Historical, cultural, linguistic, and musical consideration for an indigenous Christian hymnody in South Korea

The purpose of this study is to propose a method to develop an indigenous Korean hymnody. A creationist view of Korean history links it to Jewish history presented in the book of Genesis. God, who created Korea, manifested His plan, purpose, and providence, which is conveyed in Korean art and music. A distinctive Korean hymnody would facilitate and enhance Christian worship in order to give greater glory to God.;The first two chapters present an overview of Korean music history. Chapter One deals with the creation of the Korean nation and distinctive characteristics of its traditional music. Chapter Two explores the adverse effects on traditional Korean music during the Western-dominated period of its history. Chapter Three discusses the development of Korean music and its adaptation as well as the correlation between missions and church music in Korean history. The current condition of Korean church music and the potential for developing an indigenous hymnody are explored through a survey of Korean Christians. Chapter Four examines poetic expression in hymns by exploring the cultural characteristics of Korean art, with explicit applications made to indigenous hymns. Traditional musical characteristics should be suggested to create an indigenous Korean hymnody. Specific examples of music and texts are presented.