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| Chairman, Hymnal Commission |
New hymnal hits sour note for some
BY DAVID YONKE
BLADE RELIGION EDITOR
A new 284-song supplement to the official United Methodist Hymnal is striking a sour note with some church leaders for lyrics that refer to God in feminine terms including "Mothering Christ," "Womb of Life," and "strong mother God."
The five songs in The Faith We Sing that describe God as female are being decried as "radical feminist theology," both inaccurate and unacceptable.
"Unfortunately, this publication, with its questionable theology, will be purchased by thousands of unsuspecting United Methodist churches," said Mark Tooley, director of the United Methodist committee of the Institute on Religion and Democracy in Washington.
James V. Heidinger, president and publisher of Good News, a United Methodist newsletter based in Wilmore, Ky., also expressed concern over lyrics in the hymnal that "appear to depart from the historic understanding of God that we have."
Mr. Heidinger and Mr. Tooley both questioned the way the book was published, bypassing the public discussion that shaped the official United Methodist Hymnal before it was published in 1989.
"It almost seems a little bit futile to be debating whether we like the songs or not because the thing is in print," Mr. Heidinger said.
Hoyt Hickman, editor of The Faith We Sing, emphasized that the supplement is not an official denominational publication but is "simply a trade publication of Abingdon Press."
Abingdon Press is a Nashville-based publishing house owned and operated by the United Methodist Church, and one of the covers for the new book features a cross and flame like the one the denomination uses as its symbol.
Many church officials will mistakenly think the new book is an official publication, Mr. Heidinger predicted.
"The dilemma is that when you print it with a cover similar to the hymnal cover and it comes from the [denomination's] publishing house, for all practical purposes it is an official hymnal being used and purchased and put into practice in our local churches," he said.
Mr. Hickman, who also worked on the official 1989 hymnal, said publishing the supplement was "a very different process because we were not going for official approval." The editors conducted surveys, hired 180 consultants, and met with experts from different denominations who had recently worked on hymnals.
The final version of the supplement was approved by two United Methodist agencies, the Board of Discipleship and the Publishing House.
The new hymn book fills a need for diversity among the denomination, Mr. Hickman said.
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Worship Helps for Methodists
The United Methodist Hymnal
215, "To a Maid Engaged to Joseph": This hymn helps to give non-Catholics an understanding and appreciation of Mary. When told that she is favored and chosen of God, Mary does not celebrate. She is troubled, puzzled, and fearful. As she responds fully to God's call, she provides an example for women and men.
235, "Rock-a-Bye, My Dear Little Boy": This is one of a number of "Mary" hymns that show her role as nurturer, caregiver, and guardian, yet open to the future and whatever "love has destined."
272, "Sing of Mary, Pure and Lowly": This song speaks of Mary, joyful and chosen in her role of mother, but also suffering and full of sadness because of her role — and finally gloriously rewarded.
274, "Woman in the Night": Each of the eight stanzas of this hymn speaks of the role and work of a different woman in relationship to Jesus.
276, "The First One Ever": Each of the three stanzas single out different women for their special roles in Jesus' life: Mary, his mother; the Samaritan woman at the well; and the three women who came to anoint his body in the tomb.
317, "O Sons and Daughters, Let Us Sing": Stanza 2 speaks of the women who came to anoint Jesus' body.
The Faith We Sing
2046, "Womb of Life": This hymn includes feminine images for God and feminine attributes of God — in labor, giving birth, as mother — alongside numerous male images and attributes.
2047, "Bring Many Names": Along with other images for God, stanza two incorporates the image of a "strong mother God, working, planning, ordering, setting things in motion."
2048, "God Weeps": This hymn speaks of the abuse and suffering women face and the hope for change found in Christ.
2101, "Two Fishermen": Stanza three ffirms that Jesus called women (Susanna, Mary, and Magdalene) to be included in his band of followers.
2189, "A Mother Lined a Basket": This hymn tells of three women who, as mothers, had great influence on their children and provided a model for all parents.
2221, "In Unity We Lift Our Song": This hymn includes women as equal partners with men in the congregation of the faithful.
2242, Walk with Me": This hymn includes Mary Magdalene, along with Moses and Peter, among leaders whose lives serve as examples of how God works through us even today.
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GJ - Christian Worship (WELS) was edited to feminize all the hymns. Funny, but everyone thought that made the Liberal Book of Weirdness so bad. The LBW did not create a feminist creed, but WELS did in CW.
The apostates have already won when they get to ruin a hymnal.
I read a letter from the president of the Unitarian Universalist Association. He pointed out that Unitarians were famous for their hymns in the past. Most of those classic Unitarian hymns are no longer used by the UUA members at all. They are still used in liberal Protestant denominations.
John D. Rockefeller Jr. backed the famous apostate who wrote "God of grace and God of glory," Henry E. Fosdick. Junior built him a church, Riverside in NYC. Recent Lutheran hymnals omitted "God of grace" because it was a song bragging about beating the conservatives. WELS included it.
Case closed.
PS - The new LSB is reputed to be the best collection of Lutheran hymns so far - plenty of them included, better translations, etc. I have not used it enough to argue the matter. My source knows all the hymnals and I trust his judgment.
I am not keen on the fever for changing the liturgy all the time. I have not seen any improvements in 50 years.
