Moved by the Spirit or the Music? Analyzing Modern Evangelical Worship Music Practices

Gabriel Moore, Oberlin College

Location

Science Center, K209

Document Type

Presentation

Start Date

4-24-2015 1:30 PM

End Date

4-24-2015 2:30 PM

Abstract

Evangelical Christian worship music is employed to facilitate spirituality in congregational services. Do particular musical forms in worship induce specific emotional responses? And if emotions are being induced, how does this affect worshiping practice, and greater decisions made by church and worship leaders? Drawing upon philosophical and biblical understandings of the nature of music itself, I assert that the use of evocative songs during evangelical services greatly influences church members’ perception of the message being disseminated during the service.

Notes

Session 1, Panel 5 - The Agency of Interpretation: Reflections on Jesus, Goethe, and Evangelical Christianity
Moderator: Rebecca Leydon, Associate Professor of Music Theory

Major

Biology; Musical Studies

Advisor(s)

Maureen Peters, Biology
Cynthia Chapman, Religion

Project Mentor(s)

Cynthia Chapman, Religion

April 2015

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Apr 24th, 1:30 PM Apr 24th, 2:30 PM

Moved by the Spirit or the Music? Analyzing Modern Evangelical Worship Music Practices

Science Center, K209

Evangelical Christian worship music is employed to facilitate spirituality in congregational services. Do particular musical forms in worship induce specific emotional responses? And if emotions are being induced, how does this affect worshiping practice, and greater decisions made by church and worship leaders? Drawing upon philosophical and biblical understandings of the nature of music itself, I assert that the use of evocative songs during evangelical services greatly influences church members’ perception of the message being disseminated during the service.