My Christian Faith

I have been a Christian since birth, although in college I was attracted to the peace and meditation offered in Buddhism. Ultimately I realized that those elements were present in historic Christianity. I explored the contemplative writers such as John of the Cross, Theresa of Avila, and Thomas Merton, as well as Gregorian Chant, monastic life, the Ecumenical Community of Taizé, France, and the Iona Community. The contemplative aspect of the faith seems rather lightly promoted by the Church, yet highly attractive to unbelievers. I feel called to practice my faith by sharing Jesus' message of love through various diverse musical and liturgical forms, particularly those that display a sense of wonder, awe, and mystery.

It is the Holy Spirit who harnesses music to help carry the Gospel to all people; to announce our salvation, call us to repentance, strengthen us in weakness, comfort us in sorrow, and send us out to share it with others. This is why I proclaim my Christianity especially through music, and I enlist others to join in the great song of salvation placed in our hearts. I believe that sacred music preaches. As the saying goes: “A song will outlive all sermons in the memory.” I treat music as an exegetical tool, resisting the notion of it as decoration.

I believe that Jesus Christ saved me and predestined me to heaven by his death and resurrection and that this was accomplished through no action or worthiness on my part. Indeed, I have done nothing to merit this salvation, but the grace of a loving God bestows this upon me through the actions of the Holy Spirit. I take Martin Luther's explanation of the third article of the Apostles' creed as a lynchpin of what makes me Lutheran instead of just an amorphous Christian. “I believe that I cannot by my own reason or strength believe in Jesus Christ my Lord, or come to him, but the Holy Ghost has called me by the Gospel, enlightened me with his gifts, sanctified, and kept me in the true faith...”

~Daniel John Susan