Lutheranism's Sweetest Voice Turns 400: Paul Gerhardt's beloved hymns were a product of suffering

Concordia Seminary Institute on Lay Vocation ^ | February 23, 2007 | Uwe Siemon-Netto

[Charles Henrickson]

Today is the 400th anniversary of the birth of the great hymn writer, Paul Gerhardt (1607-76).

[StrictTime]

It says a great deal about Christianity’s trivialization in the last 400 years that a retiring bishop of the Church of England recently informed an interviewer he considered it his greatest accomplishment to have purged this choral [Now Thank We All Our God] – the basis of a wonderful cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach – from the hymnals in his diocese. The significance of the cross clearly eluded this supercilious prelate.

I don't understand this. Really. Why would that be something to be so proud of? What on earth is wrong with church leaders today?

Contemporary Christian "praise songs" are so banal, repetitive, and devoid of theology, that I for one relish the hymns found in our "old" Lutheran hymnals. Contemporary praise songs also completely miss the mark when it comes to what the article refers to as "Trotz und Trost", because we as poor, miserable sinners need encouragemet through the storms of life, not just get-happy platitudes.

Thank you for this post!

[Charles Henrickson]

Ping.

[Charles Henrickson]

For midweek Lenten Vespers this year, I'm doing a sermon series on "The Hymns of Paul Gerhardt." I've got three more still to do; here are the first two entries in the series:

"'Hymns That Adore Him': The Baptized Life within Your Vocation"

"'Oh, May Thy Love Possess Me Whole': A Heart Warmed with Love"

[AlbionGirl]

Thanks for the ping, Pastor.

When I was a kid, I used to love singing Now Thanks We All Our God while at Mass. It was one of my favorite hymns. One that I could still sing because I remember the meoldy exactly.

Now thank we all our God, with heart and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, in Whom this world rejoices;
Who from our mothers’ arms has blessed us on our way
With countless gifts of love, and still is ours today.

O may this bounteous God through all our life be near us,
With ever joyful hearts and blessèd peace to cheer us;
And keep us in His grace, and guide us when perplexed;
And free us from all ills, in this world and the next!

All praise and thanks to God the Father now be given;
The Son and Him Who reigns with Them in highest Heaven;
The one eternal God, Whom earth and Heaven adore;
For thus it was, is now, and shall be evermore.

[Charles Henrickson]

Just to be clear, it was not Paul Gerhardt but his contemporary, Martin Rinckart, who wrote, "Now Thank We All Our God" (Nun danket alle Gott).

[bcsco]

Thank you, Pastor, for the ping. I've copied the post into Word for archive purposes. I too agree that old liturgy and hymns are the best. I wish our congregation would return to them. Perhaps we will, as we may be seeking a new pastor. I will certainly voice my opinion should the time arise.

Jim

[lightman]

Lutheran hymnody Ping!

Keep a Good Lent!

[Honorary Serb]

It says a great deal about Christianity’s trivialization in the last 400 years that a retiring bishop of the Church of England recently informed an interviewer he considered it his greatest accomplishment to have purged this [chorale, "Now Thank We All Our God"] – the basis of a wonderful cantata by Johann Sebastian Bach – from the hymnals in his diocese. The significance of the cross clearly eluded this supercilious prelate.

The stinking feminazis who put together the new ELCA "Evangelical Lutheran Worship" have either eliminated or "altered" into effeminate pablum so many great Lutheran chorales--as well as Wesleyan and Anglican classics. And now that feminazi/peacnik/heretic hymnal and liturgy book has been shoved down our throats in our Blue State synod, whether we want it or not!!!!

It is the feminazis who are responsible for 95% of the decline of American Lutheranism in the past several decades--as well as the decline of many other American denominations. (Even Roman Catholicism has not entirely escaped their degrative influence.) And it is they who have made the senseless obsession with "gays" and their "rights" in the churches possible. And yet many people in the churches, especially in Blue States, do not recognize that there has been a decline.

Feminazis should be ashamed of themeselves, and repent! However, they are proud of their dirty-work instead.

