African Art Music and the Drama of Christian Worship among Baptists in Nigeria

Church music is purpose-driven and functional art. The search for authentic African experience in Christian worship among Nigerian Baptists brought about the introduction of art music compositions into the drama of worship. The paper discusses the development and contextualisation of Baptist worship by the inclusion of new music(s) written, composed and performed by Africans for the purpose of the liturgy, serving as a voice within the culture. The research adopted an ethnographic research design. Data were collected from published works and recorded art music compositions, content analysis of worship bulletins, personal interviews with art music composers, choirmasters and pastors within the denomination. Textual analysis of art music compositions reveals that there are four different modes of communication in the drama of worship: Kerigmatic, Leitourgic, Koinonia, and Reflexive. The emergence and performance of art music compositions in the drama of worship have facilitated communication, indigenisation and acculturation of Christian worship among Baptists in Nigeria.