“True Evangelical Faith” in Anabaptist-Mennonite Hymnody: A Barthesian's Semiotics Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.46445/ejti.v10i2.1135Keywords:
Anabaptist-Mennonite Hymnody, Barthesian Analysis, Evangelical Faith , Hymnody, True Evangelical FaithAbstract
This study analyzes the meaning of the hymn lyrics "True Evangelical Faith" using Roland Barthes' semiotic approach. The main focus is to identify the denotative, connotative, and mythical meanings contained in the symbols contained in the hymn lyrics. The method used is qualitative with semiotic analysis. Data collection involves observing the lyrics of the hymn True Evangelical Faith, then studying them in depth using Roland Barthes' semiotic theory. The data analysis includes three stages: first, analyzing the denotative meaning to reveal the literal meaning of each symbol; second, connotative analysis to explore the deeper meaning related to the command to love in the Christian teachings described; and third, identifying the myths formed through the hymn's symbols. The results of the study show that the meaning of the lyrics of this hymn depicts total love for others as the embodiment of the ideology of "fear of God", as well as the embodiment of feelings that influence one's motivation both physically and emotionally, through various symbols such as flesh, blood, shelter, and so on. In other words, the lyrics of the hymn True Evangelical Faith fully represent the love Jesus taught.
References
Amelia & Aryaneta. (2022). Pengaruh Musik Terhadap Emosi. Jurnal Ilmiah Zona Psikologi, 4(3), 49–57.
Ando, K. (2021). Beauty Ideals, Social Media, and Body Positivity: A Qualitative Investigation of Influences on Body Image among Young Woman in Japan. Body Image, 38, 358–369.
Azzahra, A., Lexaluna Zahra, B., Putri, D. H., Pradnyadita, G. A., & Anggraeni, N. D. (2024). Analisis Bahasa Dan Makna Lagu “Gala Bunga Matahari”: Ekspresi Perasaan Melalui Lirik Lagu. BISA-Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Dan Ilmu Sastra, 1(1), 59–67. https://publish.bakulsosmed.co.id/index.php/BISA
Bambaeeroo, F., & Shokrpour, N. (2017). The impact of the teachers’ non-verbal communication on success in teaching. Journal of Advances in Medical Education & Professionalism, 5(2), 51–59. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28367460%0Ahttp://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=PMC5346168
Barthes, R. (1957). Mythologies. The Noonday Press.
Baumard, N. (2022). The Cultural Evolution of Love in Literary History. Nature Human Bevaviour, 6(40), 506–522.
Bemey, F. P. (2026). Beyond Liturgical Accompaniment: Church Music and Congregational Formation in Indonesian Pentecostalism. Ars Sacra: Journal of Arts and Religion, 1(1), 73–98. https://doi.org/10.15575/arssacra.3094
Benjamins, L. (2021). Musicking as Liturgical Speech Acts: An Examination of Contemporary Worship Music Practices. Studia Liturgica, 51(2), 143–158. https://doi.org/10.1177/00393207211033993
Bergen, J. M., Heidebrecht, P. C., & Neufeldt, R. C. (2017). Exploring Theological, Practical, and Cultural Dimensions of Global Mennonite Peacebuilding. The Conrad Grebel Review, 35(3), 222–236. https://uwaterloo.ca/grebel/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/cgr_35-3_introduction.pdf
Berry, M. E. (2016). Shalom Political Theology: A New Type of Mennonite Peace Theology for a New Era of Discipleship. The Conrad Grebel Review, 34(1), 49–73. https://uwaterloo.ca/grebel/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/cgr_winter_16_49-75_berry.pdf
Bjorlin, D. (2025). Finding and Forgetting Oneself: The Formative Power of Congregational Song. Liturgy, 40(2), 23–32. https://doi.org/10.1080/0458063X.2025.2484976
Do, K. D. (2023). Singing the Self: Exploring the Role of Congregational Song in Identity Formation [The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary]. https://repository.sbts.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/ce8359b5-10ea-4d92-97e9-fe279b43972b/content
Dragomir, G. M., Fărcașiu, M. A., & Șimon, S. (2021). Students’ perceptions of verbal and non-verbal communication behaviors during and after the covid-19 pandemic. Applied Sciences (Switzerland), 11(18). https://doi.org/10.3390/app11188282
Fitri, F. (2024). Eksplorasi Metafora Cinta dalam Lirik Lagu Pop Indonesia 024. Journal of Education and Contemporary Lingistics, 1(2), 39–49.
