“The Blessing” as Prophetic Declaration and Communal Prayer: A Pentecostal Lyrical Analysis of the Contemporary Congregational Song

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Thank you for submitting this article on the sung theology of The Blessing in conversation with pentecostal theology.

While the topic was interesting, this article unfortunately does not add much to this subfield of scholarship, aside from saying that The Blessing reflects some specific themes of sung pentecostal theology. While the dialogue with literature is helpful (there was some excellent source work), focusing on this one song is not a compelling enough of a scholarly contribution. Put differently, it does not move any existing conversations forward.

There are many good thoughts in here that could be separate papers:

-repetition in lyrics as emblematic of pentecostal singing

-the "themes of grace: salvific, sanctifying, sustaining" would be an excellent topic for a paper, but you would need analysis of multiple songs for this to have more academic import.

-"prophetic speech" in pentecostal congregational song

-divine protection in pentecostal congregational song

Methodologically, this paper could have been strengthened by a stronger data sample (i.e. multiple songs). Alternatively, it could have been enriched by examining the embodied performance of this song (almost like an online ethnography).

Unfounded claims: There were many instances of "reading into the text" perhaps too much. 

Line 356-37: "Its performative repetition in “The Blessing” fosters spiritual resonance among worshippers, reinforcing shared belief and corporate encouragement." - How is this provable in any way? If you're focusing on lyrics, stick to lyrics.

Lines 305-207: "The salvific grace embedded in this blessing transcends mere words, becoming a proclamation that unites the worshiping body in a deep recognition of God’s redemptive work." - again, how?

Lined 401-403: "Unlike typical contemporary worship choruses that build theological de- velopment through extended metaphors or narratives, “The Blessing” draws the congre- gation into a repetitive, affective affirmation of divine promises." - without any other research methods, how does this text do anything affectively?

 

For this article to succeed, it needs far more focus, especially methodologically.

Author Response

Reviewer 1

Remark: Methodologically, this paper could have been strengthened by a stronger data sample (i.e. multiple songs). Alternatively, it could have been enriched by examining the embodied performance of this song (almost like an online ethnography).

Also,

For this article to succeed, it needs far more focus, especially methodologically.

 

My Reply:

Yes, I have substantially revised the Methodology section to more clearly present the song as a prophetic and intercessory embodied performance. The updated Methodology section outlines the analytical framework in detail, reflecting this interpretive emphasis. I invite you to refer to the revised Methodology for the details.

 

Remark:  Unfounded claims on various lines.

My Reply: Thank you, I have removed them.

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Thank you for your important study on Pentecostalism and lyrical theology.

To strengthen this article for publication in a scholarly journal, I recommend the following:

