Subject Area

Religion, Music, Theology/Religious Education

Abstract

The majority of Methodist churches continue to uphold the legacy of hymn singing, a practice highly esteemed by early Methodists. John and Charles Wesley employed hymns alongside sermons as a means of teaching Methodist theology, shaping Christian discipleship, and forming Methodist identity. However, in contemporary times, Indonesian Methodist churches recite fewer doctrinal hymns. Inadequate early translations, the absence of authentically Indonesian Methodist hymns, and the emergence of contemporary Christian music have contributed to this decline. Changes in liturgy, worship culture, and technology have also transformed the way congregations learn and sing their faith. This study explores the historical and theological significance of Methodist hymns and posits the need for the need to update their translations and musical styles in order to preserve their theological depth while ensuring their relevance to modern worship. It proposes a movement from retranslation to reinvention, showing how inherited Methodist hymns may be recovered, renewed, and reintroduced within Indonesian Methodist churches. By engaging selected Methodist hymns and original Indonesian Methodist compositions, this study seeks to strengthen Methodist identity, encourage theological formation through congregational singing, and offer practical strategies for adapting Methodist hymnody for local and broader contemporary use.

Degree Date

Summer 8-7-2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

D.P.M.

Department

Pastoral Music

Advisor

Dr. C. Michael Hawn

Second Advisor

Dr. Rebekah Miles

Third Advisor

Dr. Rahel Sermon Harapani Daulay

Number of Pages

224

Format

.pdf

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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