Isaac Watts was an important but relatively unexamined figure and this volume offers a description of his theology, specifically identifying his position on reason and passion as foundational. The book shows how Watts modified a Puritan inherence on both topics in the light of the thought of his day. In particular there is an examination of how he both took on board and reacted against aspects of Enlightenment and sentimentalist thought. Watts' position on these foundational issued of reason and passion are then shown to lie behind his more practical works to revive the church. Graham Beynon examines the motivation for Watts' work in writing hymns, and the way in which he wrote them; and discusses his preaching and prayer. In each of these practical topics Watts's position is compared to earlier Puritans to show the difference his thinking on reason and passion makes in practice. Isaac Watts is shown to have a coherent position on the foundational issues of reason and passion which drove his view of revival of religion.

A new edition of the popular 'office' hymn book, Hymns for Prayer and Praise provides carefully-selected hymns for the daily monastic office, the Calendar of Saints and the seasons of the Christian year. First published in 1996, this new edition has been updated in light of Common Worship: Daily Prayer. A 'chant' and 'melody' form are provided for each hymn, allowing the material to be used in both community and congregational contexts. Available in both Full Music and Melody editions, Hymns for Prayer and Praise draws on ancient patterns of worship to meet present day needs.

Despite the presence of many beautiful Advent songs in many of our hymnals, most of us would prefer to skip right to singing our favorite Christmas carols. But in our rush to get to the joy of Christmas, we forget what Advent is all about--watching and waiting for the coming of a promised king. It is not about shopping, partying, gift wrapping, and vacationing. It is about resting, trusting, praying, and seeking. Through the words of moving Advent hymns and the powerful words of Scripture, Songs for the Waiting will help readers reclaim a sense of the beautiful anticipation and preparation that is central to Advent.

This volume by Gracia Grindal introduces English-speaking readers to several significant yet unsung Lutheran women hymn writers from the sixteenth century to the present. After a brief introductory discussion of Elisabeth Cruciger, the first woman hymn writer of the Reformation, Grindal provides fascinating profiles of these talented Scandinavian women who "preached from home": Dorothe Engelbretsdatter, Birgitte Hertz Boye, Berthe Canutte Aarflot, Lina Sandell, Britt G. Hallqvist, and Lisbeth Smedegaard Andersen. Grindal not only gives a biographical account of each woman her life, her piety, her times but also offers sparkling new English translations of each writer's key hymns. In the last chapter Grindal recounts her own inspiring journey as a Lutheran woman hymn writer. Her Preaching from Home will open the door to a world previously unknown to most North Americans.

Previously titled "The New St Paul's Cathedral Psalter" this new edition with its new name reflects its wider purpose of resourcing parish churches in their regular worship. Use of the "Psalms" in worship is growing since the introduction of the Common Worship lectionary and Psalter has placed renewed emphasis on them. Here, using Coverdale's translation of the "Psalms" from the "Book of Common Prayer," the very best of Anglican chant is married to texts that have been used to sing the transcendent glory of God in temple, synagogue and church for three thousand years. At the same time, the "Psalms" are ruthlessly honest in their portrayal of conflicting human emotions. Many psalters have excised the verses that speak of vengeance, hatred and anger, yet as CS Lewis wrote, these are the same feelings we find in our own hearts so here they are retained, to be included or omitted as local preference or the occasion dictates. It includes work by renowned composers past and present including Elgar, Parry, Stanford, Stainer, Wesley, Malcolm Archer, David Willcocks, John Barnard, and many more.

This tabulated guide enables clergy and worship leaders to choose hymns that relate to the day's Bible readings for each Sunday, major holy days and festivals throughout the Christian year. Three cycles are offered for years A, B and C of the lectionary. Listings are included from all the main hymn books in popular use. New in this volume are: "CH4", "The Irish Presbyterian Hymn Book", and "New English Praise". Other books featured are "Common Praise", "Hymns Old & New", "Complete Mission Praise" and other leading denominational hymn books. A range of choices is offered for opening, gradual, offertory and closing hymns. All selections are labelled to show whether they relate to the Old Testament, Psalm, Epistle or Gospel reading. For every occasion between twenty and thirty hymns are suggested, making for more integrated and enhanced acts of worship.

Zion Still Sings Pulls together a vibrant collection of songs and hymns from many sources: African American spirituals Black gospel Traditional hymns New hymns published in the 21st century Urban rap Hip Hop

This collection of favorites is also the first publication to include very contemporary Black church music. Yet this book is not a songbook just for the African American church. This collection contains arranged accompaniments and medleys that can help any church learn the musical styles used in many Black churches today. 40 Pew Editions per case.

