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Aug 5, 2005 · August 5, 2005. Music shapes belief. Even people who've lost other memories or speech often remember songs. That's why it's important to choose worship music that fully expresses your church's theology. A feature story exploring the importance of music theology. When Calvin College religion professor Richard "Rick" Plantinga starts talking ...
- The Hymnal as Teacher
- Sung Theology: Hymns & The Formation of Faith
- UMC Discipleship CCLI Top 100
- Singing The Truth: Theology and Hymns
- Hymns in The Church’s Teaching Ministry
- Word to Worship
- The Theology of Christmas Music
- Musical Theology: Past Lessons, Present Perspectives
- The Theology and Place of Music in Worship Commission on Worship
Leonard J. Vander Zee
"It has often been said (because it’s true) that Christians learn more of their working theology from the hymns they sing than from all their catechism or Sunday school classes or adult education groups." This even applies to some contemporary music - the author cites songs by Keith Getty such as "In Christ Alone" and "See, What a Morning." These worship songs have accessible, singable melodies (hymn-like, even) that "join strong theological language with personal faith." Read more
Kent Eilers and James Merrick
The authors explore the role of hymns and hymn singing in faith formation and spiritual growth. They ask: "Are hymns merely the expression of a community’s faith or are they integral in forming the faith of that community?" Read more
Discipleship Ministries
This index features 100 contemporary worship songs rated on theology, language, and singability. "Ultimately, I believe it's more what people sing that informs and shapes their faith and becomes a part of the theological learning and proclamation in our churches," Jackson Henry, Director of Music Ministries at Discipleship Ministries wrote (source). "Being musically appropriate—the setting of the music, the melodic material, the range of the song and the setting within a healthy place in the...
Randall McElwain
McElwain offers a historical perspective on hymn singing and the role of teaching theology. "Just as Charles Wesley's hymns taught theology to a largely uneducated population, hymns can teach theology in today's church,” he wrote (p. 2). McElwain suggests, "The best of hymnody includes both genuine doxology and sound theology" (p. 3)—what a beautiful perspective. Finally, the author warns against singing old hymns just because they're favorites; sometimes, the text is void of meaning and may...
Harry Eskew
Eskew talks about the importance of teaching Scripture through hymn singing. Many of the hymns in our hymnals are based on Psalms. "When we teach psalm paraphrases we are helping our people to sing the scriptures into their hearts," Eskew wrote. Here are a few examples (see a full list here): Psalm 23 - "The King of Love My Shepherd Is" Psalm 24 - "Lift Up Your Heads, Ye Mighty Gates" Psalm 27:1-3 - "God Is My Strong Salvation" Psalm 35:28 - "O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing" Psalm 46 - "A Mi...
Steve Partlow
Search for contemporary worship songs by theme/topic, keyword, or Scripture reference, or find a list of songs correlated with the lectionary (this site includes five different lectionaries, including the Narrative Lectionary). Each song listing includes full text; author, copyright, and licensing information; tags and Scripture references; and links to the song/lyrics on CCLI, Worship Together, Praise Charts, Song Select, YouTube, MusicNotes, Spotify, and Genius. Read more
Dr. Robert A. Pyne
Payne offers a thorough review of the theology in five popular Christmas carols and hymns. Wouldn't this be a great basis for a short class or series on hymns and theology? Maybe for the December issue of your church newsletter? Read more
Joan Huyser-Honig
"Understanding and applying musical theology deepens worshipers' experience of God and better prepares them to share God's Word in the world," Huyser-Honig wrote. The author traces the significance of musical theology from Bach to the present day, sharing the perspectives of scholars, pastors, and church musicians throughout the article. LuAnn Steiner, a music assistant and children's choir director at a Mennonite church described the importance of having a cohesive theme and key theological...
Reformed Church in America
This article outlines the importance of music in worship and offers a few reflections on the role of theology. Simply put, "Songs of worship shape faith." The article also includes recommendations for fostering congregational singing and a great list of questions for worship planning, including: What theology is expressed in our congregational singing? Is there sufficient breadth (pastoral, liturgical, historical/cultural, generational) in our music? What do we learn about God and the Christi...
The role of music in worship is biblical. After escaping from the Egyptians and crossing the Red Sea, the people of Israel sang a song to the Lord (Exod. 15). Singing was part of Israel’s formal worship in both tabernacle and temple (1 Chron. 6:31-32, 16:42). The Psalms bear rich testimony that in joy and sorrow, in praise and lament, the ...
Apr 25, 2024 · Music is also a tool for teaching theology. Knowledge of God is woven throughout inspired songs, such as the Psalms. “There is (according to Paul) a definite relationship between our knowledge of the Bible and our expression of worship in song. One way we teach and encourage ourselves and others is through the singing of the Word of God.
- Sarah E Martin
Mar 19, 2020 · 7 Only founded in 1947, it has almost 3,000 students from ninety countries. 8 The Brehm Centre for Worship, Theology, and the Arts was founded in 2001. 9 Scoring Transcendence: Contemporary Film Music as Religious Experience (2013); Watching TV Religiously (2016); The Aesthetics of Atheism (2019). 10 He went so far as to call nature a ...
- David Brown
- 2020
Mar 14, 2005 · There is an old saying expressing the virtues of song: “If music be the food of love, play on.” Well, music can be the food of love—God’s love in Christ. Along with our verbal teaching we can communicate the Gospel and theology in depth through the medium of music. Christian music is always music with a message.
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Sep 28, 2017 · Like a handmaiden who assists her master, music serves theology and the teaching of God’s Word. And like a handmaiden, music can be a good servant or a bad servant. When music is a good servant, it provides the right setting for the teaching of God’s truth and for helping the people of God grasp the deep things of the Lord.
