Contemporary Worship Music and Everyday Musical Lives

by Mark James Porter

Whilst Contemporary Worship Music arose out of a desire to relate the music of the church to the music of everyday life, this function can quickly be called into question by the diversity of musical lives present in contemporary society. Mark Porter examines the relationship between individuals’ musical lives away from a Contemporary Worship Music environment and their diverse experiences of music within it, presenting important insights into the complex and sometimes contradictory relationships between congregants’ musical lives within and outside of religious worship. Through detailed ethnographic investigation Porter challenges common evangelical ideals of musical neutrality, suggesting the importance of considering musical tastes and preferences through an ethical lens. He employs cosmopolitanism as an interpretative framework for understanding the dynamics of diverse musical communities, positioning it as a stronger alternative to common assimilationist and multiculturalist models.

206 pages, Hardcover

Published November 30, 2016

Reviews

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Porter, one of the founders of the biennial Christian Congregational Music: Local and Global Perspectives, has published his doctoral research in a way that can appeal to anyone interested in congregational music and its effect on worship today. Porter was involved at St. Aldates in Oxford, England, over a period of ten years (in addition to previous and in-between music leadership at other churches) and did interviews with congregants and worship leaders. His focus is on 'how individuals related their varied experiences of music outside of a church environment to their experiences within it; . . . how do individuals understand and apply [musical style, significance and value] and how do they function within the shared ongoing life of a musical community; . . . how does music function in mediating institutional and individual patterns of authority and agency' (4-5). This is ethnographic research from someone who understands both 'classical' and 'contemporary' worship music.

As he develops his methodology, Porter speaks of capturing what it means for 'individuals from a diverse range of musical backgrounds to co-exist for a period of their week in a shared musical environment, drawing attention to the dynamic negotiation of musical community as varied music spaces and identities are brought into ongoing relationship' (51). In the end he posits that St Aldates is a cosmopolitan musical community and that 'the course of this research has demonstrated the presence both of reflective and creative engagement on the part of a great many individuals and a degree of institutional stability and inertia.' (155).

The book is rounded out by appendices of the morning service repertoire list as of January 2012 and the worship team agreement 2013-14, as well as an extensive bibliography, and index. It is interesting to reflect that my visit to St Aldates during a two-week stay at Christ Church College across the street in the summer of 2013 may have overlapped with Porter's interviews.