Choral music has longstanding ties to religious practices and liturgy, with repertoire categorized as sacred or secular based on purpose, text, and genre. Common sacred choral texts from traditions like Catholicism and Judeo-Christian theologies date back centuries, from early chant to modern Black Gospel (Trites, 2025). Educational settings that include choral music range from public and parochial schools to community centers, but incorporating sacred music in public schools presents particular challenges (Mercado, 2020). Some professional associations issue position statements to justify sacred music in non-religious institutions, and community demographics influence acceptance. Still, there is room for overlap between sacred and secular genres in all music education, allowing space for inclusivity and broadened cultural experiences.Historically, “sacred” and “secular” terms have encouraged dividing music into separate camps, which can limit in-school engagement with spiritual dimensions that extend beyond religious practice. A Pew Research Center survey found that approximately 75% of the global population identified with a religion, though this varies widely across countries (Evans et al, 2025). Choral music offers a powerful medium for exploring spirituality without infringing on religious freedom (Arnold, 2019). Given historical conflicts over religious differences, the choral art can serve as common ground to foster openness and promote intercultural understanding (Dong et al, 2025).In this workshop, participants will reconsider the sacred-secular divide, finding ways to see the sacred in the secular and the secular in the sacred. This shift will help music educators teach students to sing and reflect across diverse texts and faith traditions with respect and curiosity. Participants will recognize the importance of diversifying spiritual aspects of choral music studied and performed to include varied cultural traditions (McKoy & Lind, 2023). They will learn how music can transport singers and listeners to spaces where individuals of differing worldviews can find personal meaning while making music collectively with others (Mercado, 2021). As Anne Lamott says, making music together “somehow lets us meet in places we couldn’t get to any other way” (Lamott, 2000).Participants will:Understand the history and significance of “sacred” and “secular” categories in choral music, recognizing challenges posed by this binaryExplore ways to acknowledge sacred aspects of secular choral music and secular interpretations of sacred textsExperience choral singing as a means to foster mutual understanding across different worldviews and beliefsLearn how to invite diverse singers to explore both sacred and secular repertoire through personal reflection