Religious music for less than devout

I remember a home room teacher in high school. Late 1970s. He was also the baseball coach. Great guy. All of us kids liked him. He was always goofing with us and always pushing the limits. He used to ask us if we thought God had a sense of humor. Just asking that question made me uncomfortable, which was what he was after. For whatever reason I thought the question was too irreverent to consider.

Years later I thought about that and thought about how silly I was. If you believe in Christian doctrine then you believe that all good things come from God. Humor is clearly good. Just like everything else it can be used in ways that are not good. But sure, if we are made in his image and humor is good, the I’d say surely God has a sense of humor.

This teacher was one who always told us The Band was the best band of all time. I was into Zeppelin, BTO, Sweet, Alice Cooper, The Who then and had no time or interest in The Band. But again, years later I came to appreciate the genius of The Band.

If God created camels He has a sense of humor. Perhaps camels also say that about us.

If God exemplifies the perfection of all virtues, and a healthy sense of humor is a virtue, then ...
Among any groups of monastics or religious I would say look for the always happy and chipper. If the group is always glum run the other way. In my Irish tribe those not picked on (in a nice way) are considered neglected. It is how one develops a sense of humor and humility.

I had a youngish teacher in mid school, she assumed in the mid to late 60’s we listened to folk music like she did. When I told her about Carlos Santana, Cream, Jefferson Airplane and Grateful dead she was horrified.

I did learn to like folk music, only much later in life, the pre-electric Bob Dylan. Odetta, Richie Havens, Harry Belafonte, Carolyn Hester, Barbara Dane, the Big Three, Joan Baez all sport some musical chops and are well represented in my musical library. And many of them had religious music in their act. Speaking of which Cat Stevens "Morning has Broken" is recommended.

@n80 Thank you for jumping in, I had wondered if I had murdered the thread.

"Poor Imitation of God" John Hiatt

Jazz music.

"Requiem" by Hector Berlioz.  Normally the Verdi and Mozart Requiems are most often heard and performed but the Berlioz is simply outstanding.  One might even say this was one of the first adventures in surround sound!  The work is scored for a very large orchestra. Berlioz positioned brass instruments in the corners of the cathedral to give an open, grand, and otherworldly effect.  Stunning on a nice sound system. Honorable mention should also be given to the B Minor Mass by J.S. Bach.