Our forum has been honored to have the participation of two of the editors of Worship IV, including the chair of the final reviewing committee for hymn texts, Fr. Ron Krisman.
These discussions have been enlightening. Besides the serious theological problem that has been pointed out, the following things also seem true about the adoption of texts into this hymnal.
1) The sources for revisions to texts are earlier editions of Worship, and Lutheran and Episcopal hymnals.
2) Office hymns were not considered models of what the hymnal should be striving for.
3) New texts for hymns of the day were largely the work of Protestant hymn writers, generally actiive in the liberal Protestant Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. One well-represented exception to the non-Catholic norm is Fr. Ronald Krisman. Another exception is Sr. Delores Dufner, OSB, who wrote 33 texts included in Worship IV, one of which is her famous Sing a New Church into Being, n. 727.
Thomas Troeger is ordained in and "dually aligned" with both the Episcopal and Presbyterian denominations. 12 texts.
Adam Tice is a Mennonite minister. 14 texts.
Ruth Duck is a professor at a United Methodist-related seminary and a former pastor in the United Church of Christ. 13 texts.
Mary Louise Bringle is Presbyterian. 21 texts.
The late Herman Stuempfle was a Lutheran pastor and seminary professor. 44 texts.
John Bell is a Church of Scotland minister. 19 texts.
The late Fred Pratt Green was Methodist. 12 texts.
The late Sylvia Dunstan was ordained by the United Church of Canada. 13 texts.
Carl Daw is an ordained Episcopalian and the former Executive Director of the Hymn Society and a member of the 1982 committee. 17 texts.
Marty Haugen was raised Lutheran and is now a member of the United Church of Christ. 50 texts and/or settings.
All of the above leads me to ask: is this really a Catholic hymnal? If so, in what sense?
Or maybe this question could be asked the other way: Is Worship IV consciously ecumenical?
These discussions have been enlightening. Besides the serious theological problem that has been pointed out, the following things also seem true about the adoption of texts into this hymnal.
1) The sources for revisions to texts are earlier editions of Worship, and Lutheran and Episcopal hymnals.
2) Office hymns were not considered models of what the hymnal should be striving for.
3) New texts for hymns of the day were largely the work of Protestant hymn writers, generally actiive in the liberal Protestant Hymn Society of the United States and Canada. One well-represented exception to the non-Catholic norm is Fr. Ronald Krisman. Another exception is Sr. Delores Dufner, OSB, who wrote 33 texts included in Worship IV, one of which is her famous Sing a New Church into Being, n. 727.
Thomas Troeger is ordained in and "dually aligned" with both the Episcopal and Presbyterian denominations. 12 texts.
Adam Tice is a Mennonite minister. 14 texts.
Ruth Duck is a professor at a United Methodist-related seminary and a former pastor in the United Church of Christ. 13 texts.
Mary Louise Bringle is Presbyterian. 21 texts.
The late Herman Stuempfle was a Lutheran pastor and seminary professor. 44 texts.
John Bell is a Church of Scotland minister. 19 texts.
The late Fred Pratt Green was Methodist. 12 texts.
The late Sylvia Dunstan was ordained by the United Church of Canada. 13 texts.
Carl Daw is an ordained Episcopalian and the former Executive Director of the Hymn Society and a member of the 1982 committee. 17 texts.
Marty Haugen was raised Lutheran and is now a member of the United Church of Christ. 50 texts and/or settings.
All of the above leads me to ask: is this really a Catholic hymnal? If so, in what sense?
Or maybe this question could be asked the other way: Is Worship IV consciously ecumenical?