Right Singing

The Developing Field of Christian Congregational Music Studies

“…Perry Glanzer, taking a slightly different approach,50 begins with an explicit theological task, evaluating the success of different frameworks for the relationship between Christ and culture proposed by Richard Niehbuhr, George Marsden and John Yoder in relation to Christian heavy metal culture and Jeffers Engelhardt investigates the theological and ethical ideals that shape ideas of 'right' music, an idea that binds together 'beliefs about the efficacy of sound and style' with 'beliefs about religious truth, confessional differences, and a right way of being in the world' . 51 A number of authors, following a stronger practical agenda, have made suggestions as to appropriate normative practice. Gordon Adnams, for example, in focussing closely on individuals' experiences of congregational singing critiques common understandings of authenticity within congregational music, following Charles Taylor in advocating the need for a greater focus beyond the self in approaching the music of the church.…”