This week’s sneak peek is a listing of the hymns they will include. I was a little concerned when I saw the title A Prophet Woman Broke a Jar but I felt a little better when I noted it was written by Bryan Wren.
A prophet woman broke a jar, by Love’s divine appointing.
With rare perfume she filled the room, presiding and anointing.
A prophet woman broke a jar, the sneers of scorn defying.
With rare perfume she filled the room, preparing Christ for dying.
—
Though woman wisdom, woman truth, for centuries were hidden,
unsung, unwritten and unheard, derided and forbidden,
the Spirit’s breath, the Spirit’s fire, on free and slave descending,
can tumble our dividing walls, our shame and sadness mending.
New hymns are important for us, they speak to important changes and new insights and revelations. It is also important to embrace the contributions of hymnody’s past, even when it recalls language that may unsetlle us with graphic images (a fountain filled with blood) or language that some deem offensive because it suggests sexist language (God our Father, Christ our Brother).
I particularly hate what the Presbyterians did to one of my favorite hymns, Be Thou My Vision, in their last hymnal:
This is the language I know and love that was deleted (compressed) in the last hymnal:
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise, Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won, May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
Yes! I know that some get offended when we call God the word KING and that the original poetry says “man’s empty praise.” But shouldn’t hymnody allow for older language as well? For me, the answer is yes.
So go ahead, PCUSA, show us your new glorious hymnal. I look forward to it with joy . . . and some apprehension.
philip copeland says
William McConnell says