Recent hymnals have included a wide variety of congregational songs from around the world. These provide new styles of music for use in worship and new ways of expressing the unity of the worldwide church.
A new phenomenon is appearing in denominational hymnals published in the past five years. An example of this is found in hymns like “Asithi: Amen” or “Tu has venido a la orilla,” or “Jesus A, Nahetotaetanome.” (All the songs, hymns, and tune names listed in this article are found in Hymnal: A Worship Book, prepared by Churches in the Believers Church Tradition (Elgin, Ill.: Brethren Press; Newton, Kans.: Faith and Life Press; Scottdale, Pa.: Mennonite Publishing House, 1992). There has always been a sprinkling of Latin and German words in hymnals, at least with familiar phrases as “Gloria in excelsis Deo” and “Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!” or in tune names such as ein’ feste burg, aberystwyth, deus tuorum militum, and so on. Yet we have not always acknowledged the culture and language diversity in our midst beyond Western European traditions, nor have we recognized the variety of ways Christ has made himself known to Christians around the world.
At the arrival of the twenty-first century, an age of high technology and global awareness, the North American church is comprised of a mixture of cultures and languages, more so than at any time in its history. For many generations, members of a local congregation have likely been basically of one or two races, Caucasian, and perhaps African-American. But today worshipers are likely to find themselves sitting next to someone of another color, another culture, another language. Such a phenomenon is challenging the church to broaden its perspective, its style of hymnody, and its language in liturgy and hymns.
No longer can an English-speaking congregation assume that English is the only language represented among its worshipers; no longer can the small town or city church demand that all worshipers sing only in English, whatever their background. No longer can those who speak only English refuse to at least try singing in another language. As the world gets smaller, the church must get bigger, more inclusive.
Several new hymnals have provided an important model to worshipers by incorporating languages other than English, and by introducing texts and tunes from churches around the globe. Through this witness, the North American church is becoming sensitized, educated, and appreciative of the hymnody of Christian sisters and brothers of many different cultures and languages. In addition, worshipers are discovering the delight in singing new types of hymns. Take, for example, “Asithi: Amen,” a South African hymn that is sung over and over again, as a praise hymn, or as a recessional hymn at the end of worship. Its driving rhythms and easy-to-learn Zulu words make it sheer fun to sing! God’s people are uplifted in joyful praise. God certainly must be enjoying it too!
Nigerians are incorporating in their worship services their own religious songs, rich with complex rhythms, alongside gospel songs taught them by missionaries from the United States and England during the early part of the twentieth century. One song is a rendition of the Lord’s Prayer (“Our Father, who art in heaven”), in which each phrase is first sung by a leader, then by the congregation. Originally written in Hausa, this prayer hymn can be easily learned in English and sung by North American congregations. It is accompanied by African drums, gourds, and cowbell, or similar rhythm instruments that are available.
Since the days of slavery, the North American church has sung the spirituals and black gospel songs of African-American people. However, white and biracial congregations are now being challenged to include a wider selection of authentic African-American music in worship, songs like “Lift Every Voice and Sing” (the official song of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People), “I Am Weak and I Need Thy Strength,” “When Storms of Life Are Raging,” “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me.” Such songs speak poignantly to the pain of injustice, alienation, and despair of a people who daily feel the sting of discrimination. All congregations need to sing such heart-wrenching songs, slowly, rhythmically, passionately, in a cappella voices, or accompanied by strong, pulsating piano and/or organ arrangements.
Spanish is the second most commonly spoken language in the United States today, and Hispanics are the fastest-growing ethnic group. If the North American church wants to reach and fully welcome Hispanics into the church, it is challenged (possibly even compelled before too many years) to include worship litanies and hymns in Spanish. Command of the language is not necessary at all in order to sing. Even a bumbling attempt at the pronunciation of an unfamiliar language shows a willingness to step into the culture and language of another person because of Christian concern and love. A congregation might begin learning a Spanish hymn text slowly, with a soloist or quartet first singing it, then the congregation. An exciting hymn to try is “Cantemos al Senor,” which repeats the opening phrase on each verse and ends with “Aleluya!” At least, such an attempt shows a willingness to try another language. At most, it shows respect for the language in which a hymn was originally written. Congregations are encouraged to ask a member who is proficient in Spanish to pronounce the words of the text before all join in singing it, possibly even to direct the hymn. A guitar and several rhythm instruments, such as maracas and bongo drums, help the congregation experience the hymn as authentically as possible.
The Taizé community of eastern France, to which thousands of young people from all over the world travel each week, joins in worship three times a day. Imagine hearing the gospel read in ten different languages; a psalm chanted in Swedish, German or Portuguese; and musical refrains sung in French, Polish, English, or Italian. No one language dominates. Latin, no longer anyone’s language, becomes everyone’s language as it is used in many of the sung prayers. The beauty of the simple music, often accompanied by instrumental obligatos while being sung repeatedly, leads one into deep communion with God. The haunting melodies and harmony “remain alive” within the worshipers long after they leave worship.
Singing in the Taizé service evokes within the worshipers a sense of the church’s unity in Christ amidst the diversity of cultures and languages, and it honors the universality of the church.
Taizé music, published throughout the world, has found its way into most of the recently published hymnals. The words may be in Spanish, Latin, German, Polish, and English—many different languages that congregations are finding they learn quite easily because of a song’s shortness and repetitive phrases.
Represented in current hymnals is the music of Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Indonesian, Latin American, Native American cultures. All cultures bring the beauty of their own uniqueness in melody, rhythm, and texts that enrich the church and its members wherever they are located. The Psalmist summons the worshiping community to …
Sing to the Lord a new song
Sing to the Lord, all the earth (Psalm 96:1)
The Christian church can best do that by singing together each other’s songs of faith, in various languages and rhythms that, in their diversity, make a very joyful noise to the Lord!