Currently, Christian music comes in every possible shade of gray. Throughout its history, Christianity has struggled to determine its standards of aesthetics. Why is it so fragmented?

It all comes to the underlying philosophical basis. These bases are axiomatic, like a postulate in geometry or axiom in physics. 

Whether consciously or unconsciously, this basis becomes the presuppositions from which everyone determines truth (or the nonexistence thereof). In terms of music, there are four different philosophies of what constitutes “good” music. 

What is the purpose of art in education? This question has caused a rattle in the music education community. On one hand, some say that art is only as good as it has external connotations; on the other, some say that art is intrinsically meaningful without external connotations. Historically, this divide can be best seen in the clash between Absolute and Program music. 

Do aesthetics have moral weight? This question is asked among those that do music in a religious context. In the case of music, the more specific question can be summed up as the following: Does music, apart from the words themselves, have moral weight?

Generally, the two sides fall as follows:

One side believes that music, in of itself, does not have moral weight--and therefore endorses all styles, types, and forms of music. . . . The other side believes that music and all artistic expression is bound by some moral lines. . . .