Amy Krall, Department of Religion

“Music-making, Moral Formation, and Maturity in Ephesians and Colossians”

Christians often search the Bible for a better understanding of worship practices, including singing. This talk asks instead: What can the practice of singing teach us about the Bible? Attention to singing can help us better understand moral formation, particularly as put forth in the letters to the Ephesians and Colossians. In this lecture, I will explore how singing as a practice contributes to moral formation and “maturity in Christ” in these two biblical letters, how my vocational journey led me to focus on this question, and how attention to both text and practice supports a Christian liberal arts education.

This lecture is part of the Continuum Scholars Faculty Development Program: an inter-divisional cohort of pre-tenure faculty members who met last summer to discuss theological perspectives on the vocation of scholarship, the current state of theological reflection and engagement in their research fields and disciplines, and the ecumenical continuum of theological perspectives through which our colleagues both at Hope College and within higher education approach their own scholarship. Our goal through this program and these lectures is to build a community committed to an ongoing conversation about faith, vocation, and scholarship. We hope that you will be part of it.

For information about applying to the Continuum Scholars Faculty Development Program in summer 2026 visit this LINK as part of the Provost’s Faculty Development Grant offerings.