In a [brief article on the Trinity](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Articles_on_the_Westminster_Confession_of_Faith/4) by Gordon H. Clark, he makes a surprising claim about a popular trinitarian hymn: > The hymn book of one denomination has rewritten "Holy, Holy, Holy," so as to exclude all reference to "God in Three Persons, Blessed Trinity." I'd like to know what hymn book and denomination he's referring to. [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy,_Holy,_Holy) doesn't mention any such rendition, and he doesn't provide any other identifying information about this denomination. It's possible that the following paragraph's contrast to the "Presbyterian church" indicates that the change was made in a non-presbyterian hymnal, but that's not definitive. And this article was written in 1954, so the hymnal must have been published before then, but probably not long before. Which denomination and hymnal is Clark likely referring to?

Jeremy Camp is a contemporary Christian artist known for music that deals with faith, suffering, and hope. His song "He Knows" contains the lyric: >All the bitter weary ways Endless striving day by day You barely have the strength to pray In the valley low And how hard your fight has been How deep the pain within Wounds that no one else has seen Hurts too much to show All the doubt you're standing in between And all the weight that brings you to your knees He knows He knows Every hurt and every sting He has walked the suffering This lyric suggests that Christ understands not just our physical suffering, but also our internal struggles and doubts. The song is often described as encouraging and biblically grounded. I’m seeking to understand what biblical and theological principles should be applied to evaluate whether such a song is inspired by the Holy Spirit. I’m not looking for personal opinions on musical style, but for scripturally grounded criteria such as alignment with biblical truth, spiritual fruit, and edification of the Church.

The wikipedia entry for Christian Metal says that some of the stations which do play said genre: > as a whole these larger stations generally maintain a GMA-prescribed format. > > [Christian metal (Wikipedia)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_metal) That would seem to exclude metal since the GMA's mission statement apparently is: > Founded in 1964, the Gospel Music Association serves as the face and voice for the Christian/Gospel music community and is dedicated to exposing, promoting and celebrating the gospel through music of all styles including pop, rock, praise & worship, black gospel, R&B;, hip hop, southern gospel, country, and more. I guess it says all styles "including" and not to the exclusion of. But what is the connection between GMA and the many Contemporary Christian Music stations around the country and what, exactly, would be likely to not meet their seal of quality?

From The Big Bang Theory S10E12 : > Mary: Thank you, God, for the food we are about to receive and for the nourishment of our bodies and bless the hands that prepared it. Amen. > > Sheldon: Given that your hands prepared it, isn't that a little self-serving? > > Mary: You start changing the words to the prayers, next thing you know, you're in a church with a guitar. --- Not sure if this is to do with Christianity or some TBBT inside joke I'm missing like Sheldon changes words to prayers at home and then later changes words to prayers in church.

Recently I encountered someone who, upon hearing the song "[Baba Yetu](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baba_Yetu) ," a rendition of the Lord's Prayer in Swahili, assumed that it is widely used in the Swahili-speaking church in Africa. However, the song was actually written by an American for a video game – not the church. The song went on to win a Grammy and is now performed around the world by professional choirs and ensembles. Wikipedia indicates that there have been some high-profile performances of the song in Africa. But I want to know: **To what extent has the Swahili-speaking African church actually incorporated this song into their worship?** I realize a definitive answer is likely difficult, but here are a few thoughts on what kinds of evidence might be good indicators: - inclusion in a published Swahili-language/African church songbook/hymnal, - demonstrated use in Christian conferences/seminars taking place in Africa - testimony of a local church leader/missionary

I am interested in the oldest Anglican hymns that are still in use either in the (https://archive.org/details/hymnalofprotesta0000prot/page/n5/mode/2up) or the [1982 Episcopal hymnals](https://archive.org/details/hymnal1982accord00epis/page/n3/mode/2up) .