Gultom, J. (2018). Teologi Misi Pentakosta: Isu-isu Terpilih. BPK Gunung Mulia.
Hatam, S. (2021). Barthes’ Semiotic Theory and Interpretation of Signs. International Journal of Research in Social Sciences and Humanities, 471–482.
Hia, V., & Emen, P. (2023). Konsep Mengasihi Berdasarkan Injil Yohanes 13:34-35 Dan Penerapannya Bagi Orang Percaya. Mitra Sriwijaya: Jurnal Teologi Dan Pendidikan Kristen, 4(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.46974/ms.v4i1.69
Holmes, S. R. (2024). Evaluating a neglected tradition of (Ana)baptist Christology. Scottish Journal of Theology, 77(1), 16–33. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0036930623000029
Horton, C. (2017). Following the Holy Spirit: Sixteenth-Century Anabaptist Inspiration for Twenty-First-Century Mission in Postmodern Britain. Anabaptist Witness, 4(2), 13–32. https://www.anabaptistwitness.org/journal_entry/4772/
Indraswari, S., & Sofyaningrum, R. (2025). Menyelami Makna dan Pesan Emosional dalam Lirik Keroncong “Di Bawah Sinar Bulan Purnama.” DEIKTIS: Jurnal Pendidikan Bahasa Dan Sastra, 5(1), 113–125. https://doi.org/10.53769/deiktis.v5i1.1345
Ivy, D. . (2022). What Words don’t Tell Us: Non-verbal Communication and Turmoil in Romantic Relationships. In Nonverbal Communication in Close Relationships: What Words don’t Tell Us (pp. 187–213).
Johanes, W. (2024). Kajian Biblika Terhadap Keselamatan Oleh Iman Menurut Efesus 2:1-10. Jurnal Teologi Biblika, 9(1), 3–25.
Kraybill, D. B. (1998). Plain reservations: Amish and Mennonite views of media and computers. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 13(2), 99–110. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327728jmme1302_4
Kriswanto, A. (2020). Mennonite Indonesia: Tantangan Bernegara dan Berbudaya Bagi Gereja Injili di Tanah Jawa. Fidei: Jurnal Teologi Sistematika Dan Praktika, 3(1), 20–36. https://doi.org/10.34081/fidei.v3i1.74
Listijabudi, D. K. (2018). Spiritualitas Mennonit. Pustaka Muria, Sinode GKMI.
Martin, A. C. (2022). Old Order Mennonite Spirituality: An Analysis of Ascetical and Mystical Parallels in Medieval Monasticism and a Contemporary Anabaptist Community [University of Toronto]. https://utoronto.scholaris.ca/items/a3157beb-17d2-4c74-a57f-86040fbb1512
Mauclau, I. A. (2021). Pentingnya Memahami Finalitas Kristus sebagai Dasar Iman yang Menyelamatkan di Tengah Isu Relativisme Agama. LOGIA: Jurnal Teologi Pentakosta, 3(1), 37–54.
Melhe, M. . (2021). Impact of Training on Positive Thinking for Improving Psychological Hardiness and Reducing Academic Stresses among Academically-late Students. Kuram ve Uygulamada Egitim Bilimleri, 21(3), 132–146.
Menno, S. (1966). The Complete of Menno Simons. Herald Press.
Mokline, B., & Ben Abdallah, M. A. (2021). Individual Resilience in the Organization in the Face of Crisis: Study of the Concept in the Context of COVID-19. Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, 22(3), 219–231. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40171-021-00273-x
Mulvaney, R. (2020). Menno Simons and the Trinity. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32586.99527
Muskan. (2024). A Contemporary Myth “The Aladdin” in the Barthesian Sense. International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology, 11(7), 4102–4104.
