Judy Burnette
Martin Luther was a man of many gifts. One that people often do not realize was his musical talent. His music background was very strong. He sang in choir and played many instruments. He believed that music was a wonderful way to teach scripture to people so they might better understand its meaning. Martin Luther wrote many hymns. Nearly all of these were based on scripture. His most popular hymn was, A Mighty Fortress.
Martin Luther believed that music during worship, especially congregational singing, was of utmost importance. He considered the only part of worship more important was the Word of God. Martin Luther’s belief in the power of music in worship was shared by other people such as the composer, Johann Sebastian Bach. Bach wrote some of the world’s finest sacred choral music. His Cantata No. 80 is based on Martin Luther’s text from A Mighty Fortress Is Our God.