The Use of Chant in Worship

By Rev. Rebecca

Chant is a simple form of sung speech. Chant goes back to the earliest Jewish worship. Originally chant was used in order to project one’s voice in a large space during worship. Without microphones, the Scriptures and prayers were chanted in order for the sound to carry more effectively. (Song carries better than speech.) This practice continued through Jesus’ day and even to this day in the Synagogues. This Jewish method of chant was naturally adopted by the early Church; many of whom were Jewish Christians. Later, chant became appreciated for its beauty and was further developed as simply another way to sing and praise God.