The Soundscapes of Faith
Every faith tradition has a unique sonic signature. From the murmur of a Buddhist mantra to the hum of the Hindu Om, there is something about sound that makes the holy...real. In this archive you'll find audio postcards of 6 sacred sounds, plus the full interviews you missed in our radio broadcast.
The Soundscapes of Faith is the winner of the 2010 Wilbur Award for Radio. The Wilbur was created in 1949 to honor secular media who "promote excellence in the communication of religious faith and values." Past award winners for the radio category have included The Diane Rehm Show and Speaking of Faith.
Judaism: The Shofar
The shofar is an ancient instrument made from an animal horn, blown on Jewish high holy days. Moses Maimonides describes the shofar's wail as a yearly "alarm clock" - a sound that rouses Jews out of spiritual slumber.
Rabbi Jack Moline, Rabbi of Agudas Achim Congregation in Alexandria, Virginia
Islam: The Call To Prayer
One of the most beautiful sounds of Islam is the call to prayer, or adhan. Sometimes sung live, sometimes broadcast from a recording, it rings out in many Muslim countries 5 times a day, summoning believers to pause and remember God.
Akbar Ahmed, chair of Islamic studies at American University
Hinduism: Om
For Hindus, to chant the Om is to tune your body into a larger cosmic vibration. The syllable, made up of three Sanskrit letters, is said to contain the essence of the entire universe.
Shubha Pathak, professor of religion at American University
Christianity: Sacred Harp
Sacred Harp singing has no audience, no instruments, and indeed, no harp. Composed with a system of shapes instead of notes, it began as a way to help untrained singers learn to read music. Sacred harp first took root in Baptist churches of the American south, in the early 1800s.
Pictured: Tamara Harris, a singer with Portland Sacred Harp
Nancy Groce, ethnomusicologist at The American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress
Buddhism: Chant
The mantra that defines Soka Gakkai Buddhism is nam-myoho-renge-kyo. Its melodic rhythm, uttered up to a thousand times a day in the morning and evening, is meant to evoke one’s “Buddha nature”: the hidden, natural potential within all believers.
Bill Aiken, Director of Public Affairs at Soka Gakkai International
Sikhism: Hymns
Shabad Kirtan is the mystical poetry of Sikhism, set to music. Its words were first composed in the 16th century by the founder of the faith, Guru Nanak.
Rajwant Singh, Chairman of the Sikh Council on Religion and Education
