Umberto Eco states that the list is the origin of culture, a way of making infinity comprehensible. Lists and catalogues are a way of creating order though history. I am currently, as a composer, working on a piece for choir using a list of angels as its text. Lists of angels deal with infinity, the list as such converges the three different monotheistic religions under the same roof. In my research I have tried to create a short overview of the history of lists in music, along with the musical presentation of angels in music - a subject that has fascinated many composers. Composers of last century such as Arnold Schoenberg, Oliver Messiaen and Karlheinz Stockhausen, to mention just a few, dealt with the representation of the angelic and divine in their music. Their different religious backgrounds suggested different strategies in their works dealing with angelic subjects.

薛藝兵. / 論文(哲學博士)--香港中文大學, 2002. / 參考文獻 (p. 261-272). / 中英文摘要. / Electronic reproduction. Hong Kong : Chinese University of Hong Kong, [2012] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Electronic reproduction. Ann Arbor, MI : ProQuest Information and Learning Company, [200-] System requirements: Adobe Acrobat Reader. Available via World Wide Web. / Mode of access: World Wide Web. / Xue Yibing. / Zhong Ying wen zhai yao. / Lun wen (zhe xue bo shi)--Xianggang Zhong wen da xue, 2002. / Can kao wen xian (p. 261-272).

Poon Ching Hang, Amos. / Thesis (M.Div.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2011. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 47-48). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Abstract --- p.ii / Acknowledgement --- p.V / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Background of St. John Passion --- p.3 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- The Analytical Methodology --- p.6 / Historical Perspective --- p.6 / Structural Aspect --- p.11 / Musical Perspective --- p.13 / Textual Aspect --- p.15 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- The Possible Messages in St. Tohn Passion --- p.25 / Discipleship --- p.25 / Christus Victor --- p.35 / Luther's Theology of the Cross --- p.41 / Summary --- p.44 / Chapter Chapter 5: --- Conlcusion --- p.45 / Bibliography --- p.47 / Chapter Appendix A: --- Movements in St. John Passion --- p.49 / Chapter Appendix B: --- Comparison of the Variations among different Versions of Bach's St. John Passion --- p.55 / Chapter Appendix C: --- Librettos of St. John Passion and the Comparison with Biblical Text from the Luther Bible --- p.57

Both the counterculture and its music will be examined using the concepts of heteronomy, autonomy, and theonomy and their dialectical relationship according to Paul Tillich's theory of religion and culture. The main themes beneath the emergence of the counterculture will be outlined, and the ways in which the dominant culture of the time may be considered what Tillich describes as a heteronomous phenomenon will be presented. The historical significance of the counterculture will then be demonstrated in terms of Tillich's concept of kairos. Through examination of the lyrics of some of the most popular songs between 1965 and 1970, the years during which the movement was at its height, the ways in which the counterculture may be seen as autonomous protest will be discussed. This will be followed by an examination of theonomous elements apparent in the song lyrics and an evaluation of the movement in terms of the Tillichian dialectic.

I am writing a feminist theology of music. Feminist musicologists, by studying music's relation to human sexuality (a connection which theologians have neglected, suppressed, or simply ignored), contend that music has always functioned as a metaphor for sexual relations. As such, music constitutes a site where personal and social formation is negotiated and contested. Via repertoires of musical conventions, much like those in film and literature, composers arouse, manipulate, and channel our desires, thereby reinforcing (and sometimes transgressing) cultural norms of sexuality and gender construction. Their compositions become "fabrications of sexuality." (McClary) / Historically, theologians and church authorities vilified music's preeminent worth as an erotic medium, promoting instead its exemplary embodiment of ontic harmony and order. To do so, they clothed their polemic against "illicit" musical practices with the rhetoric of effeminacy, thus veiling male ambivalence toward women and the body in a politics of transcendence. After a critique of these masculinist models, and an exposition of music as a gendered, en-gendering discourse, I will redefine music theologically as abject, fleshly imitatio. To construct a feminist musico-theological model, I shall synthesise a lost trope from the tradition with insights which I have gained from the musical activities of four women musician-composers: Hildegard of Bingen, Bolognese nun Lucrezia Vizzani (and her consoeurs), Sister Rosetta Tharpe, and Diamanda Galas. Through this recuperative synthesis, music's theological significance will shift from its incarnation of harmony and order---divine, cosmic, or human to its ineradicable promiscuity, its dis-integrative powers. / My original contribution to the field is fourfold: (1) I document the rhetoric of effeminacy and virility which has influenced and shaped traditional theologies of music, and thereby undermine the latter's privileged status as musico-theological resources; (2) I portray the music of the above women composers as musical imitations of Christ; (3) I enrich revisionist accounts of women in the Christian tradition by giving greater prominence to women's musical activity, the latter previously neglected in, for example, theological studies of mediaeval women, this despite music's centrality to their daily lives; (4) I initiate mutually enriching dialogue between feminist musicology and theology. To date, a feminist theology of music has not been written.

