Toward the end of my studies at the University of Minnesota, I prepared a conducting recital with the choir of which I was a member. As a Christian, and because of my interest in church music, I selected a program entirely of sacred music. A friend who was a pastor attended the concert. Afterwards, he found me and asked, “These singers in the choir—are they all Christians?” “Maybe one or two,” I answered. “Then why would unbelievers want to sing this music?” he asked in amazement. He had hit on one of the curious paradoxes of the art music world—many musicians with no particular religious belief will still perform explicitly Christian pieces if the music is of excellent quality. As another e