During Advent and Christmastide–and at all times–how can we understand and fully experience the formative power of music? And amid distraction and anxiety, how can we keep Christ at the center of our hearts as we sing?

As Keith Getty explains, Christmas carols are not only about festivity, but also formation. For all of the delight they bring, they stand as musical masterpieces that teach deep truths, embed them within our memory and consciousness, unite a disparate people in praise, and cultivate and orient our sense of joy:

“We're fearfully and wonderfully made. We remember tunes and we forget sermons, not because we're bad people, but it's because of how God made us. The carols are special because repetition is a form of liturgy. And each Christmas, the liturgy of singing provides such an opportunity for us.” - Keith Getty

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded earlier this month. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Keith Getty here.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristen Getty

John Lennox
Winston Churchill

Charles Wesley

Felix Mendelssohn

Jeremy Begbie

Alistair Begg

Isaac Watts

John Calvin

Keith Getty is an extraordinary hymn writer, musician, and catalyst for the modern hymn movement. He joined us for a special Trinity Forum Online Conversation to explore music, formation, and beauty which we're pleased to bring you now as a special podcast during this season of Advent.

This podcast is an edited version of an online conversation recorded earlier this month. Watch the full video of the conversation here, and learn more about Keith Getty here.

Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:

Sing! How Worship Transforms Your Life, Family, and Church, by Keith and Kristen Getty

Related Trinity Forum Readings:

Bright Evening Star, by Madeleine L'Engle

Why God Became Man, by Anselm of Canterbury

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, by Annie Dillard

The Strangest Story in the World, by G.K. Chesterton

Handel's Messiah 

Related Conversations:
Rebuilding our Common Life with Yuval Levin
The Challenge of Christian Nationalism with Mark Noll and Vincent Bacote
The Decadent Society with Ross Douthat
Science, Faith, Trust and Truth with Francis Collins
Beyond Ideology with Peter Kreeft and Eugene Rivers
Justice, Mercy, and Overcoming Racial Division with Claude Alexander and Mac Pier
Healing a Divided Culture with Arthur Brooks
After Babel with Andy Crouch and Johnathan Haidt
Trust, Truth, and The Knowledge Crisis with Bonnie Kristian
Hope in an Age of Anxiety with Curtis Chang & Curt Thompson
Advent: the Season of Hope with Tish Harrison Warren

To listen to this or any of our episodes in full, visit ttf.org/podcast and to join the Trinity Forum Society and help make content like this possible, join the Trinity Forum Society

Special thanks to Ned Bustard for our podcast artwork.