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Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2004. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The purpose of this study is to identify didactic strategies for the use of lyrics in children's religious education. This is done to enhance and facilitate children's spiritual growth by means of singing lyrics. The study pays particular attention to the recognition of the role of lyrics in Christian religious education as a maturing agent. Lyrics help to provide children with the opportunity to communicate with God by revealing God's characteristics through theoretical and doctrinal content in an artistic form. Lyrics enrich children's religious development by helping them to express their joy and praise of God. Lyrics can also help children to experience a special quality of fellowship when they sing together. Lyrics ease the stiffness which can occur during the process of education. The survey of lyrics in Christian history also reveals that lyrics played an essential role in the lives of Christians throughout history. Lyrics have been used for worship, education, evangelisation and fellowship. Lyrics have functioned as a medium in which people have conversations with God and worship Him. They have also been a delightful source through which people learn about God through joyful experiences. Lyrics have helped Christians to establish true fellowship in their faith by singing together. The study reveals, however, that lyrics today do not seem to be effective in supporting people, including children, in their encounters with God. As much as lyrics can help children, they can also be obstacles to children's spiritual growth because of their inappropriate contents or improper ways of presentation. Children might misunderstand religious concepts by acquiring "unfamiliar" doctrine from lyrics. It seems that children can also develop inappropriate ideas and attitudes about worshipping under the influence of self-oriented or fun-seeking styles of lyrics. This potential of lyrics to influence children either positively or negatively is often overlooked. The question that may be raised is: what should be done to facilitate the lyric's maturing role and to keep it from being a hindrance in children's religious education? This study attempts to identify systematic and scientific didactic approaches of teaching lyrics as a way of heightening the positive role of lyrics in children's spiritual growth. For the identification of didactic strategies which are best suited for children's spiritual growth, the study presents approaches in which systems of coherent ideas, findings, activities and views concerning instruction and learning are performed. The didactic strategies are illustrated in three main phases, i.e. introductory, executive and assessment phases. Essential characteristics of the instruction-learning phenomenon in all its facets are absorbed into the theory as an overall guide for every teaching situation. The study makes an effort to apply these didactic strategies to the practical situation of teaching lyrics. Korean children are chosen as the subjects for the teaching oflyrics and their religious development is empirically investigated as the basic research on the understanding of the learner in the didactic situation. The application of the general approaches to the definite and specific situation of teaching Korean children is explained. Didactic approaches are redesigned, taking the specific didactic situation of Korea, including Korean children's specific religious characteristics, into consideration. These programmes can be effectively applied to other didactic situations, keeping them flexible in the light of the uniqueness of each lesson. The ultimate aim of this study - the recognition of systematically organised didactic strategies and exemplification of their practical application to the detailed situation of teaching lyrics - is to maximise the effectiveness of lyrics for children's spiritual goodness, particularly in enriching children's religious knowledge and experience. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die doel van hierdie studie is om didaktiese strategieë te identifiseer vir die gebruik van lirieke in kinders se religieuse opvoeding. Dit word gedoen om leerders se sprituele groei deur middel van die sing van liedjies te fasiliteer. Die studie fokus in die besonder op die herkenning van die rol wat lirieke, in hoofsaaklik Christelike religieuse onderrig, in die proses van volwassewording speel. Lirieke verskaf aan kinders die geleentheid om met God te kommunikeer deurdat God se eienskappe deur middel van teoretiese en dogmatiese inhoud as 'n vorm van kuns openbaar word. Lirieke verryk kinders se religieuse ontwikkeling deurdat dit hulle help om hul blydskap en eer vir God uit te druk. Lirieke kan kinders ook help om 'n besondere kwaliteit van gemeenskap ("fellowship") te ervaar wanneer hulle saam sing. Deur die gebruik van lirieke kan die stramheid wat dikwels met die opvoedingsproses gepaard gaan, in 'n groot mate verlig word. Die opname wat van lirieke in die Christelike geskiedenis gedoen is toon aan dat lirieke dwarsdeur die geskiedenis 'n baie belangrike rol gespeel het in die lewens van Christene. Lirieke is deur die eeue gebruik vir aanbidding, opvoeding, evangelisasie en geloofsgemeenskap. Lirieke funksioneer as 'n medium waardeur mense in gesprek tree met God en Hom aanbid. Dit dien ook as 'n bron waardeur mense deur vreugdevolle ervaring van God leer. Lirieke help Christene om ware geloofsgemeenskap deur hul samesang te bewerkstellig. Dit blyk uit die studie dat lirieke vandag nie meer effektief is om mense, insluitende kinders, in hulontmoeting met God te ondersteun nie. Alhoewel lirieke kinders kan help, kan hulle in dieselfde mate struikelblokke wees in kinders se sprituele groei weens onaanvaarbare inhoud of onvanpaste aanbieding. Kinders kan religieuse konsepte misverstaan deurdat hulle met "vreemde" dogmas vanuit lirieke gekonfronteer word. Dit blyk dat kinders ook onaanvaarbare idees en houdings oor aanbidding kan ontwikkel weens die invloed van die selfgeoriënteerde of pretsoekende styl van sommige lirieke. Die potensiaal van lirieke om kinders óf positief óf negatief te beïnvloed word dikwels misgekyk. Die vraag wat ontstaan is: Wat moet gedoen word om die lirieke se rol in die verwerwing van volwassenheid te fasiliteer en te verhoed dat dit 'n hindernis in kinders se religieuse opvoeding word? Hierdie studie poog om sistematiese en wetenskaplik-didaktiese benaderings te identifiseer om die onderrig van lirieke te bevorder ten einde die positiewe rol van lirieke in kinders se spritiuele groei te versterk. Om didaktiese strategieë te identifiseer wat die beste by kinders se spirituele groei pas, bied die studie benaderings aan wat stelsels van samehangende idees, bevindinge, aktiwiteite en sieninge betreffende onderrig en leer behels. Die didaktiese strategieë word in drie hooffases geïllustreer, nl. die inleidende fase, die uitvoerende fase en die assesseringsfase. Essensiële kenmerke van die onderrig-leerverskynsel in alle fasette daarvan is in die teorie opgeneem as 'n allesomvattende riglyn vir elke leersituasie. Die studie poog voorts om hierdie didaktiese strategieë toe te pas in 'n praktiese lirieke-onderrigsituasie. Koreaanse kinders is gekies as proefpersone vir die onderrig van lirieke, en hul religieuse ontwikkeling is empmes ondersoek as die basiese navorsing ten opsigte van die begrip van die leerder in die didaktiese situasie. Die toepassing van die algemene benaderings tot die bepalende en spesifieke situasie van onderrig aan Koreaanse kinders word verduidelik. Didaktiese benaderings word herontwerp met inagneming van die spesifieke didaktiese situasie in Korea. Koreaanse kinders se besondere religieuse karaktertrekke word tegelykertyd in aanmerking geneem. Hierdie plooibare programme kan ook effektief op ander didaktiese situasies toegepas word, wat beteken dat hulle by elke unieke les aangepas kan word. Die uiteindelike doel van hierdie studie - die erkenning van sistematies georganiseerde didaktiese strategieë en die toeligting van hul praktiese aanwending in die onderrig van lirieke - is om die effektiwiteit van lirieke vir kinders se sprituele welsyn te optimaliseer en veralom leerders se religieuse kennis en ervaring te verryk.

