Scott Aniol

Scott Aniol is the founder and Executive Director of Religious Affections Ministries. He is Chair of the Worship Ministry Department at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he teaches courses in ministry, worship, hymnology, aesthetics, culture, and philosophy. He is the author of Worship in Song: A Biblical Approach to Music and Worship, Sound Worship: A Guide to Making Musical Choices in a Noisy World, and By the Waters of Babylon: Worship in a Post-Christian Culture, and speaks around the country in churches and conferences. He is an elder in his church in Fort Worth, TX where he resides with his wife and four children.

Author Archives: Scott Aniol

What Does the Bible Really Say About Alcohol?

What Does the Bible Really Say About Alcohol?

Enter any popular online Christian discussion forum today, and you will inevitably run into a fiery debate about the Christian and alcohol. Both sides of the debate attempt to use biblical arguments to support their positions, and the argument often ends in a stalemate. What does the Bible really say about alcohol, and how can… Continue Reading

Commissioning Hymns

Commissioning Hymns

Many of us bemoan the fact that there really aren’t very many new, fresh, yet profoundly conservative hymns with rich, doctrinal texts and stable, lasting tunes being written today. There are some. The best I know of are being written by Paul Jones in collaboration with a few pastor/theologians. You can find those hymns here.… Continue Reading

Taste is Black and White

Taste is Black and White

One particularly common misconception in the realm of aesthetics is that “we all have different tastes, and that’s OK,” and Christians are certainly not immune to this errant perspective. The error here lies once again in a careless use of terminology. If by “tastes” in such a perspective one means “preferences,” then I have no… Continue Reading

Men Without Chests

Men Without Chests

The following are quotes from the first chapter of The Abolition of Man by C. S. Lewis: “Until quite modern times all teachers and even all men believed the universe to be such that certain emotional reactions on our part could be either congruous or incongruous to it—believed, in fact, that objects did not merely… Continue Reading

Apollo vs. Dionysus

Apollo vs. Dionysus

A music theorist whom I have found very helpful is Manfred Clynes. Clynes argues that music communicates through its natural connection with emotion. I can best explain Clynes’ theories at this point by quoting from “Music Hath Charms . . .” by Iaian D. Edgwater in Biocultural Approaches to the Emotions edited by Alexander Laban… Continue Reading

The Believer’s Pursuit of Beauty: Conclusions from Adler

The Believer’s Pursuit of Beauty: Conclusions from Adler

Note: this essay was adapted and included in my book Sound Worship. After my reading of Adler’s Six Great Ideas and contemplation of his discussion of truth, goodness, and beauty, I have the following thoughts and conclusions for believers and their pursuit of that which is true, good, and beautiful. I like Adler’s connection of truth, goodness, and… Continue Reading