I was alerted to an upcoming event at North United Methodist Church in Indianapolis. I shared the details with students in my course on the Bible and music and thought I ought to share the information here as well. If you are in the vicinity and share even a fraction of my interest in the intersection of music and faith, you’ll likely find this interesting, either the Saturday talk or the Sunday music, and perhaps both.
Hamilton Series: “Why Should Music Matter to People of Faith” by Dr. Jeremy Begbie Saturday, Nov. 11, 10:30 a.m. and Sunday, Nov. 12, 8:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. (Sanctuary and Fellowship Hall) This year’s Hamilton Series presenter is Dr. Jeremy Begbie, who will give his lecture on Saturday, with a lunch following, and be our guest preacher on Sunday. Dr. Begbie is the Thomas A. Langford distinguished research professor of theology and the McDonald Agape director of Duke Initiatives in Theology and the Arts. In addition to his work at Duke, he is a senior member of Wolfson College and an affiliated lecturer in the faculty of music at the University of Cambridge. Dr. Begbie is the author of numerous books and articles on worship and the arts, including “Redeeming Transcendence in the Arts” and “A Peculiar Orthodoxy: Reflections on Theology and the Arts.” In addition to his lecture and sermon, on Sunday the Cathedral Singers will offer the world debut of two original anthems commissioned by the Hamilton Series by well‑known composer Craig Courtney and African American newcomer Reginal Wright.