Perhaps one purpose of music in churches is to relieve the deadly dullness of the sermons which iterate the nonsense of virgins having babies, life after death, substitutionary atonement and the other revolts against reason which define Christianity. Moving the music from church to concert hall allows one to appreciate the beauty of the music without the accompanying commercials. It is like TV without ads.

Nope! I think some honest introspection is called for with a focus on the almighty truth, warts and all truth commission, followed by a reformation to what was there 300 years before pagan sun-worshipper Constantine and "his" first council of Nicosia.

Until that's done, anything else (f-art, culture?) is meaningless or just BS window dressing/covering huge wide gaping cracks and tons of self-delusion! Not assisted by the huge (evil incarnate) paganisation of Christianity!
Alan B.

David F, you have hit the nail on the head. Although what passes for music in many of today's churches makes one wonder why people even attend at all.
David T

In my experience, we can be spiritually inspired by religious music anywhere, be it a church or the concert hall - but best is probably in the privacy of one's own home where one can freely shed tears of joy and gratitude without fear of public censor or ridicule.

Also, it is not required to believe in the literal content of religious songs/prayers/hymns in order to be spiritually moved by them.