Worship in a symbological world: enhancing Christian worship in an electronic culture

Vincent A Gappa

Etd

Worship in a symbological world: enhancing Christian worship in an electronic culture

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MLA citation style (9th ed.)

Vincent A Gappa. Worship In a Symbological World: Enhancing Christian Worship In an Electronic Culture. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/319809aa-bbb9-46ab-ad3d-4958922e1cd5.

APA citation style (7th ed.)

V. A. Gappa. Worship in a symbological world: enhancing Christian worship in an electronic culture. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/319809aa-bbb9-46ab-ad3d-4958922e1cd5

Chicago citation style (CMOS 17, author-date)

Vincent A Gappa. Worship In a Symbological World: Enhancing Christian Worship In an Electronic Culture. Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. https://rim.ir.atla.com/concern/etds/319809aa-bbb9-46ab-ad3d-4958922e1cd5.

Note: These citations are programmatically generated and may be incomplete.

Creator

Vincent A Gappa

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Abstract

The emergence of new electronic technology combined with an accelerated rate of societal change has given birth to a new consciousness characterized by the primacy of visual image, symbology, and a new understanding of the human self. This new consciousness has affected the Christian church, specifically the ministry of worship. This project used contemporary multimedia tools in the worship environment of First Wesleyan Church in Greenville, South Carolina for two primary purposes: the unification of the worship experience, and the relevant engagement of electronic culture through worship. The author used an 'experimental' model of research. After surveying the congregation he developed several ongoing experiments designed to discover how electronic technology impacts the theology and practice of Christian worship in a Wesleyan context. Based on these experiments, the author discovered that thoughtful usage of certain multimedia tools enhanced the worship experience of the majority of individual worshipers in the congregation. Moreover, the author found that what he calls True Multimedia involves an integration of tool and content in a way that offers a new dimension in worship experience. When video, audio, and computer data are combined with the elements of worship - music, prayer, and proclamation - they form a multimedia which conveys a fresh substance. That substance develops when church leaders grasp a clear biblical theology of worship as foundational to the thoughtful use of electronic technology.

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