O’Reggio, T. (2016). Anabaptists and Discipleship. Faculty Publications, Andrews University. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs/1518
Pahwa, S. (2022). Factors affecting emotional resilience in adults. Management and Labour Studies, 47(2), 216–232.
Priyanto, A. S. (2024). Rethinking the Philosophy of Church Music. Jurnal Seni Musik, 14(2), 102–113. https://ojs.uph.edu/index.php/JSM/article/view/10382
Rempel, D. (2020). Gelassenheit and Intellectual Disability. The Conrad Grebel Review, 38(2), 161–172. https://uwaterloo.ca/grebel/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/cgr-spring-2020-rempel.pdf
Roberts, S. B. (2024). Becoming what we sing: formation through contemporary worship music. Practical Theology, 17(1), 101–103. https://doi.org/10.1080/1756073X.2024.2315719
Rodh, J. D. (2005). Beliefs: Mennonite Faith and Practice. Herald Press.
Rokach, A. (2024). Love Culturally: How does Culture Affect Intimacy, Commitment & Love. The Journal of Psychology, 158(1), 84–114.
Russo-Netzer, P., & Ameli, M. (2021). Optimal Sense-Making and Resilience in Times of Pandemic: Integrating Rationality and Meaning in Psychotherapy. Frontiers in Psychology, 12(March), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.645926
Sasongko, M. H. (2021). Menelaah Lagu Puji-Pujian Kristen: Kajian Ekstramusikal. Tonika: Jurnal Penelitian Dan Pengkajian Seni, 4(2), 96–110. https://doi.org/10.37368/tonika.v4i2.301
Satria, I., & Malik, M. (2023). Iman Kristen yang Menyelamatkan. Sinar Kasih: Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Dan Filsafat, 1(2), 40–59. https://doi.org/10.55606/sinarkasih.v1i2.105
Siddiq, M., & Salama, H. (2021). Nilai Kemanusiaan dalam Lirik Lagu Ahmad Dhani: Sebuah Analisis Wacana Kritis. UNDAS: Jurnal Hasil Penelitian Bahasa Dan Sastra, 17(2), 261. https://doi.org/10.26499/und.v17i2.4028
Tang (Michael), C. M. (2026). When songs replace Scripture: contemporary worship music and the transformation of congregational formation. Theology, 129(1), 31–40. https://doi.org/10.1177/0040571X251401161
Waedoloh, H., Purwanta, H., & Ediyono, S. (2022). Gaya Kepemimpinan dan Karekteristik Pemimpin yang Efektif. Social, Humanities, and Educational Studies (SHEs): Conference Series, 5(1), 144. https://doi.org/10.20961/shes.v5i1.57783
Wagner, J. . (1991). What Mennonite Believe? Herald Press.
Weaver, J. D. (2016). A Jesus-Centered Peace Theology, or, Why and How Theology and Ethics are Two Sides of One Profession of Faith. The Conrad Grebel Review, 34(1), 5–27. https://uwaterloo.ca/grebel/sites/default/files/uploads/documents/cgr_winter_16_5-27_weaver.pdf
Wenger, J. C., & Menno, S. (1984). The Complete Writings of Menno Simons (J. C. Wenger (ed.)). Herald Press.
Zebua, H. I., & Zega, A. J. (2023). Dosa Yang Mendatagkan Maut Dan Tidak Mendatangkan Maut 1 Yohanes 5:16-17 Serta Pengaruhnya Bagi Orang Kristen Masa Kini. Lumen: Jurnal Pendidikan Agama Katekese Dan Pastoral, 2(2), 174–186. https://doi.org/10.55606/lumen.v2i2.226
Zorkeply, Suraya, N., & Mahamad, T. E. T. (2022). Pop Music and its Role as a Communicative Medium to Express Emotions among Youth. International Journal of Academic Research in Business and Social Sciences, 12(11), 1147–1161. https://doi.org/10.6007/ijarbss/v12-i11/14588
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Michael Hari Sasongko, Chun Joo Sung, Dody Candra Harwanto
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
5.jpg)
