Thou Shalt Get thy Praise On!: Analysis on the Conversion and Community Maintenance Powers of Contemporary Christian Music

This article intends to discover how Christian Contemporary Music (CCM) can be used as a mechanism for Christian community maintenance. Using Charles Taylor’s theory of hermeneutics, this argument will utilize Internet forums and interviews of CCM musicians to gain a comprehensive understanding of the CCM and Christian communities. This paper contains an examination of Foucault’s metaphorical understanding of Bentham’s panopticon and the ways the visible and unverifiable authoritative normalizing gaze of the watchtower is mirrored in God’s presence in CCM. The argument also follows the progressive and conservative nature of the gaze; determining that CCM compels subjects through its progressive use of pop music and maintains obedience through the consistent presence of norms. Lastly, the position of punishment and gratitude from the gaze are discussed as socialization tools.