1. Work to situate the article within studies on lyrical theology and repertoire studies within Christian communities.
   • There have been several studies over the last 15 years on CCLI song lyrics and song repertoires in Evangelical, Pentecostal, and Charismatic communities. Studies by Matthew Westerholm, Glenn Packiam, Lester Ruth, Adam Perez, and many other scholars are important to be aware of. A key question is how your own study is situated within these studies on contemporary worship music and lyrical theology.
2. Show awareness of and engagement with other studies on “The Blessing.”
   • There have been several published works analyzing “The Blessing.” In addition to situating your study within the larger field of theology of songs mentioned above, also situate your study within the particular studies of “The Blessing.” See The Christian Nation Project for academic articles on the song from various disciplines: https://thechristiannationproject.net/the-blessing/. Also, see works discussing “The Blessing” such as the chapter on “Global Spirit and Globalizing spirits” in The Spirit and the Song, edited by Green and Felix-Jager. There are several other studies on the song. Key questions to answer are how your study is situated within these studies and how these studies impact your own analysis and conclusions.
3. More clearly define, clarify, and construct your “Pentecostal Lens.”
   • The title and structure of section two are unclear. This is an important section for your article. This section is where you are defining or constructing a Pentecostal lens. If this is your aim, re-title this section and revise it to increase clarity in defining and constructing this lens. Additionally, draw in Pentecostal theological works from this specific field of worship studies/liturgical theology, such as Steven Félix-Jäger’s Renewal Worship: A Theology of Pentecostal Doxology and Monte Lee Rice’s Pentecostal Liturgical Theology.
   • As you lead into section three’s focus on “grace,” section 2 will need to reveal why “grace” is significant and what the term was chosen as the main, and only, conceptual framework for your analysis.
   • Currently, this section lacks cohesion.
4. Clarify your methodology.
   • In section 3, you work towards defining your methodology. It remains unclear if this is your methodology or if you are drawing from other scholars. Additionally, clarify your scope and limitations. For example, are you solely engaging in quantitative lyrical analysis or reflecting contextually, musically, liturgically, etc?
   • Additional clarification on why the theological theme of “grace” was chosen is needed.
5. Revise your song analysis in sections 4 and 5 based on the above recommendations.
   • In particular, please strengthen these sections by clearly using your Pentecostal Lens.
   • Draw in additional scholars and studies in Pentecostalism and worship music, where relevant, resonant, and distinct.
6. Clarify the limitations of the study and areas for further research.
   • You have focused on official/published theologies around one specific theme of grace. This song is filled with several key theological themes. How might other study methods or concentrating on other theological themes bring you to different conclusions? Additionally, how might engaging in studying the private meanings through ethnography reveal the beliefs of individual Pentecostal worshippers? See Jonathan Ottoway’s "I’ll Bring You More than a Song”: Toward a Reassessment of Methodology in the Study of Contemporary Praise and Worship" for other approaches in the theological analysis of contemporary worship song.

You are engaging in significant scholarship.

Author Response

Please find the attachment. Thank you!

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 3 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

While I don't think the topic is particularly original, I do believe there is merit in comparing contemporary worship music to scripture. In a time when parishioners often get their theology from songs, the author of “The Blessing” as Sounded Grace: A Theological Analysis of 2 the Contemporary Congregational Song as Prophetic Declaration and Liturgical Prayer joins a growing resurgence of academic interest. Specifically, the "Pentecostal theological lens" (24) as the author suggests, is apt for examining strengths and weaknesses of theological positions (broadly defined?), but within the confines of pentecostal Christianity.

Thankfully, the author does suggests an exploration into the "multifaceted themes of divine grace—including salvific, sanctifying, and sustaining grace," (19, 20, 299, 300), but does so within the context of asking how the song acts as both prophecy and liturgy. 

This is also a timely look at the way religious music affected the faithful within the context of the Covid pandemic and the rising culture of streaming (93-135), showing how worship and commitment are often strengthened by the power of music, reinforcing "structured meditative disciplines such as lectio divina" (171), where "theological truths are recited, internalized, prayed, and communally embodied" (178, 179).  The author, however, is dedicated to an examination of how "Contemporary Pentecostal theology" (201) is (sort of) embodied within worship music...at least in this specific example, and is decoded within the theological framework that helps the listener/worshiper understand doctrines that apply to salvation, healing, deliverance, sanctification, and so on (233-243, 299, 300), where the connection to Numbers 6:24–26 "encapsulates the salvific grace of God, interweaving motifs of divine favor, deliverance, and covenantal fidelity" (299, 300).  Thus, "The Blessing" incorporate themes of benediction, blessing, faithfulness, and prayer (95), and does so as a "paradigmatic example of sung theology within Pentecostal traditions" (125, 126). In short, the author contends that "God’s presence encompasses every temporal moment—morning and evening, weeping and rejoicing-affirming the Pentecostal conviction that grace sustains through all seasons of life" (376-378), moving worshippers "beyond passive reception and into the active enactment of divine promises" (460, 461) where worshippers "declare theological truths and actively theologize through worship, calling spiritual realities into being with faith and expectancy" (472, 472). 

Given the disconnectedness of the post-pandemic world and the rising epidemic of religious and political myopia created by social media, any research that uncovers and discovers ways to reconnect has longterm value. 

 

Author Response

Thank you! I appreciate your feedback!

 

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

Comments and Suggestions for Authors

Thank you for strengthening this article and for engaging in this important area of scholarship.