Hymnology, the study of congregations' sacred singing, focuses on a variety of things. It covers texts, tunes, authors, composers, and historical and contemporary traditions, but it also looks at how churches practice such singing and integrate it into Christian worship. Colleges and seminaries study hymnology, but it also happens in congregational settings, such as in church music ensembles, adult-ed programs, weekly worship, and even in Sunday School or children's worship.
What ties all these learning occasions together is pedagogy: how we teach and learn about Christian worship songs. Today's "hymn explosion" and technological changes in music and worship also bring new challenges. This workshop will tackle these questions in order to equip educators and practitioners from a range of contexts and traditions.
We are looking for a mix of participants — those who are seasoned academics in hymnology, those who are beginning their academic careers, and those who are leaders in congregational life with responsibilities for education, music, and worship. Please note that this is not a seminar on hymnology but rather on the teaching or pedagogy of hymnology.
