Sound Theology, a Reader

""Dr. Engle has brought together a superb collection of Reformation-era writings for and against the use of organs in worship, expertly translated and presented for modern readers. Highly recommended!"" --Karin Maag, director, H. Henry Meeter Center for Calvin Studies, Calvin University, Grand Rapids, Michigan ""In Sound Theology, a Reader, Dr. Engle has provided direct access into the fascinating intersection of theology, worship, and lived religious experience. As so many worshippers today are aware, issues of worship are never simple, and Engle shows how the role of the organ became a robust point of debate from the sixteenth through the eighteenth centuries. Helpfully, Engle has included a vast array of sources, including crucial figures, such as Rivet and Voetius, as well as lesser-known sources, such as letters from church and city councils. With helpful introductions and footnotes, readers will enter the organ debates of the early modern period and be prompted to reflect on their own theological priorities, convictions regarding worship, and experiences with church music."" --Kyle J. Dieleman, associate professor of theology and history, Dordt University Praise for Sound Theology (2023): ""Randall Engle explores Reformed liturgical theology through a seemingly narrow lens--that of the pipe organ. Narrow, perhaps. Deep, without a doubt. By tracing the controversy of the use of the pipe organ in Calvinist lands, Engle demonstrates how abstract theological tenets fare when exposed to ecclesial and political realities--replete with sparks and explosions! When the dust settles, readers will walk away with a more visceral and grounded conception of early Reformed liturgical theology."" --Martin Tel, director of music, Princeton Theological Seminary