No this is not a post about the young vs. the old. These two posts – post 1, post 2 – from the Faith & Theology blog summarize my thoughts on quality hymns.
Our hymnbooks (we have two in the pews) have collected the best that certain traditions have offered. Lutheran Service Book sifts the best of the Lutheran tradition and includes just plain english staples – like those by Isaac Watts or the occasional Wesley Hymn. It basically covers the years 1520 – 1995. Hymns for the Family of God aims for the larger Reformed stream and covers roughly the same time with its “golden age” being later.
There is a newer hymnbook bring written and produced right now. The disadvantage we have with new songs is picking through the dross. Or even tougher, of picking through the merely catchy from the truly good. Another way to see this is take a look at the Elvis Pressley song list. Everybody knows and still likes “Hound Dog” but who even knows what “Hot Dog” is? You can do the same thing to the Beatles. What song on the radio today will you hear 50 years from now? 100 years? And it would still have the power to speak to people?
There are times when Chronological Discrimination is called for. Sometimes you just want to hear something new and modern and it speaks simply because it is new. Who knows if it will speak a year from now. Sometimes you need to hear Amazing Grace or since we are in Lent – O Sacred Head, Now Wounded – that chart topper of the 1100′s by the monk Bernard of Clairvaux with a setting by J. S. Bach.
Not everybody’s discrimination is the same, but we are called the Children of God. Remember how mom made sure everybody got a chance at riding the the front seat?
