Why Major in Worship & the Arts?
Christians through the ages have explored and expressed their faith through music, poetry, visual art, liturgy, and many other forms of artistry. In the Worship & the Arts major, you will be introduced to the history, theology, and practice of Christian worship and the arts. As you move through the program, you will be equipped with the knowledge, hands-on experience, and practical skills you need to use your creative gifts to serve the church and the world. Within our vibrant and supportive community, you will find friends and faculty mentors who invest in your academic work, spiritual formation, and vocational discernment.
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What You'll Learn
- You will gain deep knowledge of the history, theology, and practice of Christian worship and the arts.
- You will gain valuable practical experience designing and leading worship services.
- You will have great conversations about worship and the arts.
- You will grow intellectually, spiritually, and socially.
- You will explore what it means to be wise and to live a good life.
- You will be mentored by excellent professors.
Program Details
Curious about your coursework? View requirements for this degree in the course catalog.
Every major in the School of Theology and Christian Ministry aims at whole person formation. Students are invited into a vibrant and supportive academic community and are offered numerous opportunities to grow intellectually, spiritually, and socially. As they learn to see in the light of Christ and grow in knowledge and wisdom, students develop the skills and habits they need to creatively pursue lives of meaning and purpose. This process happens inside and outside the classroom as students make use of the wide range of opportunities available to them.
- Explore the world. From addressing the AIDS epidemic in Botswana to visiting important biblical sites to walking pilgrimage in Scotland or Spain, our numerous study-abroad programs immerse you in transformative experiences around the globe.
- Engage in service. From mentoring refugee families to providing art therapy for the homeless, you will find countless opportunities to serve.
- Gain practical experience. Our internship program offers hands-on opportunities to explore your vocation and receive valuable insight from mentors. Our students gain experience in ministry, media, education, legal advocacy, non-profit work, community arts, and countless other settings. They are involved in everything from educating children to opposing human trafficking and food insecurity to leading worship and offering pastoral care.
- Join a club. From honor societies to faith-based groups, our student organizations help deepen your faith while broadening your horizons and creating enduring friendships.
- Conduct original research. Our students partner with professors, create original research, travel to deliver papers at academic conferences, participate in Belmont’s SPARK Symposium, and engage in numerous other forms of research.
The STCM has benefitted from the generosity of many donors over the years. This allows us to award scholarships to multiple students each year, including two full-tuition scholarships: the Madden Scholarship and the Servant Leader Scholarship. If you apply to any STCM major before December 1, you will automatically be considered for scholarships.
Learn from the Best
Our Christ-centered faculty represent a wide range of Christian traditions and theological perspectives. Each is an excellent teacher and mentor to students, and many are also well-known scholars and authors.
Christina Carnes Ananias
Email: christina.ananias@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2011
Marty Bell
Email: marty.bell@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2022
Manuel Cruz
Email: manuel.cruz@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2033
Cynthia A. Curtis
Email: ca.curtis@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2004
David Dark
Email: david.dark@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2026
Steve Guthrie
Email: steve.guthrie@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2025
Darrell Gwaltney
Email: darrell.gwaltney@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2037
Sally Holt
Email: sally.holt@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2009
Young Bok Kim
Email: youngbok.kim@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2035
Kimbell Kornu
Email: kimbell.kornu@belmont.edu
Office Location: FCOM 5004
Donovan McAbee
Email: donovan.mcabee@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2024
Mark McEntire
Email: mark.mcentire@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2028
Adam Neder
Email: adam.neder@belmont.edu
Office Location: JMC 303D
Nicholas Norman-Krause
Email: nicholas.krause@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2013
Gideon Park
Email: gideon.park@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2033
Adam Perez
Email: adam.perez@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2015
Steve Reed
Email: steven.reed@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2060
Beth Ritter-Conn
Email: beth.ritterconn@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2018
Andy Watts
Email: andy.watts@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2021
Jordan Wood
Email: jordan.wood@belmont.edu
Office Location: Ayers 2005
Career Possibilities
As students are formed by their experiences in the Worship and the Arts major, they grow in knowledge and wisdom, and they develop the skills employers across all industries today are seeking: clear and persuasive communication; the capacity to see issues from multiple perspectives; the ability to listen with empathy and curiosity; the emotional intelligence to work well in teams; the creativity to solve complex problems; and the patience and attention needed for deep literacy and conceptual analysis. Here are just a few of the career paths Worship and the Arts majors take:
Worship leaders guide congregations in musical and artistic expressions of praise, creating meaningful and spiritually rich worship experiences. The Worship and the Arts major equips students with the theological grounding for developing creative vision, as well as wide array of experiences to lead worship that are both theologically beautiful and artistically engaging.
Artists use visual, musical, or performance mediums to express truth, evoke emotion, and inspire reflection. With a background in Worship and the Arts, artists are empowered to create work that communicates faith, beauty, and meaning rooted in a deep understanding of the Christian worship tradition, contemporary worship practices, scripture and liturgy, and the theology of art.
Professors teach and mentor students in higher education, often specializing in the arts, theology, or worship studies. The Worship and the Arts major provides students with a strong foundation in both creative practice and theological reflection, allowing aspiring professors to learn what it looks like to guide students in integrating faith and artistic expression in the classroom and the church.
Pastors provide spiritual leadership, preach the Word, and cultivate worship and community life within the church. The Worship and the Arts major prepares future and present pastors to foster vibrant worship cultures, understand liturgy and creativity, and minister in ways that engage the heart, mind, and senses.
Entrepreneurs develop innovative businesses, ministries, or creative ventures that meet needs or inspire change. With training in Worship and the Arts, they can build ventures that merge creativity, worship, and mission—bringing beauty and purpose into the marketplace or church context.
Authors craft stories, devotionals, teaching materials, or theological reflections that inform, inspire, or challenge readers. The Worship and the Arts major equips aspiring writers with biblical tools to weave insights about humanity, artistic insight gained from the writings of a deep tradition, and a spiritual depth gained through critical reflection into their written work.
Mikey Rogers
“My time in Belmont’s School of Theology and Christian Ministry was wonderful and challenging. I was able to learn from and alongside an amazing community of faculty and students, many of whom have experiences, convictions, and expressions of Christian faith that differ from my own. This community of faithful learning softened my heart and sharpened my mind, teaching me to think through what I believe and learn from and appreciate others even if we disagree. As a Religion & The Arts Major, many of my class conversations explored how the Christian story relates to cultural expressions like poetry, music, and paintings. Those classes and the conversations they fostered taught me how to see God at work in every corner of our beautiful and broken world, and for that I am deeply grateful.”
FAQs
Belmont is a Christ-centered ecumenical university. Our faculty are committed Christian scholars and teachers who represent a wide range of Christian traditions and theological perspectives.
No, an audition is not required because the program is not a music performance degree, but rather focuses on the hands-on experience and the practical skills needed to use your creative gifts to serve the church and the world.
In addition to various kinds of hands-on experiences built into the courses you will take, every student also does an intership that offers valuable hands-on experience in worship settings.
Yes, while this program is open to students with a variety of creative interests, those interested in music can collaborate with Belmont's music programs in multiple ways.
Yes. All four majors in the School of Theology and Christian Ministry include an internship. These internships are in a wide variety of contexts. Study abroad and international mission opportunities are widely available.
Contact Us
College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
Sophie Chua
Admissions Coordinator
615.460.8335