Here are the full original texts of 150 of the best-loved hymns in the English language, from the time of the Early Church to the late 20th century. Each is accompanied by a fascinating commentary, giving biographical details of the author, such as the Calvinist creator of Rock of Ages who once calculated that the average human sins 2,522,880,000 times; notes on the circumstances in which the hymn was written and how it has been used; and variant versions including the parodies of 'The Church's One Foundation' and 'What a friend we have in Jesus' sung by British soldiers in the trenches of Flanders in the First World War. This book should greatly assist all those responsible for choosing hymns in churches and places of worship, provide rich resources for bedside reading and meditation and provide useful background material for the millions who watch Songs of Praise on television every Sunday evening. Ian Bradley's commentaries combine wit, elegance and charm with a scholar's erudition and expert knowledge. He has enjoyed singing hymns and playing them on the piano for as long as he can remember.He attributes the origin of this enthusiasm to his father's enthusiasm for revivalist hymns and choruses and his own exposure as a boy to thundering hymns in the chapel of Tonbridge School. Among his other enthusiasms are Gilbert and Sullivan, European spas, hill walking and tennis.

A unique publication to commemorate the centenary of The English Hymnal in 2006 with contributions from some of the foremost personalities from the field of hymnody today, covering the background, development and hundred-year history of the most popular Anglo-Catholic hymnal ever published in this country.

Music in Christian Worship explores Charlotte Kroeker's conception of church music as sung prayer. Kroeker's lifelong experience with church music has allowed her to see that church music as sung prayer requires faithful theology, quality music, and accessibility for parishioners. Church music is interdisciplinary, requiring astute theologians, knowledgeable and competent musicians, and pastoral sensitivities for working with congregations. In addition to addressing the overarching issues in sacred music and the church, Music in Christian Worshipdemonstrates that music as sung prayer requires much more than music alone and approaches church music from a unique perspective, stressing the theological, musical, and pastoral aspects of sacred music. Kroeker's work contains essays by various philosophers, theologians, musicians, and historians who have contributed much to the creation of dynamic music for worship. The result is a work that truly demonstrates how music can effectively serve the liturgy. Charlotte Kroeker, PhD, is director of church music initiative at the Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame and a trained performance pianist and teacher.

Changing your worship service doesn???t have to be a nightmare. It is possible to introduce new worship ideas in a way that your congregation, both young and old, can accept. The New Worship, revised and expanded, shows everyone involved in music and worship planning how to smoothly navigate the changes. Gain practical insight that will help guide the entire scope and direction of your worship program and solidify your philosophy of worship as well. "Only one book speaks with equal authority on issues of worship planning and practice, history, theology, and the spiritual formation of worshipers: The New Worship. It is a treasure trove of fresh insight, research, and some of the most practical worship application available." ???Sally Morgenthaler, author, Worship Evangelism: Inviting Unbelievers into the Presence of God "A commendable job of carefully listening to the various textual communities within the contemporary landscape while weaving a solid fabric of biblical exegesis and commonsense application." ???Chuck Fromm, Worship Leader magazine "If you are looking for a succinct and practical guide that touches on the week-to-week issues faced by pastors and worship leaders???this is it." ???Robert Webber, director and founder, The Institute for Worship Studies "Traditionalists need to understand and appreciate those advocating contemporary styles; contemporary worship leaders must understand and appreciated the traditionalists, too. Liesch provides all the tools to help us in this quest." ???Congregational Leadership

Wren discusses the thorny issues involving congregational singing today: the indispensable nature of public worship; contemporary worship music; the lyrics of different types of congregational songs, such as choruses, hymns, chants and ritual songs; and the importance of using hymn lyrics as poetry. He shows why hymn lyrics are altered throughout time and how they illustrate theology.

Unlike its more pristine relation, the hymn, the carol has an earthy and exuberant heritage derived from folk dances and pagan festivals. Carols are associated with festive occasions that often involve eating and drinking, and there have even been attempts to ban them in earlier centuries. Ian Bradley's expansive collection of carols explores the richness of the genre both chronologically and geographically, placing each carol in its historical context, from the fifteenth century to the 1990s, and covering every variety of carol, from African-American spirituals and Caribbean calypso to old favorites such as "O Come, All Ye Faithful" and "Away in a Manger". Here are enthralling anecdotes, long-lost verses, and tidings of comfort and joy for all.

52 Hymn Story Devotions is ideal for anyone who enjoys hymns and leads devotions at church meetings, choir rehearsals, and Sunday school. The volume can also be used by individuals for personal devotions. Key Features: Each devotion includes a Scripture reference, printed hymn text, and commentary Provides devotionals based on 52 familiar hymns Devotions can be read verbatim by leader or party member Key Benefits: Helps choirs with the spiritual aspect of choir membership Can be given to a choir member to read with no advanced preparation Allows choir directors to use devotions to strengthen the choir ministry"

Why do people sing hymns? Are hymns poetry? What makes a good hymn? The author discusses the nature of hymns and their particular appeal, examines the English hymn as a literary form, and systematically describes its development through four centuries, from the Reformation to the mid-twentieth century.