[Redleg Duke]

The Feminazis are not Christian, therefore they have no shame.

[MHGinTN]

Thank you for the ping, Pastor. Just reading your homilies calms my spirit and regales my soul. I cannot imagine the Joy to actually hear one delivered by you.

[Arrowhead1952]

Our congregation finally voted to do away with the Lutheran Book Of Worship and ordered the new LMCS hymnal. I can't stand the the Book Of Worship. I almost knew the old Lutheran Hymnal by heart.

[stayathomemom]

In a sense, Gerhardt’s “small martyrdom” foreshadowed the confessional struggles in Prussia a century and a half later when King Frederick William III forced Lutherans in his realm into a union with the Reformed, an event which led to the emigration of confessional Lutherans to America and ultimately the formation of the LCMS.

This is when my mother's side of my family came from Germany.

I checked CW and see that there are 18 of his hymns in it. Some are favorites of mine but there are a couple I don't believe I have ever heard!

P.S. Catherine Winkworth is amazing!

[Honorary Serb]

The ELCA (and other lameline) feminazis and gaysbians believe that they are Christians, and they are baptized. Some of them even believe that they are better Christians than we orthodox and conservative folks, because they are "welcoming" and we are supposed to be "judgmental".

Moreover, in our Lenten journey, we may find that we ourselves have not been ashamed or repented of sins we have committed, including the little heresies that it is nearly impossible not to pick up in a Boomer and liberal-dominated environment.

Nevertheless, heresy is heresy, schism (i.e., moving so far away from the Church with feminazi ideology that your "church body" has essentially become separated from the Body of Christ) is schism, and immorality is immorality. One has to call a spade a spade, like Athanasius and other Church Fathers who fought heresy in earlier times!

[Redleg Duke]

It is interesting how they use the term "judgmental" in such a judgmental manner. It is amazing how intolerant the left is when demanding tolerance for themselves!

[Charles Henrickson]

I’m scheduled to be interviewed this afternoon (4:00-4:30 Central) on the Issues Etc. radio/Internet program, on the topic, “Paul Gerhardt: A Hymn Writer For You.”

http://kfuoam.org/ie_main.htm

There’s a link there to listen live, and tomorrow the archive will be posted.

[Charles Henrickson]

Here are links to the five-part sermon series I did on “The Hymns of Paul Gerhardt”:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1792865/posts
“’Hymns That Adore Him’: The Baptized Life within Your Vocation”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1797207/posts
“’Oh, May Thy Love Possess Me Whole’: A Heart Warmed with Love”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1801094/posts
“’When Life’s Troubles Rise to Meet Me’: Sifted in Satan’s Sieve”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1804738/posts
“’This Lamb Is Christ, the Soul’s Great Friend’: The Father Sends His Willing Son”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/1807182/posts
“’Your Cross I Place Before Me’: Contemplating Christ Crucified”

[martin_fierro]

What makes Gerhardt so unique is his ability to describe the reality of the Cross in elegant meters.

Ich bin ein good hymner.

[MinuteGal]

We SING the power of the Lord
Who bade the mountains rise
Who spread the flowing seas abroad
And built the lofty skies

We SING the wisdom that ordained
The sun to rule the day
The moon shines, too, at His command
And all the stars obey

We SING the goodness of the Lord
Who fills the earth with food
Who formed His creatures by a word
And then pronounced them good.

One thing I love about the Missouri Synod Lutheran Church is the fact that we SING.

We SING all those old, melodic verses with their quaint but inspirational, comforting words. What more powerful hymn, both words and music, is there existant than Luther's battle hymn, "A Mighty Fortress is Our God....A Trusty Shield and Weapon"?

The traditional noels we sing on Christman Eve and Christmas morning services warm the heart and bring back memories of holidays past and loved ones passed on.

I''m SO blessed in belonging to a conservative church that SINGS all the great hymns in its religious history.

Leni

[PJ-Comix]

My favorite hymn is by Homer "Schmidt" in Lillies of the Field. Sidney Poitier's character, not his voice. I think the guy who wrote it (for the movie) is the same guy who sang it.