According to Paul Richardson, professor of music at Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, combining classical music training with theology studies in a seminary setting is primarily a Southern Baptist innovation. Music programs at Southern Baptist seminaries were often unsurpassed in size and scope; only three schools accredited by the Association of Theological Schools offer doctorates in music, and all are Southern Baptist seminaries.
The Rev. Al Mohler, president of the seminary, noted that the restructuring comes in the wake of a “substantial drop in the number of music students at the graduate level in Southern Baptist Convention seminaries.” The music school, founded in 1944, is “not economically viable” today. He said that a reduction in the size of music faculty from 11 to four full-time positions will take place by attrition.
In the 1980s and 1990s, enrollments in schools of church music reached record numbers. At the same time, trends in worship styles began to change, shifting away from hymnals, choirs, organs, and classical music toward more casual liturgies and popular music.
I have visited lots of churches over the past few years, and have seen many praise bands, as well as traditional choir/pipe organ type of services. The odd thing is, to me the praise bands look dated - they remind me of my early Jesus people days. And very often their members have grey hair. I'm not so sure they attract young people so much as they appeal to Boomers. (Of course, every type of music likely has adherents of all ages.)
And I would never make an argument in favor of training people for jobs that don't exist.
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