SONG EVALUATIONS

These are song evaluations using GROK. They are theological critiques and lyrical analyses along with ratings based on the quality and acceptability. 

Each evaluation focuses on, identifies, describes, and explains the following:

    • THE SONGWRITER AND THEIR BACKGROUND

        ◦ Who Wrote The Song?

        ◦ Their Affiliation Or Denomination? Music Label? Formal Education?

        ◦ What They Believe? Their Theology, Philosophy, And Worldview?

            ▪ Nature Of Reality? Do They Hold That Things Exist Independently Of Us (Realism)?

            ▪ Nature Of Truth? Do They Hold To A Correspondence Theory Of Truth? Do They Believe That There Is An Objective Truth That Can Be Known (Epistemological Realism)?

            ▪ Basis Of Knowledge?

            ▪ Human Rights And Morality? Do They Hold That Values Are Real And Objective?

            ▪ Free Will/Human Responsibility?

            ▪ Origin Of The Universe?

            ▪ Concept And Nature Of God?

            ▪ Nature And Identity Of Jesus?

            ▪ Reliability Of The Bible? Do They Believe That The Bible Is Inerrant, Sufficient, And Authoritative?

            ▪ Origin And Nature Of Evil?

            ▪ Afterlife?

            ▪ Personal Goodness?

            ▪ Sin?

        ◦ Their Theology And Philosophy Of Worship?

        ◦ Compare Their Beliefs To: 

            ▪ Christian Worldview And Classical Theology (E.G., Bibliology, Christology, Soteriology). 

            ▪ Historic Creeds (Apostles’, Nicene, Chalcedon, Athanasian). 

        ◦ Note any Red Flags: 

            ▪ Fallacies: Theological, Hermeneutical, Logical?

            ▪ Cognitive Biases? 

            ▪ Word Of Faith, New Apostolic Reformation (Nar), New Age, Esoteric, Gnostic, Post-Modern, New Thought, Etc., Elements Or Influences That Might Be Present?

            ▪ Progressive or post-modern Elements Or Influences That Might Be Present?

        ◦ Their Sources Of Truth? How Do They Know What Is True? How Do They Obtain Knowledge? How Do They Justify Their Beliefs? Why Do They Believe What They Believe? Does The Songwriter Place The Bible (E.G., Doctrine) And Objective Truth, Reason, Logic, And Orthodox Tradition Above (Higher Priority/Importance) Subjective Emotions And Experiences?

        ◦ Do they Prioritize Scripture Over Subjective Experience?

        ◦ Why Was The Song Written? Context, Intent, Purpose; Intended Audience? Events Or Experiences That Influenced The Song? 

        ◦ Whether The Songwriter Shares Similar convictions, philosophy of worship, and theology as Dr. Stephen Phifer (https://stevephifer.com/resources/about and https://stevephifer.com/category/fire-and-form/ and https://stevephifer.com/category/renewal/ and http://www.renaissanceworshiparts.com)

        ◦ Whether The Songwriter Shares Similar convictions, philosophy of worship, and theology as Cody Curtis of Psallos (https://www.psallos.com/mission and https://www.psallos.com/events )

    • THE LYRICAL CONTENT

        ◦ What Do The Lyrics Mean?

            ▪ The Definition/Meaning Of The Key Words And Phrases

            ▪ Repeated Terms? 

            ▪ Figures Of Speech? Literary Devices?

            ▪ Unclear Or Ambiguous Language?

            ▪ Rhetoric?

            ▪ Clarity Of Message?

        ◦ What Does The Song Say?

            ▪ Core Theme/Message?

            ▪ Compare To: Christian Worldview And Theology; Historic Creeds.

            ▪ Influences From Questionable Teachings (E.G., Nar, New Age)?

        ◦ Who Or What Is The Focus?

            ▪ God-Centered? Self-Focused?

            ▪ Subject And Object Of Worship?

            ▪ The Subject, Theme, Focus Of The Song Lyrics?

            ▪ Pronouns Used In The Song? To God?  About God?  About Self?

