The Contemporary Worship Music of American Megachurch Youth Groups: An Intersection of the Sacred and Secular Public

Abstract

Abstract
The Contemporary Worship Music of American Megachurch Youth Groups: An Intersection of
the Sacred and Secular
By Gina Florio
The particular genre of contempoarary worship music in American non-denominational
megachurch youth groups is influenced by the culture of American pop-rock music and the
culture of love in America. My project analyzes the similarities between this form of worship
music and these two cultures that exist in American society. By applying content and lyrical
analysis, and the Geertzian ethnographic method, this thesis provides insight into this new
phenomenon that serves as an example of an intersection of the sacred and secular within a
religious institution. I analyzed literature that surveys the performance behaviors of American
pop-rock artists and studies; I also analyzed research studies that survey the culture of love in
America. In addition, I collected data from my direct observations and personal interviews at
InsideOut to compare to my content analyses. This paper accomplished two things: first, it
reveals the struggles and theological changes in the megachurch community; second, it proves
that the modern discourse of religion and the sacred being clearly demarcated from the secular
sphere of society is not applicable to new forms of religious life like this one.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents
Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………..1
Theoretical Framework…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..2
Methodology………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….3

Foundation………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………9
Sacred and Secular…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………9
Sacred and Secular Music ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………11
Megachurches……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..12

The Evolution of American Protestant Worship Music……………………………………………………………………….....15

Analysis of the Performance of InsideOut's Worship Music…………………………………………………………………..18

Lyrical Analysis of InsideOut's Worship Songs………………………………………………………………………………………..30

Conclusion…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….39

Appendix A…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….43

References…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….44

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	Religion
Degree	BA
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	Music Religion, General
Mot-clé	religion music
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Laderman, Gary, Emory University
Committee Members	Patterson, Bobbi (Barbara), Emory University Andrews, Dwight D, Emory University

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