Friday after the Epiphany
Thanks to Frances for her thoughtful and difficult question. First, I should note that people who knew me before 2011 call me Chris. When I retired and moved to Chapel Hill, I went with my whole name, Christian. Frances's question is a lot to think about. United Methodist Bishops and similar officials from other denominations usually give statements that are released to the press. Such statements rarely make the news. We need to realize we have some major problems with people on the extreme right. In my limited view here are two of the major problems: conspiracy theories and inability for critical thinking. We need to debunk the entire concept of conspiracy theories. The churches and our denomination's Sunday School and other literature could better teach and embody critical thinking skills. We also need to communicate more effectively that the way of Jesus is a way of peace and love, not violence and hate, and that our God is a God of order, not of chaos. There is obviously much more, but enough on that for the moment. I would really welcome everyone's ideas and comments.
Hymns are a crucially important part of worship. The United Methodist Hymnal is a work of genius. Its genius is the work of one man, the late Carlton Young. I doubt that anyone else has ever had as deep an understanding of the wide range of Christian hymnody. No other hymnal incorporates so much diversity. In time, the UMH goes back for music as far as the 11th century, with one of my three all time favorites, "Of the Father's Love Begotten," and up as recently as 1984 with two songs by Amy Grant. The range of hymnody includes 19th century revivalist hymns by composers such as Fanny Crosby and Philip Bliss to 20th century classical composers such as Jean Sibelius and Ralph Vaughn Williams. It includes many, though not enough, African-American spirituals and a number of Latin American hymns with words in both Spanish and English. The composer with the most hymns in the UMH is the greatest hymn composer of all, Charles Wesley.
Although I am unabashedly high church, there are a few low church hymns I really like, "Come, Thou Fount of Many Blessings" and "Blessed Assurance." So what are the differences between high church hymns and low church hymns. First, I might note that any hymn that has the words precious or sweet is low church.
Second, low church hymns often have a "sing-song" quality, e.g. "He lives, He lives, salvation to impart. You ask me how I know He lives, He lives within my heart." High church hymns tend to be either more powerful, e.g. Martin Luther's "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," or more deeply thought and meditative, like Jean Sibelius's "Be Still, My Soul."
Third, first person pronouns--low church hymns primarily use the singular, e.g "Blessed Assurance, Jesus is MINE... This is MY story this is MY song, praising MY savior, all the day long." High church hymns use the plural, "Immortal, invisible, God only wise, in light inaccessible, hid from OUR eyes, most blessed, most, glorious, the ancient of days, almighty victorious, thy great name WE praise."
I suspect that I could take you to high church Duke Chapel for three months, and low church Mt. Pleasant UMC in Chatham County for three months, and you would not hear any hymns that were in both, although both use the United Methodist Hymnal.
New Methodist Hymnals are designed to last 25 years. I grew up on the 1964 hymnal, then moved to the current, 1989 hymnal. A new hymnal was slated to appear in 2014. Work was begun on it, but, basically, the church ran out money. No new UM Hymnal is on the immediate horizon.
There is much more to say on this subject, at least one more blog, coming next Wednesday.
Faithfully,
Christian
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