Ancient Greece and Early Sacred Music : Professor Carol

I was joined by Dr. Jean Rioux, professor of philosophy at Benedictine College, for a discussion of Ancient Greece and how its philosophy and culture affected the Early Christian Church. The session is part of our course on Early Sacred Music available in the Circle of Scholars.

We discuss the culture and philosophy of ancient Greece and Rome that the early Christians encountered as spread their message beyond Jerusalem. How did these cultures conflict and how did Greek philosophy influence Christian thought?

Greek remained the language of urban and commercial centers around the Mediterranean, and Christianity took root initially in the urban centers: Alexandria, Corinth, Ephesus, Thessalonica, as well as Rome. We have to look at the cultural and artistic environment of the time to find clues to the music and to think about what forms of music the early Church might have encountered and what forms it may have adopted.

The video below is a supplement to the course and concerns Unit 3. The Early Sacred Music course covers the history of music and culture from the Jerusalem Temple, through ancient Greece and the Middle Ages. The full curriculum with recorded videos, assignments, art galleries, quizzes, and more is offered on this site through the Circle of Scholars. The course is designed for students in high school, upper middle school, homeschool, classical education, and Christian education. It is also appropriate for adults with an interest in the topic.