            ▪ Past (Cross), Present (God’s Character), Or Future (Second Coming)?

        ◦ What Does The Song Teach?

            ▪ The View Of God?  Attributes? Timeless Truths? Etc.?

            ▪ Doctrines Addressed?

            ▪ Perspective: God’s, Songwriter’s, Or Singer’s?

    • THE SONGWRITER’S THEOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING

        ◦ How Does The Songwriter Use Scripture?

            ▪ Hermeneutics? Historical-Grammatical (Literal, Contextual)? Allegorical Or Subjective?Premodern? Modern? Postmodern?

            ▪ Interpretation Or Exegetical Fallacies: Verses Out Of Context?  Over-Spiritualization?  Cherry-Picking To Fit Theology? Etc.?

            ▪ Biblical Application? Considers Genre, Context, And Intent? Distinguishes Cultural Vs. Timeless Truths?

        ◦ Theological And Biblical Alignment: How Well The Lyrics Align With The Christian Worldview?

            ▪ Theological Accuracy; The Alignment (Compare And Contrast) With The Bible, Classical Christian Theology, Orthodoxy, And Orthopraxy?

            ▪ Historic Creeds; Doctrinal Soundness?

            ▪ Compare Lyrics To Scripture: Consistent? Reinforces The Gospel?

            ▪ Non-Biblical (Not In Scripture)? 

            ▪ Unbiblical (Contrary To Scripture)? 

            ▪ Denies Salvation Essentials (God, Jesus, Sin)?

            ▪ Theological Depth: Does It Clarify God’s Nature And Acts?

    • THE CLARITY AND STRUCTURE OF THE LYRICS

        ◦ Is The Song Clear And Coherent?

            ▪ Logical Consistency?

            ▪ Clarity? Language? Uses Concrete Nouns And Vivid Verbs?  Avoids Jargon Or Vague Language? Etc.?

        ◦ Does it Communicate Effectively? Does It Connect?

            ▪ Engaging: Balances Thought, Emotion, And Intellect? 

            ▪ Accessible: Easy To Understand For All? 

            ▪ Purposeful: Explains Theology Or Aids Worship?

    • THE SONGS’ SUITABILITY FOR WORSHIP

        ◦ For Private Worship?

        ◦ For Corporate Worship?

            ▪ Singability: 

                • Accessible To Average Singers? 

                • Suitable Key For Men And Women? Men And Women Inclusivity: Whether Men Are Likely To Sing The Song; Whether The Lyrics Are Too Feminine; Etc.? Explain why or why not.

                • Inclusive to both introverts and extroverts? If so why? If not, why not?

            ▪ Community Focus: 

                • Uses “We” Over “I”? 

                • Encourages Collective Worship?

            ▪ Sensitivity: Avoids Harm To Vulnerable Groups (E.G., Those Sensitive To False Theology)?

    • THE THEOLOGICAL DEPTH OR LEVEL OF THE SONG (DEPTH OF CONTENT):  Depth Or Level Of The Truths, Topics, Ideas, Concepts, Language Used In The Lyrics? Literacy Level? Comprehension And Understanding? The Degree Of Theological Content From A Scale Of 3 For Advanced, To 1 For Basic?

        ◦ Level 1: Basic (Simple, Elementary Level, Foundational Into Foundational Truths And Principles): Below Average Knowledge And Understanding Of Christianity, Theology, And The Bible?

        ◦ Level 2: Above Basic (Middle To High School Level Into Foundational Truths And Principles): Average Knowledge And Understanding Of Christianity, Theology, And The Bible?

        ◦ Level 3: Advanced (College Level; Deep Into Foundational Truths And Principles): Above Average Knowledge And Understanding Of Christianity, Theology, And The Bible?

    • HOW THE SONG IMPACTS PEOPLE (SINGER AND LISTENER): Emotional; Musical; Intellectual; Theological; Potential Risks.

    • THE STAGE OF DEVELOPMENT: Level Of Knowledge, Maturity, And Theology (Mental And Christian Or Spiritual Maturity)? Understanding Of The Song? Explanation Needed?  Discernment?

