hart didn't make the Survey in CPJ 2 since we had to split the article into two parts. Part 1 in CPJ 2 covers 1946 thru 1999. Part 2 will cover 2000-2006. Part 1 runs from pages 89-164 in CPJ 1 as it is and Part 2 while it should be smaller is still going to be pretty substantial in length. Outside of Frank and myself I think Dr. Clark here on PB is one of the few who has had an opportunity to read the Survey part 1 at this point. That should change as the journals go out; I take delivery on the shipment tomorrow (delayed because the freight company wouldn't make delivery to a residence till tomorrow).

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Chris Coldwell, Lakewood Presbyterian Church (PCA), Member
• Naphtali Press: Presbyterian & Reformed Books
• The Confessional Presbyterian Journal
• The Blue Banner Archive

The Regulative Principle: Samuel Miller gives a succinct statement of this principle when he writes that since the Scriptures are the “only infallible rule of faith and practice, no rite or ceremony ought to have a place in the public worship of God, which is not warranted in Scripture, either by direct precept or example, or by good and sufficient inference.”

Click to get: Board Rules -- Signature Requirements -- Suggestions? Joining PB's Politics & Government Forum