Date

5-2022

Department

School of Music

Degree

Doctor of Worship Studies (DWS)

Chair

James Siddons

Keywords

Worship Arts, Critique, Ethnodoxology, Multicultural

Disciplines

Christianity | Fine Arts | Liturgy and Worship | Religion

Abstract

With the growth of the internet, worship pastors can share fine art presentations of the gospel message from cultures worldwide. Since all cultures belong in the kingdom of God, pastors may struggle to validate fine arts performances according to scriptural standards. One of the concerns is the range of interpretations that come from a lack of formal analysis in the literature. Some critics write about fine arts performances based on their own experience and opinion. This may indicate a gap in literature where there is no uniform standard for evaluating those works. Rather than take time to research presentations, a worship pastor may accept the opinion of a person who is not trained to make artistic or scriptural judgments. This lack of a coherent standard may lead to interpretations that allow syncretism to flourish or a misunderstood biblical message. This research shows that the Bible is the authority over artistic presentations and that a person can use a systematic approach to validate these presentations. Individuals in the fine arts field will argue that all work is created as a matter of personal aesthetics. While this may be true in the secular world, a worship leader must maintain a proper discipline of biblical authority. In this study, an ethnographic, qualitative/correlational method will be used to demonstrate the need for a uniform approach to describing, analyzing, interpreting, and evaluating works of Christian fine arts.

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