        ◦ Non-Christian And "Infant" Christian

        ◦ "Child" Christian:

        ◦ "Young Adult" Christian

        ◦ “Adult” Christian

    • WHETHER PAUL OR JOHN OR PETER OR DAVID OR ISAIAH, ETC. COULD WRITE THE SONG BASED ON THEIR THEOLOGY.

    • HOW GOD/JESUS IS INVOLVED IN THE SONG: 

        ◦ Is The Song A Direct Dialogue With God Or Jesus? Is It A Conversation Addressed To Or Held With God Or Jesus? Does It Directly Address God Or Jesus (E.G., Like A Supplicatory Psalm)? 

        ◦ Is God/Jesus The Third Party In The Song?  Is The Singer/Song Making Statements About God/Jesus?  Is It Primarily Intended To Address Christians? Is It Declarative, Akin To A Psalm Of Praise Or Proclamation?

        ◦ Is The Singer/Song Just Speaking Or Making Statements About Themselves (E.G., Feelings And Experience) And Not Actually Talking To Or Even About God? 

    • THE FOCUS OF THE SONG: 

        ◦ Does The Song Focus On Or Prioritize The Themes Of Worship From The Bible (E.G., Rev Ch 4, Ch 6-8; Ch 15, 18-19)? 

        ◦ Does It Focus On God’s Holiness, God As The Creator, The Person And Work Of Jesus, The Gospel, Judgment/Punishment, Or The End Of The Age (Paterology, Christology, Hamartiology, Soteriology, Eschatology)? 

        ◦ (See Https://Breakpoint.Org/Exploring-Worship-Part-Seven-Worship-In-Heaven )

    • THE TYPE OF SONG: 

        ◦ Is This Song A Psalm, Hymn, Or Spiritual Song? 

        ◦ (Fire And Form: Psalms, Hymns, And Spiritual Songs  Https://Stevephifer.Com/Fire-And-Form-Psalms-Hymns-And-Spiritual-Songs  )

    • WHETHER THE LYRICS ARE TOO FEMININE: 

        ◦ Too Familiar, Intimate, Nurturing, And Sentimental; 

        ◦ Contain Elements (Claims, Ideas, Truths, Concepts, Topics, Teachings) Of Bridal Mysticism Or Erotic Imagery, Or Bridal Imagery, The Metaphor Of An Individual Christian As The Bride Of Christ, etc.

    • THE FLESCH READING EASE SCORE OF THE LYRICS

        ◦ And The Approximate Educational Level Or Grade It Represents 

        ◦ (A Scale Of Comprehension From 0-100, Where 0 Is Very Complicated/Difficult To Read And Understand And 100 Is Very Easy To Read And Understand)

    • THE FLESCH-KINCAID GRADE LEVEL OF THE LYRICS 

        ◦ And The Approximate Educational Level Or Grade It Represents 

        ◦ (The Educational Or Grade Level Someone Needs In Order To Understand/Comprehend)

    • THE FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE USED: 

        ◦ Explain The Meaning Of Any Figurative Language And/Or Figures Of Speech In The Lyrics.

    • THE DEFINITION/MEANING OF KEY WORDS AND PHRASES IN THE LYRICS: 

        ◦ Compare And Contrast The Meaning According To The Songwriter And Context Of The Lyrics With Their Biblical And Systematic Theological Definition/Meaning. 

        ◦ Example: How Does The Song Define “Miracles” And How Does The Bible And Classic Christian Theology Define “Miracles”?

    • THE COMMUNICATION/MEANING: 

        ◦ If song lyrics are unnecessarily abstract and overuses words; 

        ◦ And if lyrics are too vague to convey the meaning the songwriter intends.

    • ROLE OF EXPERIENCES AND EMOTIONS IN THE SONG:  

        ◦ If the song is sensitive to, does it acknowledge, the difficulties, dilemmas, and tensions of life. 

        ◦ If the song is overly simplistic, optimistic, or pessimistic.

    • ANY ISSUES: 

        ◦ Any theological, doctrinal, moral, or ethical controversies, practices, or criticisms associated with the songwriter, their affiliations, this song, or other songs they have written or co-written.

