Skip to content
Csbibliography

Annotated Bibliography of Christian Science

Academic and Other Literature

  • Home
  • About
    • About the ABCS Project
    • Support Opportunities (Donate)
    • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Annotations
    • Search Information
    • Category Search
    • Keyword Search
    • Advanced Search
    • Standard Search
    • Authors/Editor List
    • Title List
    • Recently Added
    • Search Support
  • Resources
    • The Book
    • Online Resources
    • ABCS Blog
    • Suggest Resources
  • Contact
Annotation Resource

“The Role of Singing in the Christian Science Church: The Forming of a Tradition”

“The Role of Singing in the Christian Science Church: The Forming of a Tradition”

Robertson, Patricia L. “The Role of Singing in the Christian Science Church: The Forming of a Tradition.” PhD Dissertation, New York University, 1996.

Robertson’s dissertation includes a comprehensive historical survey of music in the Christian Science faith. She explains the invaluable role music played as a spiritual foundation to Mary Baker Eddy’s life as well as her 19th-century discovery of Christian Science. Following a brief history of religion in America, Robertson sets the Christian Science Church in the context of New England theological thought and praxis, demonstrating how at first it incorporated already existing music (Henry Ward Beecher’s “The Plymouth Collection,” German and English Masters, folk and choral music). The mid-to-late 19th-century American music style appealed to the Christian Science self-expression: the building of grand concert halls and churches and the rise of theatrical vocal performances in Christian church services employing professional vocal quartets and opera singers. However, the subsequent move away from this period of exhibitionism in the Christian Science church through the influence of German Lieder and French Art Song left the greatest impact on Christian Science solo music, glorifying God, not the singer. The Christian Science Church began to create its own music to suit its own particular needs and created its own new tradition. Robertson also reviews the 1932 revision of the Christian Science hymnal, including Eddy’s poems set as hymns and an emphasis on hymns that were joyful to sing and brought healing. [Editors’ note: Subsequent to Robertson’s dissertation, a Christian Science Hymnal with 173 additional hymns was published in 2017.]

Access via WorldCat.

 

 

Robertson, Patricia L.

Related Annotations:

Annotations related by category:
  • Availability: Online - Academic Credentials or Fee
  • Official Christian Science Publication: No
  • People: Eddy, Mary Baker
  • Publication Date: 1981-2000
  • Resource Types: Dissertations and Theses
  • Subjects: Church Growth and Change
  • Subjects: Church Practices
  • Subjects: Social and Cultural Studies
Annotations related by keyword:
  • Music
  • Protestantism
More by authors or editor(s):
  • Robertson, Patricia L.

Comment on this resource: Cancel

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Search Home

Search application instructions and overview.

Search Support

Questions? We've got answers.

Category Search

Select subject, person, organization and/or controversy to provide a subset of annotation results. The results page includes the ability to further limit your search.

Keyword Search

Select one or more specific keywords to provide a subset of annotation results. The results page includes the ability to further limit your search.

Advanced Search

Select from all search options to obtain very specific results.

Standard Search

Might yield a mix of relevant and irrelevant results, but could be very helpful if you are looking for a specific term not included in any of the other types of searches.

Annotations by Author
Annotations by Title
Most Recent

View the 30 most recently added annotations.

New Since the Book

View new annotations available here that were not included in the book.

Suggest a Resource
Donate via PayPal

Scholarly Works on Christian Science is the nonprofit corporation that produces the ABCS website. We rely on donations to keep the bibliography updated and available to the public. If you find this site useful we hope you'll consider donating to support the work. Donate via PayPal by clicking the button above or send a check to:

Scholarly Works on Christian Science
420 Conway Meadows Drive
St. Louis, MO 63017

© 2022 and later by Scholarly Works on Christian Science, all rights reserved.

Privacy Policy is here. Cookie Policy is here. Comment Policy is here.

This material was printed from the Annotated Bibliography of Christian Science website produced and maintained by Scholarly Works on Christian Science (https://csbibliography.org). All rights reserved.