A New Century Hymnal: Ucc Pew Edition

Rating:
Summary: Not the Good Book!
Review: This book changes the texts of traditional hymns in a way that is insulting to the original authors and poets and offensive to musicians. It also does nothing to encourage the creation of NEW hymns reflecting modern language and usage. It probably also plays right into the hands of right-wingers looking for ammunition to use in their hatred of everyone else.

Rating:
Summary: Traditional theology in contemporary garb
Review: What is remarkable in the controversy centering on this hymnal is that its theology is, for the most part, traditional and christocentric--"evangelical" (of the Gospel) in the original sense of the word. While some revisions into contemporary English may be irritating, for the most part the poetry is expressive and sometimes elegant. I would disagree with Michael Montgomery that this essentially is a "free church" hymnal in the tradition of the old "Pilgrim Hymnal." A comparison of the two shows the obvious difference. The New Century Hymnal fully embodies the 20th-century liturgical movement which has restored historic Christian worship to many Protestant churches: it carefully follows the historic Church Year (centered on the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany and Lent-Easter-Pentecost cycles), includes a rich selection of hymns for eucharistic worship, provides a section of responsorial psalms pointed for chant with antiphons, and is the only hymnal I know that includes a complete index of hymns for each Sunday and holy day in the three-year Revised Common Lectionary. It is very much an "ecumenical" hymnal.

Its sources are varied. Many of the old hymns beloved in the evangelical and African American traditions are here, plus the great repertory of the German and English hymn traditions. Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Hispanic and even Hungarian hymns are also well represented. The result is a satisfying diversity not only of musical but also theological styles. But one surprising feature is the rediscovery of the old Latin hymns of the fourth through thirteenth centuries with fresh translations from the original texts into contemporary English.

The theology is balanced and orthodox. Hymns faithfully express both the divine and human natures of Christ. God exists both within and beyond human history. God is companion, lover and savior; but also creator, ruler and judge. There is emphasis on social justice, but also on a personal relationship with Jesus. One side-effect of the search for inclusive language--which has resulted in a substantial reduction of masculine images of God in this hymnal--is the reappearance of neglected biblical metaphors for God.

Rating:
Summary: Traditional theology in contemporary garb
Review: What is remarkable in the controversy centering on this hymnal is that its theology is, for the most part, traditional and christocentric--"evangelical" (of the Gospel) in the original sense of the word. While some revisions into contemporary English may be irritating, for the most part the poetry is expressive and sometimes elegant. I would disagree with Michael Montgomery that this essentially is a "free church" hymnal in the tradition of the old "Pilgrim Hymnal." A comparison of the two shows the obvious difference. The New Century Hymnal fully embodies the 20th-century liturgical movement which has restored historic Christian worship to many Protestant churches: it carefully follows the historic Church Year (centered on the Advent-Christmas-Epiphany and Lent-Easter-Pentecost cycles), includes a rich selection of hymns for eucharistic worship, provides a section of responsorial psalms pointed for chant with antiphons, and is the only hymnal I know that includes a complete index of hymns for each Sunday and holy day in the three-year Revised Common Lectionary. It is very much an "ecumenical" hymnal.

Its sources are varied. Many of the old hymns beloved in the evangelical and African American traditions are here, plus the great repertory of the German and English hymn traditions. Asian, Pacific Islander, Native American, Hispanic and even Hungarian hymns are also well represented. The result is a satisfying diversity not only of musical but also theological styles. But one surprising feature is the rediscovery of the old Latin hymns of the fourth through thirteenth centuries with fresh translations from the original texts into contemporary English.

The theology is balanced and orthodox. Hymns faithfully express both the divine and human natures of Christ. God exists both within and beyond human history. God is companion, lover and savior; but also creator, ruler and judge. There is emphasis on social justice, but also on a personal relationship with Jesus. One side-effect of the search for inclusive language--which has resulted in a substantial reduction of masculine images of God in this hymnal--is the reappearance of neglected biblical metaphors for God.