I just heard on [the loopCast](https://open.spotify.com/episode/72M8UH1L74eYIRfh2R9Ngn?si=8875c901459745a0) that the Jefferson diocese banned the following hymns from use at churches: - All Are Welcome - Ashes - Bread of Life - Celtic Alleluia - Covenant Hymn - For the Healing of the Nations - God Has Chosen Me - Haleluya! We Sing Your Praises - Led By the Spirit - Many and Great - Table of Plenty - Three Days https://diojeffcity.org/blog/2024/10/28/decree-prohibiting-certain-hymns-and-listing-suggested-mass-settings/ I understand the banned composers are under suspicion of some sort of malfeasance, but what was the reason for banning these songs? I don't love many of them, but I do love "Table of Plenty" - especially the John Michael Talbot version. Are these songs just bad for liturgy or are they bad in general? And what in particular is bad about each of these songs?

Canons, troparia, kontakia, aposticha, stichera, etc. all have a tone/mode associated with them. How does the author of the hymn choose which mode/tone to use? Is it the same for all, or is it a little different for each type of hymn? (I'm referring here specifically to hymns written to commemorate Saints. Hymns composed for the Octoechos or for Pascha I already somewhat understand why they are written for a particular tone/mode).

I would like to find the earliest source containing the *Stabat Mater* melody on page 1634V from *The Liber Usualis* , Solesmes, 1961 edition: If the earliest source is not known, I would like a source before 1961. I checked the 1896 *Liber Usualis* (pg 1229) and the 1924 *Liber Usualis* (pg 1644), but both have a different melody.

I have heard the arguments for and against an extended time of worship at the start of a church service. My question, though, is more historical. **Where did this approach to sung worship originate; as opposed to songs or hymns interspersed throughout the service?** For example, every charistmatic/pentecostal church I've been to, in more than one country, has the same basic structure (half an hour or so of sung worship, then the sermon, then maybe another song or two at the end). There must be a common root for that somewhere. Did some worship leaders get together once and discuss it? Or did some megachurch do it, and then it was copied from there? Or did churches start to copy rock concerts and then it became the norm? Or something else? **Where did this specific idea of having a "worship set" at the start of the service come from?**

I have often heard historical arguments like the following against the use of musical instruments: > Neither he [Paul] nor any other apostle, nor the Lord Jesus, nor any of the disciples for five hundred years, used instruments. This too, in the face of the fact that the Jews had used instruments in the days of their prosperity and that the Greeks and heathen nations all used them in their worship. They were dropped out with such emphasis that they were not taken up till the middle of the Dark Ages, and came in as part of the order of the Roman Catholic Church. It seems there cannot be doubt but that the use of instrumental music in connection with the worship of God, whether used as a part of the worship or as an attraction accompaniment, is unauthorized by God and violates the oft-repeated prohibition to add nothing to, take nothing from, the commandments of the Lord. It destroys the difference between the clean and the unclean, the holy and unholy, counts the blood of the Son of God unclean, and tramples under foot the authority of the Son of God. They have not been authorized by God or sanctified with the blood of his Son. > > — David Lipscomb, Queries and Answers by David Lipscomb, pp. 226-227, and Gospel Advocate, 1899, pp. 376-377. Taken from jasonsbibleblog.com . The argument is that the original Christians did not use musical instruments—even though the Jews and all other religions at the time did use them. Therefore, the argument goes, Christians should not use musical instruments in worship. Does the quote above accurately portray early church history? I am not asking for the validity of the conclusions, only for whether Lipscomb gets the history right.

It has been suggested to me that some Christians believe that rock music is inherently immoral, and as a result they believe that Christians would do well to avoid the entire genre. For example, several older Christians have told me that statements about the immorality of rock were more common back in the 60s and 70s. Apparently, American evangelist Bob Larson was against rock music, and that he was lampooned for these view by Larry Norman, a musician who wrote rock music with a gospel theme. If this perspective is widespread, are there denominations that are opposed to rock music? Is there a cross-denominational movement that objects to rock music on the grounds that the genre is in some way unholy? I met someone in my previous church who held this view, but I was never able to get a straight answer from her as to why. Was this just a personal perspective, or is this a widespread perspective amongst Christians? If there is an anti-rock music movement amongst Christians, where did it originate? What is the basis for the belief? Are there particular Bible verses or doctrinal stances that underpin the anti-rock stance? In answering the question, note that I'm not interested in debating whether or not rock music is *actually* immoral. I just want to know if / why groups of Christians believe it to be so.

