This dissertation falls in line with work produced during the past fifteen years or so, aimed at improving our appreciation of late medieval/early Tudor English Drama. The approach is based especially on looking at the rapport likely to be achieved between audience and players (and via the players, with the playwrights), in actual performance. Attention is given to the permanent modes of human thought, that are unaffected by the ephemeralities of a particular period; attention is therefore drawn to the traps that may mislead the unwary twentieth-century critic, and some new insights are offered into the purposes of the playwrights. Several cycle plays are treated, together with two of the moralities and two interludes. The point is made that these playwrights showed a considerable mastery of the possibilities inherent in drama, as is demonstrated by the provision for achieving rapport with the audience / The reformed churches have theological and musicological criteria for their hymns, which, however, are not always unambiguous. After the introduction of the Jeugsangbundel (1984) an informal song, with informal accompaniment, entered the worship and forms a prominent part of the singing in Dutch Reformed Churches today. Some congregations compile their own volumes of songs. This study set out to identify these congregations by means of a questionnaire and evaluate the songs. Other relevant information was also required from congregations. 21 % of the respondent congregations sing unapproved songs. They have a larger percentage of young people than those singing official songs. Congregations prefer a balance of formal and informal hymns and both are sung with equal enthusiasm. The melody is the strongest characteristic of the informal song and edification the strongest of the formal hymn. The evaluation, however, shows that a considerable number of songs do not meet the required standard / Art History, Visual Arts and Musicology / M.A. (Musicology)

Text in German with summaries in German and English / Die Masterarbeit untersucht die 20 meist gespielten Hillsong-Lieder aus dem Jahre 2016 in Deutschland. Untersuchte Aspekte sind die Hauptthemen der Liedtexte, die Sänger- / Adressat-Perspektive, die Einordnung in das gesamtbiblische Narrativ sowie die Funktionen der Lieder innerhalb des Gottesdienstes. Anhand dieser Aspekte wird der Kritik, die an die Lieder gerichtet wird, begegnet. Kritisiert wird unter anderem die theologische Substanzlosigkeit der Lieder, das verzerrte Gottesbild, fehlende Themen wie Leid, Klage, Soziale Gerechtigkeit oder die Fokussierung auf das Individuum anstatt auf Gott. Die Arbeit weist nach, dass die Kritik an mangelndem Inhalt gerechtfertigt ist. Die Lieder kommunizieren darüber hinaus ein einseitiges Gottesbild, das Jesus im Fokus hat. Es wird dargestellt, dass die Themen Leid, Klage und Soziale Gerechtigkeit unterrepräsentiert sind. Auf der grammatikalischen Ebene weisen die Lieder einen starken Fokus auf das Individuum auf. Durch die Untersuchung der Funktionen wird jedoch gezeigt, dass die meisten Lieder trotz einer Ich-Perspektive stark gemeinschaftsstiftend sind. Das liegt vor allem an der koinonialen Funktionen sowie der Kombinationen von diakonischer und seelsorgerlicher Funktion mancher Lieder. Neben diesen Funktionen übernehmen die Lieder oft noch die kerygmatische, missionarische und pädagogische Funktion. / The master thesis examines the 20 most played Hillsong songs from 2016 in Germany. Aspects examined are the main themes of the lyrics, the singer-/ addressee perspective, the classification into the biblical narrative as well as the functions of the songs within the worship service. Based on these aspects, the criticism directed at the songs is met. Criticized are, among other things, the theological lack of substance of the songs, the distorted image of God, missing topics like suffering, lamentation, social justice or the focus on the individual instead of God. The work proves that the criticism of lack of content is justified. In addition, the songs communicate a one-sided image of God that strongly focuses on Jesus as an addressee. It shows that the issues of suffering, lamentation and social justice are underrepresented. On the grammatical level, the songs have a strong focus on the individual. Examining the functions, however, shows that most of the songs, despite a first-person perspective, are strongly community-building. This is mainly due to the koinonial function and the combinations of diaconal and pastoral function of some songs. In addition to these functions, the songs often take on the kerygmatic, missionary and pedagogical function / Practical Theology / M. Th. (Practical Theology)

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