Wednesday, November 01, 2006

TLH and LSB

Some changes that I'm noticing as I go through the hymnal:

It seems that the word "Jehovah" has been avoided. It wasn't entirely excised, but just avoided most of the time. I wonder if that's because of the JWs.

From what I saw, it appears that there are no longer references to our "joining the angelic choir." Although there is nothing wrong with saying that, I think it does lend itself to misunderstanding. For example, the Milwaukee Children's Choir may join the symphony choir for a few pieces at a concert, but that doesn't mean the children are now adults. When we "join the angels singing" that doesn't mean we become angels ourselves. But so many people think we do, it's probably good that those references were adjusted.

Two sections of hymns in TLH were almost entirely discarded. One was the section on prayers "Thy will be done" (in the vicinity of the 420s) and the other is prayers for the pastors and the Office of the Ministry (in the vicinity of the 480s).

I am still concerned about the lines in hymns (or more precisely, the lack thereof) regarding "your sin shall not harm you." Luther's Christmas hymn is one example: "What harm can sin and death then do? The true God now abides with you." Another interesting peek at this is observed when you look at the hymns where only one verse was dropped, or maybe two in a rather long hymn. There's not as much acknowledgement in LSB as there was in TLH that we are sinners, surrounded by evil, and trapped in sin. In LSB it comes off more as "we were sinners." That's not something consistent across the board, but it is a tendency. And from what I've seen, I'm guessing that it wasn't so much something that happened in the last decade as LSB was being prepared, but that it was a hold-over from LBW and LW. But what that ultimately means is that the changes made in the late 70s slowly and subtly affected our theology so that when it was time for a new hymnal, the deficiency didn't even register on our radar as something that ought be fixed.

Pastor was pointing out in Bible class last Thursday that the sacramental hymnody in LSB is so far superior to either what's in TLH or LW. He explained how, over time, the lack of sacramental hymns affected our theology. I hope that, in years to come, in future hymnals, the lack of hymns reflecting the struggle of Romans 6-7 will be remedied, just as the paucity of sacramental hymns has been remedied in LSB.

4 comments:

  1. Just dropping a note to tell you I appreciate all this info on the LSB!

    Thank you Susan!!

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  2. Susan,

    Thanks for your work.

    You note; "There's not as much acknowledgement in LSB as there was in TLH that we are sinners, surrounded by evil, and trapped in sin. In LSB it comes off more as "we were sinners." That's not something consistent across the board, but it is a tendency. And from what I've seen, I'm guessing that it wasn't so much something that happened in the last decade as LSB was being prepared, but that it was a hold-over from LBW and LW.

    This is something that my wife, off the cuff, noted a couple of weeks ago as a comparison between LW and TLH. Your on to something here.

    One wonders if it is not the creeping in of pietism and the deemphasis on original sin.

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  3. Bruce, this is something that I mentioned more than once to the LHP hymnody committee when they were soliciting comments from the Church several years ago. At the time I thought it was their decision, but now I'm realizing that many of these decisions were made 25-30 years ago.

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  4. Susan, I think the reason "Jehovah" is avoided is it is an incorrect translation of God's name in the first place. I am sure the JW's also factor in it, but I believe we are moving more towards what was originally said. I could be wrong. How do you like LSB? I grew up with TLH, and there were some parts of LW i DESPISED.....#376 got crossed off the list because it is not singable! One hymn got its' chords changed when I was a vicar, because the chord arrangement was like listening to fingers on a chalkboard. At least the LSB is in line with what we had in TLH. Some hymns I wish they had put in. "There Still is Room" (509) and "Come, Ye Disconsolate" (TLH 531) are two I wished they had kept in the hymn book.

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