Music And The Arts Among The Churches

Source: The Complete Library of Christian Worship, Robert E. Webber, General Editor

Music And The Arts Among The Contemporary Churches

The entries that follow offer an overview of the current worship practices of most of the major denominations in this country, each prepared by a person active in that particular church. Read individually, they furnish a wealth of fresh ideas; collectively they give evidence that, while each denomination remains theologically focused on its tradition and centers its worship on the familiar, there is hardly one which is not actively re-examining its worship philosophy and experimenting with new forms, music, and visual art. Insularity and Rigidity (and their offspring Routine and Passivity) have given way to a flowering of creativity which fosters commitment. Earlier labels such as Liturgical, Praise, Full Gospel, and Evangelical are no longer definitive. Each denomination appears to be eager to learn from the practices of others as a stimulus to their own worship rather than looking only to the past, only inward, or only to other churches within their denomination. Narrowness is out, and features once thought the special province and mark of a particular group are being fruitfully and joyfully embraced by others. The variety is so widespread that it is almost more appropriate to focus on the specific practices of an individual congregation, rather than to make generalizations about a denomination as a whole. As Philip Begrrov Peter notes,"Style is becoming more and more eclectic and there is a healthy regard for the special contribution that every individual may make. Worship, once almost the property of the officiating clergy rigorously hewing to a prescribed pattern, has rightly become the responsibility of Everyperson. "

  1. Adventist Churches
  2. African Methodist Episcopal Churches
  3. African Methodist Episcopal Zion Churches
  4. American Baptist Churches In The Usa
  5. Anglican / Episcopal Churches
  6. Assemblies Of God Churches
  7. Baptists (evangelical Denominations And Independent Baptist Churches)
  8. Baptist General Conference Churches
  9. Brethren (plymouth) Assemblies
  10. Calvary Chapel
  11. Charismatic Churches
  12. Christian And Missionary Alliance Churches
  13. Christian Church (disciples Of Christ)
  14. Christian Churches And Churches Of Christ
  15. Christian Reformed Churches
  16. Church Of God, Anderson, Indiana
  17. Church Of God, Cleveland, Tennessee
  18. Church Of God In Christ
  19. Church Of The Brethren
  20. Church Of The Nazarene
  21. Churches Of Christ (noninstrumental)
  22. Congregational Churches
  23. Eastern Orthodox Churches
  24. Evangelical Covenant Churches
  25. Evangelical Free Church Of America
  26. Evangelical Lutheran Church In America
  27. Friends (quakers)
  28. International Church Of The Foursquare Gospel
  29. Independent Fundamentalist And Evangelical Churches
  30. Lutheran Church–missouri Synod
  31. Mennonite Churches
  32. Messianic Synagogue
  33. The National Baptist Convention Of America, Inc.
  34. National Baptist Convention Of The Usa
  35. Presbyterian Church In America
  36. Presbyterian Church (usa)
  37. Progressive National Baptist Convention
  38. Reformed Church In America
  39. Reformed Episcopal Church
  40. Roman Catholic Churches
  41. Salvation Army
  42. Southern Baptist Convention Churches
  43. United Church Of Christ
  44. United Methodist Churches
  45. Vineyard
  46. Wesleyan Churches
  47. Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod
  48. Women’s Aglow International
  49. Alternative Worship In The Liturgical Tradition
  50. Alternative Worship In The Free Church Tradition
  51. Alternative Worship In The Pentecostal-charismatic Tradition
  52. Alternative Worship In Seekers’ Service/believers’ Worship