The service for the Lord's day

UNCG Author/Contributor (non-UNCG co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Roberta Hatcher Graves (Creator)
Institution
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG )
Web Site: http://library.uncg.edu/
Advisor
Lois Andreasen

Abstract: It is a paradox that dance and worship have been so infrequently linked in Protestant tradition, because at one time they were fused in one vital entity. To the choreographer, the relationship still has inherent meaning, and "The Service for the Lord's Day" was an expression of that feeling. Dancing is a natural human activity and instinctively can be a form of worship, as is evident in many cultures. However, the European Christians, forefathers of American Anglo-Saxon Protestants, attempted to discard dance over the centuries. That process impoverished worship, and today some Christians are interested in renewing the use of religious dance. According to Myron Nadel, religion and dance possess five characteristics in common which may facilitate the use of dance in worship. These characteristics are self-discipline, awareness of human imperfection, appreciation of beauty, use of rituals, and regular group activity. Dance in worship offers dancers the opportunity to give of themselves and to learn about themselves and their faith. The viewing congregation may identify with what is being expressed through seeing and hearing, and through a kinesthetic response. With a renewed understanding of dance's value in expression, communication, and human development, religious organizations today have begun to view the dance in a new, deeply spiritual way.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
Language: English
Date: 1977

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