“Ethnodoxology.” The International Council of Ethnodoxologists defines it as “peoples + praise,” elaborating that it is “the development of culturally appropriate Christian worship, utilizing insights from ethnomusicology, missiology, worship studies and the arts.”  Missionaries, worship leaders, Christians from all walks of life can learn how to “love people better” by considering how we can spread the gospel in such a way that peoples from “all tribes and tongues” can worship in culturally appropriate and relevant ways.
The old model of teaching people to sing western hymns and praise choruses in their native tongues is giving way to a model of contextualization and cultural redemption. Sojourn worship leader/ songwriter Rebecca Dennison recently took a summer workshop course in ethnodoxology through Professor Stam’s Institute for Christian Worship at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville. This area of study has been Rebecca’s passion for several years.
I caught up with her recently to discuss these and other topics in a short audio interview:
What did you learn about ethnodoxology?
Why should worship leaders study it? Is it something even Christians in general should know about, or just missionaries?
What are some of the most important things you learned?Â
Click on the audio player below to hear our short discussion or download it for free through our podcast, Sojournmusic.com Radio, available through iTunes and other podcast directories.
Fantastic podcast! At first the word ethnodoxology freaked me out a bit, but after hear what its all about I am jazzed. I really like the concept of helping cultures to develop their own unique worship styles.
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