Scott Aniol

Op-ed contributor

Latest

Oct 2, 2018
How Singing Forms Us
Most Christians recognize that singing in worship help us to express the affections of our hearts in response to God's character and works, which brings him great glory he deserves, and that this kind of expression in public is a great witness to the unbelieving world. But there is a second reason that we sing that I believe is often forgotten, overlooked, or ignored
Sep 16, 2018
The Gospel Is the Answer to All Injustice
We live in a world of injustice. Murder, theft, racism, abuse, and oppression are all around us, and Evangelical Christians are currently involved in an internal discussion about the best way we should address such injustice in the world, based on our common Christian beliefs.
Sep 3, 2018
What's Wrong With the Recent Evangelical 'Social Justice' Movements?
The term "social justice" has become quite a buzz word in evangelical circles in recent years. I count myself among those with concerns about much of what is being said by these "social justice" evangelicals, and I would like to simply lay out the nature of my concerns.
Aug 21, 2018
A Conservative Philosophy of Culture and Worship
How do conservative Christians propose to preserve the way the Bible has expressed God's truth?
Aug 5, 2018
Why Equating Culture and Ethnicity Can Lead to Racism
Despite my many protestations, it is still quite common within Evangelical circles to equate culture and ethnicity.
Jul 22, 2018
Beyond Contemporary vs. Traditional
The need for "emotional vitality" in worship did not start with the rise of contemporary worship; it started much earlier, first with Romanticism, and then with the theological underpinnings of Revivalism.
Jul 11, 2018
Differences and Universals in Music Across Cultures
A pastor or a missionary should not expect a church in one culture to use the musical forms of another culture; such great differences exist between the cultures that to use another culture's music would be like speaking a foreign language. What I want to highlight in this essay is that there really aren't as many differences between different cultures' musical expressions as contemporary missiologists might imply.
Jun 24, 2018
How Does Music Mean?
Most people acknowledge that music, at its most basic level, expresses emotional content. However, articulating what that emotional content is can often be a challenge.
Jun 12, 2018
Let the Little Children Come
From the earliest of ages we inundate our children with Bible verses, we make sure that they faithfully attend church, and we seek to instill in them Bible truths that they can carry with them for the rest of their lives. I wonder, however, whether Christian parents are really training their children fully.
May 27, 2018
Worship Regulated by Scripture
Pastors and parishioners perennially battle over who has authority in matters of church practice, particularly in corporate worship. Should what happens in the corporate gatherings of God's people fall under the control of church leadership, or should these decisions be left to congregational input and direction?