This thesis examines the \(influence\) of music on the development of the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee). The dissertation is historically driven, but relies upon an interdisciplinary approach to draw on the insights of ecclesiology, theology, liturgiology, church development, and music. This thesis utilizes a chronological and systematic approach to the relationship between music and the Church of God in the United States during the first 125 years of the denomination’s history, from 1886 – 2011. The study focuses upon eight major themes: historical roots, education, publishing, evangelism, transition, nurturing, liturgiology, and worship, to show that music had a widespread influence on the development of the denomination. The musical underpinnings for these broad themes include: Spirited-singing and exuberant worship; traveling music groups for the purpose of promotion; the shaped-note tradition; technological advancements; the amalgamation of both music and the youth of the Church of God; the establishment of a leadership structure for music; the music styles used in the Church of God; and finally highlighting worship as a lifestyle. For over a century music has been an often-neglected dialogue partner at the table of academic discussion and literature, and this thesis argues for recognition and a proper place in Pentecostal history.

In many churches, congregational singing is a central component of corporate worship. The sung hymns encapsulate the congregation’s theological beliefs, reflect their historical heritage and underscore the musical biases of the congregation. This writer contends that because hymns are so essential to congregations, there is a correlation between a congregation’s hymnody and its identity, which is typically measured by factors such as its rituals, history, leadership and location. However, one variable that deserves greater attention is that of the role of congregational hymnody. Consequently, the aim of this study is to explore how congregational hymnody is a source of congregational identity. To achieve this, this writer applied a case study methodology to multiple sites. The first is historical and examines the 18th Century Fetter Lane Moravian congregation. The second is an ethnographic study of the St. Thomas Assemblies of God Pentecostal congregation. The third is a textual analysis of the sole Caribbean ecumenical hymnal ever published. Through this study, I advance the notion that as congregations sing hymns they are engaging in a unique activity (\(hymnic\) \(performativity\)) in which as they make music through hymn singing, the music is also at work shaping and forming the congregations’ communal identity.