While I was searching in Youtube about music backmasking I found this video and there *(a few minutes starting the video)*, the narrator says: > [...] The angel [Lucifer] was head over the music in the Heaven. After that, I made a quick Google search about [Satan was a singer] and I found a here that this cannot be answered. I ask this because when I read the Bible *- "DHH or "Dios Habla Hoy" Spanish version"-* and checking the verses I cannot neither understand or think in a relation between Satan/Lucifer and music. My question is: was Satan/Lucifer the angel of music before his fall? I'm interested in a Roman Catholic response *(or Vatican statement about this)* but I want check other perspectives about this topic.

I was singing "Were you there..." to myself while planting potatoes yesterday evening after the Good Friday service, I got to the stone being rolled away and I couldn't help but think there were a lot more verses to this song when I was a kid and it just kept going on and on forever. Is there a complete list of verses (perhaps in multiple hymnals and by different authors) to the verses of "Were you there when they Crucified my Lord"?

Can someone point me to the earliest source that contains the melody for *Adoro te devote*? I've checked on the Cantus Index, as well as MMMO database and have not been able to find anything on this hymn. I want to view the document. If you don't know the earliest one, can you point me to an early one? I'm guessing it would be 18th century.

I recently heard that at the end of Mass, if the recessional hymn has the form of a prayer that the priest is supposed to remain at the altar until the hymn/prayer is done. I'd imagine this is coordinated between the priest and the music director so that the priest isn't taken by surprise and has to lasso the altar boys. Is there a list of hymns which are also prayers or some other cryptic markings in music that indicate the hymn is also a prayer. This was a hymn on the Feast of the Archangels, where the three verses were prayers specific addressed to each of the archangels. I believe it was this hymn: > Christ, the fair glory of the holy angels, Thou Who hast made us, Thou > Who o’er us rulest, Grant of Thy mercy unto us Thy servants Steps up > to Heaven. > > Send Thy archangel, Michael, to our succor; Peacemaker blessèd, may he > banish from us Striving and hatred, so that for the peaceful All > things may prosper. > > Send Thy archangel, Gabriel, the mighty; Herald of Heaven, may he from > us mortals Spurn the old serpent, watching o’er the temples Where Thou > art worshipped. > > Send thy archangel, Raphael, the restorer Of the misguided ways of men > who wander, Who at Thy bidding strengthens soul and body With Thine > anointing. > https://hymnary.org/text/christ_the_fair_glory_of_the_holy_ang_th Which definitely reads more like a prayer than "How Great Thou Art" or "Morning has Broken" Usually the recessional hymns are just the normal songs from the hymnal, but I think this one was special in some way - possibly specific to this feast day?

In my experience, every church I've either been in or seen recorded ask the congregation to stand when they sing. Without having done a scientific study, it seems this is a near-universal practice among Christians (and please correct me if this is wrong). Is there a biblical basis for this, or is it merely a wide-reaching convention? If so, is there anything to suggest when or how this practice may have begun? *I recognise this question may be at the border of what's on-topic. I've tried to keep in on-topic by not asking why we sing, but for the biblical basis and history of this specific Christian practice. Given this practice seems to be the same amongst many denominations, I hope it's ok not to specify a particular group.*

Regarding this verse of the traditional folk song “Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel”: > The moon runs down in a purple stream And the sun refused to shine And every star did disappear Yes, freedom shall be mine I realize that the second and third line allude to the Biblical passage about the sun disappearing at the moment of Christ's death. But what about the first line? What is this an allusion to?

When I was a kid, I had a cassette by I think a pair of male artists, probably accompanied by acoustic guitar? One of the tracks included these lyrics: "Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed into his world by the renewing, by the renewing of your mind." I think there might’ve been a bee on the tape cover or maybe one of the guys just accentuated the word “beeee” in the song. I can’t recall any of the other tracks. I’ve searched Safari, Duck Duck Go, YouTube, and Spotify and haven’t found it. Does anyone else remember the artists’ names, the album title, anything like that?

The lyric contains the words "Where I’d Superman when you need a helping hand?"