LISTEN LIKE A LUTHERAN.

The article examines the contested role of the organ in the Reformed church following the Protestant Reformation, focusing on its evolving significance within Lutheranism. Initially criticized as a symbol of Catholic excess and textless music, the organ’s acceptance grew as Martin Luther and his followers redefined it as a valuable aid to worship and a "creatura" or creation of God, integral to congregational devotion and Lutheran identity. In contrast, Calvinists rejected the organ and elaborate music, favoring simple psalm singing and iconoclasm, which intensified theological disputes. Lutheran theologians and musicians, including Michael Praetorius, defended the organ through sermons and treatises, emphasizing its spiritual role and the need for intentional listening to connect music with scriptural understanding. By the early 17th century, the organ had become a central, emblematic element of Lutheran worship, a status solidified by later composers such as Johann Sebastian Bach.