Wednesday, July 17, 2024

It is the 17th of July 2024. Welcome to the Christian History Almanac, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org; I’m Dan van Voorhis.

Welcome back to the almanac on our summer long journey through hundreds (and hundreds) of years in the church looking at some of the biggest names and events in church history.

Today, we remember a man on the 350th anniversary of his birth- a character mentioned on this show before- the father of modern hymnody, Isaac Watts. Today we will remember him and his legacy by looking briefly at his role in the development of church music.

Consider the amount of time and attention spent in modern churches with issues pertaining to music versus the amount of time the New Testament talks about music. And this is not to downplay the significance of vocal worship and music in the life of the Christian- Paul tells us to “Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs.”

The word “hymn”- this is the Greek word used in the Greek Old Testament for worship- in Greek it was “hymnos” a song or ballad of praise to the Gods. Paul found it appropriate for us to take the model from the pagans and apply it to the worship of the one true God.

But, the history of the church was, unfortunately, the history of “professionalization” throughout the growth of the church in the Middle Ages. By the time of the Reformation, singing was done by the professional class while the congregants observed the holy things happening from a distance.  

It was Martin Luther and some of his more “leveling” ideas that brought the German chorale down to the hymn for popular singing. But in the English speaking world things were just a little more conservative.

Singing was fine, but musical instruments could be too ostentatious. Some eliminated instruments. Some thought singing was fine, but only songs from the Bible- which is great, except most of them come from the Old Testament. And that’s great… but… hear Isaac Watts, the man who would do the most to change singing in the English church, on singing psalms exclusively:

“Tho’ the Psalms of David are a Work of admirable and divine Composure, tho’ they contain the noblest Sentiments of Piety, and breathe a most exalted Spirit of Devotion, yet when the best of Christians attempt to sing many of them in our common Translations, that Spirit of Devotion vanishes and is lost, the Psalm dies upon their Lips, and they feel scarce any thing of the holy Pleasure.”

In other words- the Psalms, without Christ- are useless.

And thus Watts- born on this day in 1674- a dissenting evangelical amongst Anglicans- would slowly move English-speaking congregations from exclusive Psalmody- to Psalms adapted for the New Testament to the modern hymn.

Once hymn singing became standard in English-speaking churches, the great German hymns would be translated into English. John Mason Neale, another name tossed about on this show- would become popular as a translator of ancient Christian texts into the new English hymn form- (think “of the Father’s Love Begotten” and ‘O Come O Come Emmanuel).  

Watts was concerned not just with form- but with substance. He was critical of singing just the Psalms because there was no mention of Christ. And he was critical of the standard method of singing that broke down line by line and often left ideas behind for a rhyme, confusing the singer. Watts wanted his song to be sung in full stanza form.

Some of Watts's new hymns- spiritual songs based on Psalms but centered in Christ and suitable for congregational singing- include:

“When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” “O God Our Help in Ages Past,” and “Joy to the World.”

The next time you go to church and open with congregational singing- when you are singing recognizably Jesus-centered worship songs with common melodies designed to suit the text (rather than the other way around) you can thank Isaac Watts- the independent, sometimes dissenting logician who spent the latter part of his life bringing English hymnody into the modern era and infusing the songs with both New Covenant promises and sing-ability- born 350 years ago today on the 17th of July in 1674.

The last word for today is from Watts- lets give him the honor and read from When I Survey the Wondrous Cross:

1. When I survey the wond'rous Cross
       On which the Prince of Glory dy'd,

       My richest Gain I count but Loss,
   
    And pour Contempt on all my Pride.


2. Forbid it, Lord, that I should boast,
   
    Save in the Death of Christ my God:
   
    All the vain Things that charm me most,
   
    I sacrifice them to his Blood.


3. See from his Head, his Hands, his Feet,
   
    Sorrow and Love flow mingled down!
   
    Did e'er such Love and Sorrow meet,
   
    Or Thorns compose so rich a Crown?

This has been the Christian History Almanac for the 17th of July 2024, brought to you by 1517 at 1517.org.

The show is produced by a man known to “turn down for Watts,” Christopher Gillespie.

The show is written and read by a man who may have referenced invading Mormons- not Normans in the 11th c. yesterday… I need to check that out… I’m Dan van Voorhis. 

You can catch us here every day- and remember that the rumors of grace, forgiveness, and the redemption of all things are true…. Everything is going to be ok.