T. David Gordon: Why Johnny Can't Sing Hymns: How Pop Culture Rewrote the Hymnal

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MP3 Available Here

T. David Gordon, Professor of Religion & Greek at Grove City College, Grove City, PA, will address the theme of his new book: " Why Johnny Can't Sing Hymns: How Pop Culture Rewrote the Hymnal" (see http://www.prpbooks.com/inventory.html?target=indiv_title&id=2022).

Changes in music have affected the way we think, the way we worship—even the way we are able to worship. We are steeped in a culture of pop music that makes other genres seem strangely foreign and unhelpful. Worship has become a conflict area, rather than a source of unity.

T. David Gordon looks at these changes in worship and not only examines the problems, but also provides solutions. They are solutions of great importance to us all—because how we sing affects how we live. Dr. Gordon not only shows the problems, he also provides solutions - it's important, because how we sing affects how we live.

Table of Contents: PDF

Sample Chapters: PDF

"Dr. Gordon is at it again, bringing reformed theology and media ecology to bear on one of the thorniest issues in the church today—worship song. Witty, persuasive, and gracious, he challenges the conventional wisdom in the midst of the so-called ‘worship wars,’ asking for a serious inquiry into the nature of worship song and the media appropriate to it. He convinces us that if we are to worship with reverence and awe we must not unthinkingly accept the message of popular music."

–Gregory E. Reynolds, Author of The Word Is Worth a Thousand Pictures: Preaching in the Electronic Age

Dr. Gordon is also the author of Why Johnny Can't Preach: The Media Have Shaped the Messengers (see http://www.prpbooks.com/inventory.html?target=indiv_title&id=1713). You can hear his "Iron Sharpens Iron" interview on that book here: http://sharpens.blogspot.com/2009/05/t-david-gordon-why-johnny-cant-preach.html.

Dr. Gordon has been Professor of Religion and Greek at Grove City College since 1999, where he has taught courses in Religion, Greek, Humanities, and Media Ecology. Prior to that, he taught New Testament (primarily Pauline studies) for thirteen years at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in S. Hamilton, MA; and for nine years he was pastor of Christ Presbyterian Church in Nashua, NH.

Dr. Gordon contributed to a number of books and study Bibles (his notes on John’s gospel appear in the New Geneva Study Bible and the Reformation Study Bible), and has published scholarly reviews and articles in journals such as New Testament Studies, The Westminster Theological Journal, Interpretation, and Journal for the Evangelical Theological Society. My popular articles have appeared in periodicals such as Modern Reformation, Tabletalk, Decision, and Lay Leadership.

Dr. Gordon graduated from Roanoke College (B.L.A.), Westminster Theological Seminary (M.A.R., Th.M), and Union Theological Seminary in Virginia (Ph.D.). He lives in Grove City, PA, with his wife Dianne. They have two daughters, Grace (married) and Dabney (a student at the college). He is ordained in the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). He and his family attend Grace Anglican Church in Slippery Rock, PA.

Cohosting tonight's broadcast are Pastor Jim Capo of the Massapequa Church of God, Massapequa, Long Island, NY (see http://www.merchantcircle.com/business/Massapequa.Church.of.Gad.516-799-2421) and Pastor Al Stein of the Neighborhood Assembly of God, Bellmore, Long Island, NY (see http://www.bellmoreag.org/).