Well put. I have been saying this too. I would go one further and say that the importing of massive quantities of foreign hymnody has inhibited the production of any hymns by us at all. That is, if we had guarded our hymnals more wisely, our talented poets would have stepped in to fill the "void" left by our fathers (if a void can even be said to exist). But if we simply beg hymns from other sects when we think that we need them, why bother cultivating our own talent?
This is a matter I would like to explore further in a future article.
That is a point which deserves further study. I hadn’t really considered that until I read your comment. I would certainly look forward to an article on that point.
“I often wonder how much stronger the various churches of the LCMS’s commitment to the Lutheran Confessions would be if they readopted the hymns of our forefathers.”
Not LCMS, but when I got my copy of Walther’s Hymnal I asked the same question. I had no idea we had such treasures hidden there!
Well put. I have been saying this too. I would go one further and say that the importing of massive quantities of foreign hymnody has inhibited the production of any hymns by us at all. That is, if we had guarded our hymnals more wisely, our talented poets would have stepped in to fill the "void" left by our fathers (if a void can even be said to exist). But if we simply beg hymns from other sects when we think that we need them, why bother cultivating our own talent?
This is a matter I would like to explore further in a future article.
That is a point which deserves further study. I hadn’t really considered that until I read your comment. I would certainly look forward to an article on that point.
“I often wonder how much stronger the various churches of the LCMS’s commitment to the Lutheran Confessions would be if they readopted the hymns of our forefathers.”
Not LCMS, but when I got my copy of Walther’s Hymnal I asked the same question. I had no idea we had such treasures hidden there!
Great things for our pastors to consider.
Walther's Hymnal stands as witness against our unfaithfulness.