Song Selection in German Protestant Churches and Free Churches: Insights and Challenges from an Empirical Inquiry

This practical-theological research paper presents the main results of a grounded theory inquiry into the criteria for song selection among pastors, musicians and liturgists in German Protestant Churches and Free Churches. It argues that, in contrast to some current practical manuals, practitioners focus less on systematic rational assessment of songs, but make decisions in the process of song selection habitually, interacting with others involved in the process and negotiating manifold social, theological and musical criteria. It is necessary to distinguish the particular capabilities of pastors, liturgists and musicians, who each approach the process of song selection from different angles. Interpreting those results in dialogue with Christopher Small’s musicking theory and James K.A. Smith’s reflections on the role of habitus in liturgy, the paper closes with a plea to reconsider current forms of practical-theological guidance on song selection.