tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905338294574907561.post7904275166265440763..comments2023-04-06T07:09:43.982-07:00Comments on Capturing Christmas: Lyrics-Based TheologyBethanyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01418020966310000190noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3905338294574907561.post-38512189822471330982008-06-24T22:45:00.000-07:002008-06-24T22:45:00.000-07:00One of my old pastoral mentors once said, "Good hy...One of my old pastoral mentors once said, "Good hymns have kept the church faithful through centuries of bad preaching." I think he's probably right.<BR/>And now, frightfully, you are right about much of what we sing. It can be very, very shallow. I was singing a traditional hymn a few months ago and was struck by the line: "Be of sin the double cure; cleanse me from its guilt and power." (Can you name the hymn without google?) And I remember marveling at the artful connection between these lyrics and whole volumes of Christian theology on the effect and power of sin and the nature of our salvation from it.<BR/>People hardly ever write worhip music with such depth and theological erudition anymore. When they do, it's AWESOME, but it happens too rarely.<BR/>To be fair, though, lest it sound like I'm bashing contemporary worship (which I am not!), we do have to remember that traditional hymns are kind of like a greatest hits of the last 500+ years. There's A LOT from which to choose only the very best.Steve Turnbullhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14737930178323210260noreply@blogger.com