Duke Divinity Professor Will Speak on Contemporary Worship in Annual Lecture

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Media contact: Terry Goodrich, (254) 710-3321

WACO, Texas (April 7, 2017) – Contemporary worship music expert Lester Ruth, Ph.D., will present the 31st annual Northcutt Lecture at 4 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, in the McLean Foyer of Meditation in Armstrong Browning Library, 710 Speight Ave.

Ruth will lecture on “When the Music Fades: The Many Facets of Contemporary Worship’s Historical Development.”

“The purpose of the Northcutt Lecture is to allow students and others the opportunity to hear from significant contemporary thinkers in the study of worship and church music,” said David Music, professor of church music in the School of Music. “The lecture has long featured the leading authors and scholars in church music, a veritable ‘who’s who’ in church music study.”

Ruth is a research professor of Christian worship at Duke Divinity School. He is the author of articles that have appeared in publications such as Studia Liturgica, Worship, Methodist History, and Liturgy, as well as Worship Leader Magazine and Reformed Worship. Ruth also has authored or co-authored seven books, including Worshiping with the Anaheim Vineyard: The Emergence of Contemporary Worship and Lovin’ On Jesus: A Concise History of Contemporary Worship.

“Worship has become a much discussed topic in recent years, but there is still a great deal of confusion about what actually constitutes ‘worship,’” Music said. “Some assume that worship is whatever happens on Sunday morning at 11:00, while others equate music with worship. Worship is both broader and narrower than just Sunday morning or a particular style of music. The perspective of a scholar such as Dr. Ruth will be invaluable in helping clarify the roles of music and other elements of worship.”

The Northcutt Lecture is free and open to the public.

“Our hope is that attendees will come away from the lecture with a greater understanding of and appreciation for the roots of contemporary worship that will help them integrate this with other worship styles and types, ultimately leading to richer and fuller worship on the part of all concerned,” Music said.

by Kalli Damschen, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805

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