Celebrating the Music of Appalachia in the Episcopal Church and Anglican Tradition: Mission, Evangelism, and Renewal
Title
Celebrating the Music of Appalachia in the Episcopal Church and Anglican Tradition: Mission, Evangelism, and Renewal
Description
"Traditional music of Christian faithful in Southern Appalachia offers hope and richness, greater community, and life for Episcopal churches throughout the region and beyond. As St. Thomas’ Christmas Eve celebration in 2017 revealed, musicians whose music is drawn from the Christian traditions in Appalachia offer Episcopal/Anglican parishes opportunities for renewal of spirit, faith, and community. The music traditions of Appalachia are many. Broadly, recognizing that diversity, what we might call “Appalachian gospel” offers musical settings, lyrics, instruments, and voices that make sense of Christian faith in the lived experience of the people. This is what is valuable for St. Thomas and other mainline, Protestant congregations to know and celebrate. The formal English of The Book of Common Prayer and the musical texts and settings in English tradition are sometimes experienced as remote, even aloof from language of prayer and religious experience. St. Thomas and other such congregations, importantly, have and need members from across cultures that reflect, understand, and care for the communities of which they are a part, sharing their ideas, experience, spirit, and music."
"The literature and music of Appalachia abound. Great schools, centers of learning, study, and practice of Appalachian old-music (ballads, tunes, and melodies), Bluegrass, and country, are celebrated throughout the region, nationally, and internationally in the twenty-first century. Both the literature and music of Appalachia are honored, respected, and the music especially, cherished and celebrated. Bluegrass itself has become a prominent genre of music worldwide. History, story, a sense of place, honor, joy, and great pride and celebration bless young and old, traditional and not, throughout Appalachia and well beyond. What I have come to call, “Liturgical Bluegrass” is an example of great opportunity and spiritual blessing. Might there be a dawning in St. Thomas’ and the Episcopal Church’s tradition of what at least a few related to this study have followed in calling, “Liturgical Bluegrass?” This thesis describes and proposes just such a thing." -- Thesis Description and Reason , pp. 7-9.
"The literature and music of Appalachia abound. Great schools, centers of learning, study, and practice of Appalachian old-music (ballads, tunes, and melodies), Bluegrass, and country, are celebrated throughout the region, nationally, and internationally in the twenty-first century. Both the literature and music of Appalachia are honored, respected, and the music especially, cherished and celebrated. Bluegrass itself has become a prominent genre of music worldwide. History, story, a sense of place, honor, joy, and great pride and celebration bless young and old, traditional and not, throughout Appalachia and well beyond. What I have come to call, “Liturgical Bluegrass” is an example of great opportunity and spiritual blessing. Might there be a dawning in St. Thomas’ and the Episcopal Church’s tradition of what at least a few related to this study have followed in calling, “Liturgical Bluegrass?” This thesis describes and proposes just such a thing." -- Thesis Description and Reason , pp. 7-9.
Creator
Holder, Timothy Scott
Publisher
Virginia Theological Seminary
Date
April 2021
Rights
Copyright © 2021 by Timothy Scott Holder
All rights reserved
All rights reserved
Files
- Date Added
- May 18, 2021
- Collection
- VTS Doctoral Theses
- Citation
- Holder, Timothy Scott, “Celebrating the Music of Appalachia in the Episcopal Church and Anglican Tradition: Mission, Evangelism, and Renewal,” Bishop Payne Library at Virginia Theological Seminary, accessed April 25, 2024, https://vtsbpl.omeka.net/items/show/104.