Intended for liturgical music majors as well as professional pastoral musicians, pastors, and liturgical practitioners, "Liturgy and Music" provides a solid introduction to the scope and role of liturgical music in both Catholic and Christian worship. It offers a comprehensive theological approach to liturgical music and breaks new ground for both a theology of liturgy and a theology of liturgical music.

"Liturgy and Music"is divided into two parts, worship/liturgy" and "liturgical music." Part one covers foundational topics in worship/liturgy, including the liturgical year, sacred time, space, and symbols, ritual, Eucharist, homily, and the worshiping assembly. Part two examines liturgical/church music, including its forms and functions, music as liturgy and prayer, music as corporate praise in both the Reformation and Catholic traditions, and formation for liturgical music. Each part concludes with a bibliographic chapter.

It is a lifetime learning process to discover new ways that musical liturgy can raise people up to encounter God in praise and thanksgiving. "Liturgy and Music" assists that learning process by leading liturgical music professionals and others to a full-throated worship of God.

Essays and contributors included in part one are: "What Is Liturgical Worship," by Mary M. Schaefer; "The Liturgical Year," by Thomas J. Talley; "Liturgical Assembly: Who Is the Subject of Liturgy?" by Joyce Ann Zimmerman, CPPS; "Putting Heart into Liturgy," by William Cieslak, OFM Cap; "Symbolic Actions in Christian Worship," by Patrick Byrne; "Ritual: Straight Jacket or Dancing Shoes?" by Joseph Fortuna; "Must Eucharist Do Everything?" by John F. Baldovin; "Theology, Styles, and Structure of the Liturgy of the Hours," by Austin H. Fleming; "Homily as Proclamation," by Joyce Ann Zimmerman, CPPS; "General Intercessions," by Joyce Ann Zimmerman, CPPS; "Liturgical Spirituality: Living What We Sing About," by James Dalen; and "Liturgy and Worship: A Select Pastoral Bibliography," by Joyce Ann Zimmerman, CPPS.

Essays and contributors included in part two are: "What Is Liturgical Music?" by Robin A. Leaver; "Liturgical Music as Music: The Contribution of the Human Sciences," by J. Michal Joncas; "Liturgical Music: Its Forms and Functions," by Raymond Glover; "Liturgical Music as Liturgy," by William T. Flynn; "Liturgical Music as Prayer," by Kathleen Harmon, SND de N; "Liturgical Music as Corporate Song 1: Hymnody in Reformation Churches," by Robin A. Leaver; "Liturgical Music as Corporate Song 2: Problems of Hymnody in Catholic Worship," by Frank C. Quinn, OP; "Liturgical Music as Corporate Song 3: Opportunities for Hymnody in Catholic Worship," by Michal James Molloy; "Liturgical Music as Homily and Hermeneutic," by Robin A. Leaver; "Liturgical Music, Culturally Tuned," by Mark Bangert; "Liturgical Musical Formation," by Don E. Saliers; "Liturgical Music as Anamnesis," by Robin A. Leaver."

Justice has been an urgent concern of twentieth-century hymn writers, but are they the first to place such an emphasis on it? In Let Justice Sing, Paul Westermeyer offers an answer with the hope that it will stimulate dialogue, future studies, and an understanding of the past that can be applied to the present. Let Justice Sing explores the content, context, and importance of justice within the warp and woof" of hymnody. By analyzing these aspects and past hymnic repertoires, it suggests to the Church and others who wish to join the moral deliberation it presumes, that not only have Christians always sung about justice, but the message transcends the messengers. The perspective and dialogue fostered by Let Justice Sing is directed to students in college or seminary courses where hymnody, Church music, or ethics is the topic; adults in forums or classes where questions about music and justice arise; and anyone with an interest in hymnody, justice, or the relationship between the two. Chapters are "Content: The Twentieth Century": "Content: Before the Twentieth Century, I"; "Content: Before the Twentieth Century, II"; "Context"; and "Hymnody and Justice." Paul Westermeyer, PhD, is Professor of Church Music at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota. He teaches, directs music, and administers a master of sacred music degree program with St. Olaf College. His writing includes numerous articles and books. "

