I'm Warren Smith and today you'll be listening in on my conversation with the musician and scholar Bill Edgar.

Today we'll be talking music, jazz, in particular, and its relationship to the gospel.

In one way we know a lot about the origins of jazz, we know about spirituals, we know about the blues, marching bands.

In another way we're not quite sure why it all came together at the beginning of the 20th century or how it all came together.

Jazz has been called the only distinctively American art form.

Most historians of jazz are quick to note its roots in the African American experience, specifically in slavery.

Jazz cannot be understood apart from an understanding of what has been called America's original sin.

Theologian and musician Bill Edgar makes the case that if slavery is America's original sin, jazz is an important cultural expression of the gospel message.

Just as jazz cannot be understood outside of an understanding of slavery, neither can it be understood outside of an understanding of the gospel.

Bill Edgar notes that the jubilation and beauty of jazz bear witness to a joyful reality of the Christian message that while sin leads to death, the gospel leads to life.

Dr. William Edgar is professor of apologetics and coordinator of apologetics at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia.

Today we'll be talking about his latest book, A Supreme Love, The Music of Jazz and The Hope of the Gospel.

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Bill Edgar, welcome to the program.

I've got to say I found your book, A Love Supreme, really nourishing.

I'm not the kind of jazz guy that you are.

Obviously, we can talk about your musical background here in a little bit.

In fact, I hope we will.

But I am something of a fan and I just found the book nourishing and helpful and really knowledgeable when it comes to jazz.

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