Ragnhild Strauman: The Church Musician's role in Christian education in the Church of Norway

Field of study: Music Education

Summary

By implementing the new reform (since 2003) on Christian education, the position of Church musicians, his/her colleagues and the way of thinking about children's experiences and development through music is challenged.

This study is based on the Faith Education Reform, commenced by the Norwegian Parliament in 2003. The education centre for the Church of Norway in the north (KUN/VID Tromsø) was awarded research funding from the General Synod of the Church of Norway in order to study hymn singing as a part of the Christian education. This research expanded into a doctoral study at the Norwegian Academy of Music, resulting in this thesis: Singing Hymns and Songs in the Christian Education Within the Church of Norway: Music Educational Activity in a Non-formal, Religious Educational Context.

The title refers both to the content and to the field of research to which the study relates; it actualizes the use of hymns and songs in a faith education perspective, placed as music pedagogical research in a limited ecclesiastical, religious pedagogical context. In Norway, this is a virtually unexplored field which deserves greater attention. The purpose of the study was firstly to find out which hymns and songs are sung in connection with activities for children and young people in the Church of Norway, secondly to investigate how church musicians and parish educators reflected on their choices and their role in faith education.

Title (translated from Norwegian): Singing Hymns and Songs in the Christian Education Within the Church of Norway: Music Educational Activity in an Non-formal, Religious Educational Context

The dissertation comprises three articles and an introduction. It is available in NMH's digital archive.

The dissertation language is Norwegian.