A History of Worship Music – WRSP 502
CG • Section 8WK • 11/08/2019 to 04/16/2020 • Modified 02/01/2024
Course Description
This is a study of the history of worship music from the early church through the modern period. Emphasis is given to changes in worship practices resulting from the Reformation, the Great Awakenings, revival moments, large evangelistic crusades of the 1940s and 1950s, Jesus Movement, Praise and Worship Movement and Modern Worship.
For information regarding prerequisites for this course, please refer to the Academic Course Catalog.
Rationale
At the heart of successful worship leadership is the preparation and presentation of worship. The course seeks to help the worship leader accomplish these tasks on a regular basis by raising awareness of the historical development of worship and how it has and is influencing worshipers within the evangelical tradition.
Course Assignment
Textbook readings and lecture presentations/notes
Course Requirements Checklist
After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist in the Course Overview.
Discussions (5)
Throughout the course, the student will participate in Class Discussions. The student will post a thread of 250–300 words discussing various assigned topics related to worship history, and then post replies to the threads of at least 2 classmates with 150–200 words each.
Paper Assignments (4)
The student will write four (4) different papers addressing different aspects of Worship History. Each paper has a specific focus and is based upon course content. The purpose of these papers is to challenge the student to synthesize the content of the course and articulate it in a compelling manner.
Worksheet: Music in the Early Church Assignment
This worksheet will challenge the student to synthesize and articulate what he/she has learned about music in the Early Church and is also designed to give the student practice properly citing different types of sources using Turabian.
Lim and Ruth Book Critique Assignment
The student must complete a Critique of Lovin on Jesus', by Swee Hong Lim and Lester Ruth. For each of the eight chapters, the student must use the template provided and write a summary, an analysis and a 1-sentence statement of what was learned. Each chapter report must be no more than 1-page long. A title page is required. (Outcomes: A, C, and D).
Capstone Research Paper Assignment
Students will complete a capstone project which will include final paper of 12–16 pages, utilizing at least 10 sources. The paper will present an overview of Worship History. It will be written in Turabian format (notes-bibliography) and must include a title page, contents page, footnotes, and a bibliography.
Quizzes (2)
The student has 2 hours to complete both the Quiz: Midterm and the Quiz: Final. Each quiz is open-book/open-notes with questions derived from the lectures and class readings.