From Sacred Song to Ritual Music identifies the shifts in understanding that have led to significant changes in Roman Catholic worship music theory and practice during the twentieth century. In this guide, nine documents are chosen to answer five questions for the future: What is Roman-Catholic worship music? What is its purpose? What are its qualities? Who makes it? and How should it be played? Father Joncas documents the changing attitudes about Roman Catholic worship music in papal, conciliar, and curial documents for the Roman Rite throughout the world, and then narrows his focus to bishops' conference and scholarly documents produced in the United States. The nine documents he examines are Trale sollecitudini, Musicae sacrae disciplina, De musica sacra et sacraliturgia ad mentem litterarum PiiPapae XII Musicae sacrae disciplina" et "Mediator Dei," Sacrosanctum Concilium, Musicam Sacram, Music in Catholic Worship, Liturgical Music Today, The Milwaukee Symposia for Church Composers: A Ten-Year Report, and The Snowbird Statement on Catholic Liturgical Music. He concludes with reflections on the theories and practices marking the United States' liturgical renewal. From Sacred Song to Ritual Music clearly identifies for Roman Catholic church musicians, pastors, and liturgists the revolution that has occurred both in theory and in practice this century. Father Joncas shows that these nine documents are a source of inspiration and encouragement for all who generate, participate in, lead, sustain, and evaluate the worship music of the Roman rite in its journey "from sacred song to ritual music." Jan Michal Joncas is assistant professor of theology at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minnesota. He holds liturgy degrees from the University of Notre Dame and the Pontifical Liturgical Institute. He has served in parish work and campus ministry and is a composer and editor of liturgical music. "

This collection of familiar hymn texts offers readers an opportunity to read and enjoy the language and poetry of their favorite hymns free of the encumbering musical notation. Reading the hymn texts is spiritually enriching and will also enable the reader to sing the hymns with greater understanding.

White Soul examines the social, political, and religious foundations of country music as the soul music of white, working-class Americans.

Country music gives voice to an economically battered subculture of hard-living and hard-working people who find self-expression in the music of honky-tonks and heartaches. It celebrates the "wild side of life" as a form of populist anarchism and escapist festivity. This unusual medley of sociology, theology, and country music history is also a compelling critique of the elitism of "good taste" in the dominant culture.

Tex Sample challenges the church to reach out to working-class people, who have often been ignored and demeaned by churches held captive to the tastes and lifestyles of the upper middle class.

What is the future of liturgical song? The answer to that question, says Lucien Deiss, depends upon the development of the liturgy itself and the search for better ways to spread the Gospel. Drawing upon the riches of the past to guide that search, this book reflects on what is desirable today. Making the ministerial function of music and song the point of reference - and the key to all questions - it discusses every musical aspect, from processions, acclamations and responsorial psalms, to hymns, the Credo and the cantillation of the readings. The book outlines present-day practices, makes suggestions for improvement, and contributes sound, creative ideas for the future. Using his broad historical and musical knowledge of the Church's liturgy, Father Deiss takes readers through the Eucharistic celebration. The book reflects not just on the liturgy's repertoire of music and song, but also on the roles of those who participate in its formation: priest, choir, music, liturgist, organist, cantor and congregation.

"A Symphony of New Testament Hymns" opens a window of insight into familiar Scripture passages - poetic passages that were later often set to music. By showing that the composers of some of these traditional New Testament, pre-60 C.E. hymns intentionally created passages that are lyrical or hymnic within the prose, this work presents the sometimes hidden depth behind their construction and meaning.

Inspired by Roy Harris' "Folksong Symphony," Father Karris arranges his treatment of Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20, Ephesians 2:14-16, Timothy 3:16, 2 Timothy 2:11-13, Titus 3:4-7, and 1 Peter 3:18-22 in a way that faith-fully addresses today's spiritual concerns, such as spirituality, ecology, reconciliation, baptism, and angels.

The first book in English in thirty years to study New Testament hymns, "A Symphony of New Testament Hymns" brings readers greater enjoyment of these lesser-known Pauline hymns and a deepening of faith. Father Karris contends we have much to learn from what these songs proclaimed about Jesus at a time when the four gospels hadn't been published.

The first chapters, Beginnings" and "Background," address the nature of hymns. Subsequent chapters contain a translation and analysis of the above texts, a study of contexts, key concepts and images, suggestions for reflection on the contemporary significance of the hymn, and an annotated bibliography. The concluding chapter offers a retrospective look at the many Christological themes reflected in the texts.

ViewingPaul's letters and the common New Testament introduction topics from a refreshingly unique perspective, A Symphony of New Testament Hymns is especially appropriate for students and professors of the New Testament. Those looking for biblical spirituality, liturgists and musicians looking for new texts to set, and those in catechetical work - especially those involved in the RCIA - will also benefit from Father Karris' distinctive look at how the earliest Christians lyrically proclaimed Jesus Christ as Lord.

"Robert J. Karris, OFM, taught New Testament for sixteen years at Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. He is a veteran author, known primarily for his studies on Luke. He holds a ThD from Harvard University.""