People sometimes ask me why the words in our hymnals occasionally differ from the versions they remember growing up. I thought I would give you a peek behind the curtain and explain some of the history behind these alterations.
When the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) published the Chalice Hymnal in 1995, it wasn’t just about collecting old favorites; it was about ensuring that our sung theology matched our lived theology. Hymns are not just poems; they are the theology we sing. If we are meant to worship with genuine hearts, we must be able to mean what we sing.
Here is a look at why the denomination updated certain lyrics to better reflect our core theological values, along with a few examples:
1. Radically Inclusive Language for Humanity
As Disciples, we emphasize the priesthood of all believers and an open table where everyone is welcome. However, many older hymns used default masculine terms—like "mankind," "men," or "brothers"—to represent everyone. To align our songs with the Apostle Paul’s vision in Galatians 3:28—"There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus"—the hymnal editors updated lyrics to explicitly include the whole family of God.
• Example: The classic Christmas carol "Good Christian Men, Rejoice" was updated to "Good Christian Friends, Rejoice" to ensure every person in the pew knows they are explicitly included in the song of joy.
2. Expansive Language for God
Historically, hymnody has leaned heavily on masculine pronouns and monarchical titles to describe God. While the Chalice Hymnal retains many of these beloved titles, it also incorporates expansive language to reflect that God transcends human gender and is too vast for a single metaphor. This aligns with Genesis 1:27, which states that humanity was created in God's image, "male and female he created them," and with verses like Isaiah 66:13, where God says, "As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you."
• Example: In the ancient Irish hymn "Be Thou My Vision," the phrase "High King of heaven" was updated in some modern hymnals to "Great God of heaven". This shifts the focus from a human political structure to God's divine majesty.
3. Emphasizing Grace over Degradation
Some hymns written centuries ago utilized language that was intended to show humility but often bordered on self-degradation. The Disciples' theological focus emphasizes that while we are indeed sinners in need of grace, we are also beloved children of God with inherent worth.
• Example: In Isaac Watts’s communion hymn "Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed," the original lyric asked, "Would he devote that sacred head for such a worm as I?" In modern revisions, this is gently altered to, "For sinners such as I?". This preserves the theological truth of our need for salvation without resorting to language that diminishes the image of God within us.
4. Clarifying Archaic Language
Language changes over time, and when words no longer mean what the original author intended, holding onto them can actually obscure the Gospel. Psalm 149:1 calls us to "Sing to the Lord a new song," and sometimes that means making old songs newly understandable.
• Example: In "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing," the phrase "Here I raise my Ebenezer" is an unclear biblical allusion for many modern worshippers. While it refers to a "stone of help" from 1 Samuel 7:12, alternative phrasing is often provided so the congregation can understand the praise they are singing without needing a theological dictionary.
Revising hymnal lyrics is never done lightly. It is a careful process of balancing reverence for Christian history with a commitment to the living, breathing faith of today's church. When we gather at Hurstbourne Christian Church and open the hymnal, these intentional changes allow us to sing with full voice and an open heart. We are singing texts that welcome our neighbors, honor the vastness of our Creator, and invite us all to the Table.