Hymns Discussion

[Peter Clark]

Personally I think most service have far too many hymns and that they interrupt the liturgical flow of Eucharistic services. They also, almost certainly, cause more upset and argument in churches than anything else.

 

Malcolm

 

If you mean that hymns must take second place to the proper liturgical movements (Kyrie, Gloria, Sancus, and other euchristic acclamations and Agnus) I agree from my own Catholic perspective , but there are those members of this forum who come from a free church background where hymns are often the embodiment of doctrine, and who would not find use for the Kyrie &c at every service they attend or at which they preside. Worshippers in the Catholic tradition often find spiritual and theological comfort (in both senses of the word) in hymns coming out of the non-conformist experience. And quite franly, thecongregational hymn singing that I have witnessed in such churches knocks the socks off that encountered in my own church!

 

As to upset and argument, the late Cardinal Basil Hume said he often dreaded going back to his monastery (Ampleforth) as the liturgy caused too much bickering!

 

Peter