The Music of the Catholic Church

Internet Course

Basic Information

Course:  MUR3104-Music and the Catholic Church                       

Credit:  Three (3) credit hours                                   

Semester: Fall 2008

Meeting Time and Place:  Internet

Instructor:  Edward Schaefer   

Syllabus:  Syllabus is contained on this site, or it may be downloaded in PDF format.

Course Description

This course examines the music of the Catholic Church from an historical and artistic perspective.  It also examines some of the issues that have surrounded major changes in the Church’s music, such as the use of vernacular language, the introduction of popular music, and the role of music in faith formation.  Its content is organized primarily around six historical periods in which the Church was significantly focused on musical developments or changes:

-         the Carolingian Renaissance and the development of Gregorian chant,

-         the 14th-century reforms of Pope John XXII,

-         the 16th-century reforms of the Council of Trent,

-         the 18th-century reforms of Pope Benedict XIV,

-         the 19th-century chant revival movement and the subsequent 20th-century reforms of Pope Pius X and his successors,

-         the late 20th-century and early 21st-century reforms following the Second Vatican Council.

The content and processes of the course also provide a framework for viewing the Church as both an expression of European culture and U.S. culture.

There are approximately twenty possible units of study in the course from which students will have the option to select specific units that will address various of the course objectives.  Thus, students can select from different units to study topics in which they will have higher interest and/or need.  Some of the options are required and some are elective; some are fully individualized, and some require group collaboration.