Thesis (DTh (Practical Theology and Missiology))--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / This dissertation aims to analyse and evaluate the traditional Malawian Choral music as sung by young people in the Church of Central Africa Presbyterian (CCAP) Nkhoma Synod with careful and critical consideration of the theological–liturgical outcomes. Such an analysis and evaluation reveals the neglected areas and the implications thereof for the Church, in aid of serving effectively her members. This will enrich and advance contextual theology as well as the liturgy in the Church. Chapter 2 discusses the approach the writers of Mark and Philippians took to fit into the new situations in which they were. This chapter functions as the basis for the subsequent chapters, as it tries to show how reinterpretation could have taken place. In so doing, a living expression of a living reality, which was reinterpreted in a particular place, at a particular time, for a particular purpose, will be noted in a reconfigured state. Chapter 3 will give an overview of theological–liturgical development in Malawi, and how the Gospel was brought in the light of the liturgy that evangelization assumed. The aftermath of traditional theology will then be assessed, including the impact of traditional theology on the Malawian people. Subsequently, the possibilities of coming up with a theology and a liturgy that is sensitive to the users are discussed. Chapter 4 examines traditional Malawian Choral music before the arrival of Christianity. A discussion of the way missionaries used English/Scottish music without blending it with the traditional music in the liturgy then follows. The consequence of such type of liturgizing and the initiative in the development of both English/Scottish, as well as traditional Malawian music will be shown. Chapter 5 provides an empirical study on what the young people in Malawi are singing in the CCAP-Nkhoma Synod by means of some sample areas. This includes an examination of possible influences that are compelling the young people to compose and sing these songs. This examination comprises an analysis of songs, the themes that are developing, and the reason for such themes. Chapter 6 contains suggestions for hymnological development in Malawi, based on the findings of the empirical study. This thesis acknowledges the importance of reinterpretation because of different confrontations that an individual or group experiences. To achieve this, a process of reconfiguration that involves re-interpretation and blending has been suggested and discussed. This dissertation will discuss the dialectic of experience and interpretation as regards continuous experiences of humankind due to new challenges. Such an approach provides the framework for the investigation of current experiences of present readers of the New Testament in relation to the first Christians’ experiences, which forced the reshaping of that symbolic world due to new religious convictions and experiences.

