Overview

Servanthood of Song is a history of American church music from the colonial era to the present. Its focus is on the institutional and societal pressures that have shaped church song and have led us directly to where we are today. The gulf which separates advocates of traditional and contemporary worship--Black and White, Protestant and Catholic--is not new. History repeatedly shows us that ministry, to be effective, must meet the needs of the entire worshiping community, not just one segment, age group, or class. Servanthood of Song provides a historical context for trends in contemporary worship in the United States and suggests that the current polemical divisions between advocates of contemporary and traditional, classically oriented church music are both unnecessary and counterproductive. It also draws from history to show that, to be the powerful component of worship it can be, music--whatever the genre--must be viewed as a ministry with training appropriate to that. Servanthood of Song provides a critical resource for anyone considering a career in either musical or pastoral ministries in the American church as well as all who care passionately about vital and authentic worship for the church of today.

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9781666755947

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Reviews

"""Stanley McDaniel's Servanthood of Song is an extraordinary accomplishment, a terrific textbook on American sacred music from the eighteenth century to the present, and a handbook for every musician working in a religious setting. McDaniel deftly connects popular and sacred culture and discusses liturgical renewal, academia's struggles with teaching sacred music, perfectionism, blended worship, denominational polity, and dwindling congregations. The sheer breadth of this work is staggering, as is McDaniel's own clarity about music as a called ministry."" --Victoria R. Sirota, author of Preaching to the Choir: Claiming the Role of Sacred Musician ""Servanthood of Song reminds us of the many and varied streams of influence in church music, converging and moving toward the vast sea of effect on communities of faith. We are called to ask, as were generations before: What is the purpose of music in corporate worship? What is the role of music leaders? How do we engage debates in today's culture? This book inspires hope for the future of the church through the understanding of our past."" --Carol Goehring, pastoral coach, Passion in Partnership"

Author Information

Stanley R. McDaniel's music ministry career included service to churches in Ohio, North Carolina, Alabama, California, and Washington State. A former director of Chorale Coeur d'Alene, he also founded the Westminster Chamber Orchestra in Spokane. As an adjunct professor of sacred music at East Carolina University, McDaniel taught courses in sacred music, liturgy, and choral literature. He graduated with honors from the University of Southern California with a doctor of musical arts in sacred music.

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