DESCRIPTION: This course is designed to provide students with an overview of
worship music that is available and appropriate for use in services designed to
follow the liturgical calendar and worship designed for special pastoral
occasions (weddings, baptisms, funerals, etc.). Under consideration will be
music from traditional hymnody, choral repertoire, as well as music from the
"contemporary music" corpus. The course will teach students both about the
wealth of material available and about how to do theological and liturgical
analysis of songs and hymns in order to make proper musical selections
regarding ensemble and congregational song for worship occasions.
LEARNING OUTCOMES: The goals for this course are that students will (1) learn
how to shape worship according to the liturgical calendar and the special needs
of occasional services, (2) acquire evaluation skills (liturgical and
theological) for determining appropriate use of music in worship, and (3) be
spiritually prepared for ministries relating to the use of music in worship.
RELEVANCE FOR MINISTRY: There is an increasing concern among evangelical
churches to return to certain traditions of the Christian church. Among these
is the use of the liturgical calendar. Knowledge of the historic development of
the church calendar, how to design worship that corresponds to it, and to
special pastoral occasions is critical to those involved in worship and music
ministries in today's church.
COURSE FORMAT: The course will meet once each week for two-hour sessions.
There will be reading assignments, lecture, group assignments, as well as tools
designed to encourage personal spiritual growth. The grade for the course will
be based on understanding of reading and lecture materials, active discussion
participation, responsible participation in group assignments, as well as
written and research assignments.
REQUIRED READING/OBSERVATION: