Comments on: Charles Wesley: And Can It Be http://www.mattandnancy.org/music/charles-wesley-and-can-it-be/ Thu, 07 Aug 2008 19:08:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Matt http://www.mattandnancy.org/music/charles-wesley-and-can-it-be/#comment-7756 Matt Sun, 07 Oct 2007 01:03:53 +0000 http://www.mattandnancy.org/music/charles-wesley-and-can-it-be/#comment-7756 I'd modify your statement only slightly: "Hymns that have survived the ages...." There have been 100s of thousands of hymns written through the centuries, and we have only several hundred left after a sort of hymnological natural selection. So your statement, while true, has nothing to do with something inherent to hymns or hymn writing, but due to the fact that the ones that have survived are golden. I've heard some old hymns that were just plain ridiculous :) But as musicians in the church, I think we would do well to preserve the lyrics of the classics. I’d modify your statement only slightly: “Hymns that have survived the ages….”

There have been 100s of thousands of hymns written through the centuries, and we have only several hundred left after a sort of hymnological natural selection.

So your statement, while true, has nothing to do with something inherent to hymns or hymn writing, but due to the fact that the ones that have survived are golden. I’ve heard some old hymns that were just plain ridiculous :)

But as musicians in the church, I think we would do well to preserve the lyrics of the classics.

]]> By: Megan http://www.mattandnancy.org/music/charles-wesley-and-can-it-be/#comment-7755 Megan Sat, 06 Oct 2007 16:27:48 +0000 http://www.mattandnancy.org/music/charles-wesley-and-can-it-be/#comment-7755 Although some of the words and traditional instrumentation of hymns are antiquated, the message in the lyrics routinely surpasses that of contemporary Christian music. Not only do hymn lyrics reflect the writer's deep relationship with Christ, but they are frequently rife with theological reflection and insights. Hymns are under-appreciated! Although some of the words and traditional instrumentation of hymns are antiquated, the message in the lyrics routinely surpasses that of contemporary Christian music. Not only do hymn lyrics reflect the writer’s deep relationship with Christ, but they are frequently rife with theological reflection and insights. Hymns are under-appreciated!

]]>