English Congregational Hymns in the Eighteenth CenturyHistorians of the English congregational hymn, focusing on its literary or theological aspects, have usually found the genre out of step with the rationalist era that produced it. This book takes a more balanced approach to the work of four writers and concludes that only eighteenth-century Britain, with its understanding of public verse, common truth, and the utility of poetry, could have invented the English hymn as we know it. The early hymns sought to inspire, teach, stir, and entertain congregations. The essential purpose shifted slightly in line with each poet's setting and in accord with the poetic thought of his day. For Isaac Watts's Independents, powerful traditional imagery was appropriate. Charles Wesley's enthusiasm proceeded from and served the spirit of the revival. John Newton's prophetic vision particularly suited the impoverished community at Olney. William Cowper's masterful handling of formal conventions and his idiosyncratic personal hymns reflect his poetic, rather than clerical, vocation. Despite such temporal variations, the great poetry by each man displays themes of general Christian relevance, suggesting common experience, showing normative features of the genre, and bearing a complex and intriguing relationship to secular literature. |
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... become exceptions to the definition. In this instance, hymns telling Bible stories or expressing spiritual anxiety are most obviously excluded. Moreover, while the hymns are arranged metrically to allow singing, it is needlessly ...
... become participatory religious theater, the many injunctions to “see,” “look,” and “behold” suggesting a dramatic self-consciousness on the part of both writers and singers, an awareness that they are involved in a large-scale religious ...
... become almost totally individual. Watts wanted to teach his people to voice familiar devotional states, while Wesley ... becomes relevant, and Wesley's hymns.
Madeleine Forrell Marshall, Janet M. Todd. general education by the Methodists becomes relevant, and Wesley's hymns are usefully approached as didactic-sentimental literature. Just as the exemplary Pamela taught her readers how they ...
... becomes evident that we need not turn to Wordsworth and the romantics for an explanation of the strong feelings found in the young English hymn in the early eighteenth century. In collections of psalms for devotional or congregational ...
Contents
Self Sense the Revival | |
John Newton Olney Prophet | |
Exemplary Tradition the Loss of Control | |
Conclusion | |
Notes | |
Other editions - View all
English Congregational Hymns in the Eighteenth Century Madeleine Forell Marshall,Janet Todd Limited preview - 1982 |
English Congregational Hymns in the Eighteenth Century Madeleine Forrell Marshall,Janet M. Todd No preview available - 2014 |