Compare Old with New

There is good in all traditions and, well . . . not so good. When were you at NOBTS? I'm a music grad from there -- President of the Hymn Society Chapter while there.

Tim

 

Although i'll agree with you that the hymns are superior in a sense of being more scriptually sound, Contemporary music is more abundant to a newer Christian generation. I would like to inform you though that I like to incorporate hymns in our Youth and College Worship services in a more contemporary sound while still systaining the more in depth scriptually sound lyrics.

 

I think we have sacrificed the so-called "richness" of language for the sake of brevity and clarity.

I don't think that's a bad thing in most cases. Why take a paragraph to say what you could clearly say in a sentence? Of course, this doesn't excuse bad grammar and bad writing in general, but clarity should be valued, IMO.

As far as hymns go, I think the older hymns reflect a need to cram an entire systematic theology into one hymn. A hymnal does not have to be a doctrinal textbook. It should be doctrinally sound, but it doesn't have to go into every aspect of every point.

A simple hymn that isn't doctrinally aberrant can do the trick.

Rev 4:8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!"

Simplicity isn't a bad thing, and it doesn't make the hymns less spiritual...unless of course you think the chant of Rev. 4:8 is inferior to the 300-year-old hymns.

FYI: I enjoy selections of older hymns as well as newer music.

 

OK.....which one can today's teenage understand?

Tad

 

Either one, they are both good songs..

But I do want to ask, what is t’assuage?

Is that something you eat with t'eggs, and t'toast for breakfast....
lol'

Just adding a tiny bit of humor.:tongue3: :wavey: :saint:

 

Wow, I just lifted this off the link provided above concerning the lining out vs regular singing...

"However, the opponents of Regular Singing apparently did not express themselves in print, with the exception of John Hammet, who published an essay in 1739 entitled

Promiscuous Singing No Divine Institution; Having neither President nor Precept to support it, either from the Musical Institution of David, or from the Gospel Dispensation. Therefore it ought to be exploded, as being a humane Invention, tending rather to gratify the carnal Ears of Men, than to be acceptable and pleasing Worship to God."

It seems that John Hammet would have loved BB!
I've read statements like this from anti-CCM people.
And to think he was talking about the songs anti-CCM people love! The old hymns.
amazing.

 

wow here is somemore... I think I even read here on BB where someone was walking out of service when CCM was sung....

CCM has been called the music of Satan.
There is nothing new.

"Numbers of Elder and Angry People, bore zealous Testimonies against these wicked Innovations, and this bringing in of Popery. Their zeal transported some of them so far that they would not only use the most opprobrious terms and call the Singing of these Christians a worshipping of the Devil, but they also would run out of the Meetinghouse at the Beginning of the Exercise.29"

 

Just imagine if the people that opposed written hymns, by using the same arguments that Anti-CCM use, would have won the argument..

Hymn books would be from the DEVIL!

 

quote:
"Chants" are ancient music forms...appearing around the 4th or 5th century. Many have attributed Pope Gregory as the inventor; most now believe that this was a form that was evolving during that time--and Gregory (hence "Gregorian Chants") made the most of them."

Could the old chants be like the modern rap music without the beat?
Just a thought.

 

J.D., Tad, you're both right. Today's teen "typically" doesn't want to think in worship, they want to feel. And don't get me started on the "anti-intellectualism" encompassing ALL age groups! The other day, one of my senior adults inmy choir said she didn't like the Hymn "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" because she didn't understand the "Here I raise mine Ebenezer..." verse. She said she'd been singing it for 50 years in church, and finally refused to any longer because it didn't make sense. When I explained it to her, she beamed. "Well, that makes sense," she said. We sang it last week.

 

tinytim: Assuage :wavey:


Joshua: She said she'd been singing it for 50 years in church, and finally refused to any longer because it didn't make sense.

Almost unbelievable that such a long time Saint wouldn't know something like that......or even worse, didn't know and couldn't be bothered asking for so long I would have been asking her there and then to make a list of anything else she didn't get and clear it up.....and out of smilies....ARGH!

That's one thing I've always told Sunday school kids "If I say something and you don't get it, TELL ME. We can take the time and rephrase it."

 

JD, you took the words outta my mouth..
Now I feel better!!

 

The fact is, maybe they should be able to understand both. But, they don't. The first would make no sense at all to them. So, (and I know this isn't going to be popular) but, why sing it then?

Tad

 

Tad -

Shouldn't we sing those songs to teach and educate? Some of the greatest (and sometimes the worst I'll admit) theology is in those great hymns that have tough words in them. To not sing them because they use words like assuage, Ebenezer, or make references to Mt. Pisgah and Zion would be a loss in my opinion.

Students and younger adults not understanding is one thing.
Having no desire to learn and expand your foundations is yet another.

I love all those songs. Heard a new old one the other day... the tune is new, but the verse words are old text. "My Savior, My God" by Aaron Shust. Great song!!

 

Agreed, I said, "Miss Thelma, anymore questions?" And she asked about "Naught be all else to me save that Thou art," from "Be Thou My Vision."

 

It means Philippians 3:8 :wavey:

 

I prefer the hymnals over the new music myself.