    • THE THEOLOGICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE SONGWRITER, SINGER, AUDIENCE, AND CONGREGATION.

    • The evaluation also focuses on, identifies, describes, and assigns QUALITY AND ACCEPTABILITY RATINGS after taking into account the following:

        ◦ Biblical Consistency; Theological Questionable Elements; Language; Emotional vs. Intellectual Engagement; Potential for Misinterpretation:

        ◦ The STRENGTHS, the potential WEAKNESSES, and any CONCERNS related to the song.

        ◦ The evaluation must also focus on, identify, describe, and NOTE the parts of the song that Christians can RECEIVE, REJECT, or REDEEM after taking into account the worst and the best case of the song.

    • Based on the detailed analysis, it assigns two QUALITY RATINGS (one that assumes the worst case and one the best case) that refers to the production value and purpose of the song as outlined in the evaluation criteria below, and provide a detailed explanation for the ratings of the song, and take into account the subjective nature of music interpretation and assessment.

        ◦ It also assigns an average QUALITY RATING (between 4 for excellent, to 1 for poor).

    • Based on the detailed analysis, it assigns two ACCEPTABILITY RATINGS (one that assumes the worst case and one the best case) that refers to the moral, spiritual, biblical, theological, and Christian values and views as well as the audience's or congregation’s level of development as outlined in the evaluation criteria below, and provide a detailed explanation for the ratings of the song, and take into account the subjective nature of music interpretation and assessment.

        ◦ It also assigns an average ACCEPTABILITY RATING (between +4 for exemplary, to -4 for abhorrent).

    • The evaluation also includes a summary towards the end and recommends alternatives: For songs with an average Acceptability Rating of +2 (GOOD) or LOWER, it suggests at least two other songs that have a HIGHER average  Acceptability Rating: Alternative songs that better align with the Bible, Classical Christian theology, orthodoxy, and orthopraxy (e.g., songs that could have a +3 – MORAL or +4 – EXEMPLARY rating); songs that offer richer content and broader applicability; songs that both edify and instruct.

The evaluation is also based on the strict questions and criteria and integrates theology of worship, philosophy, Christian theology, Apologetics, good writing/communication, and hermeneutics. It can be found here: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1MshEgzgDsJ02WlBfhgswEBkh99K6vRSt?usp=sharing 

WHAT’S THE GOAL, AND HOW CAN IT BE USED?

My goal with this evaluation is to provide a detailed, objective analysis while respecting the subjective nature of music interpretation.

    • The song evaluation questions and criteria can be used to analyze and rate any song (Christian and nonChristian) as well as any text (e.g., books, articles, social media posts, etc.).

    • The GROK evaluation may have some flaws and I made some assumptions. I tried to come up with an objective criteria or rubric. I tried to avoid biases and to not impose arbitrary criteria or personal preferences when developing the series of questions and the rating system. I attempted to clearly define the standards by which songs will be assessed and what will make certain alternatives acceptable or unacceptable.

    • NO song created by finite humans will be perfect; however, some are better than others.

    • Note: Songs can have the same rating but for different reasons. 

COLOR KEY

I have color annotated this song. For simplicity, I used four levels of highlighting that reflect the different aspects of the song:

Yellow: Used to identify something in general.

Green : Used to identify a good or acceptable quality

Orange: Used identify a quality that I think may require some caution or discernment.

Red: Used to identify a quality that requires more caution, discernment, or even rejection.

(Note: I did not annotate all the good qualities a song may have. My primary focus is to identify parts of the song that may require greater caution and discernment—sections that are weak, concerning, or potentially in need of rejection or redemption. Also, ratings are rounded to be a whole number.)

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There is more to this conversation and the evaluation criteria can be debated, however I think this is a very good start.

Below is the folder that contains the songs that have been evaluated so far. The folder also includes the complete evaluation questions/instructions used to write the AI prompt as well as a summary of the questions and  a guide that explains the questions in detail (the philosophy behind the evaluation questions).