This project consists of a theological exploration of unity, both divine and created, through an engagement with the writings of the composer Arnold Schoenberg (1874- 1951). It proceeds by examining Schoenberg'€˜s philosophy of unity as embodied in his compositional theory and practice, and brings to light his explicit and implicit metaphysical commitments through the lens of Arthur Schopenhauer's philosophy. A critique is offered that utilizes a vibrant tradition of contemporary trinitarian theology, drawing, in particular, upon the work of Colin Gunton. This theological critique employs 'musical space'€˜ to assist in 'sounding out€' and articulating a trinitarian and perichoretic model of unity. Thus, this thesis shows not only how theology can benefit the philosophy of music, but also how the philosophy of music can enrich and augment theological discourse. Part I examines unity from the perspective of 'particularity'˜. This inquiry traces Schoenberg's investigations into the material of music, from which he draws two conclusions: that conflict is essential to the musical material, and that the distinction between consonance and dissonance is illusory. Through adopting these assumptions into his philosophy of unity, Schoenberg unwittingly develops a theory of the many that undermines the value and integrity of material particulars. In response, this project counters with a trinitarian theology that upholds the integrity of particulars through a mutually constitutive understanding of particulars-in-relation. Part II examines unity from the perspective of 'the whole'€˜. This investigation focuses upon Schoenberg'€˜s structural principles of coherence, from which he makes three claims: that 'the whole'€˜ ('the musical idea') is distinct from the composition, that the essence of the musical idea must be expressed in every individual part within the whole, and that the primary goal of the composer is to express the musical idea. Schoenberg'€˜s construction of unity is, therefore, dependent upon privileging the one over the particular. Thus, Schoenberg'€˜s theory and practice lack the sort of unity in which the concepts of oneness and particularity are related adequately. This project proposes that a proper understanding of unity can arise only from a triune conception of being that holds oneness and particularity inseparably together: not as mutually exclusive, but as mutually constitutive.