Popular culture and church musical practice

Abstract

Many churches today, whether they realise it or not, incorporate aspects of popular culture into their liturgy and musical practice that can be identified as follows: • The use of song structures incorporating multiple verses, choruses and a bridge. • The use of repetition – especially of words, phrases and choruses. • The high turnover/short shelf life of many songs. • The use of acoustic and electric guitars, bass and drums in a pop, rock or similar style. • The use of amplification – both individual instrument and public address. • The singing of songs with an American accent. • The use of visuals. How much does, and should, culture – popular culture in particular – influence the musical aspect of the liturgy in a church worship gathering? Can hymns written centuries ago be successfully adapted for use in the contemporary worship setting? The audio CD 'Seasoned Hymns' sits alongside this essay as a research outcome and supports the findings of the essay.