History and Context:
Ancient/Future Worship at All Saints

by David Hyman, Associate Rector

Christians in all times and places have engaged in singing praises to God. Since Old Testament times it is clear that musical worship has played an important role in the worship of God. The Psalms themselves make it abundantly clear how integral music was to the proclamation of the Scriptures. The preface to Psalm 5 is “To the Choirmaster: For the Flutes;” Psalms 120 to 136 are “Songs of Ascent;” many other Psalms are simply “Songs of David .”

In other places in Scripture we see the importance of singing in communal worship of God. In the New Testament, James 5:13 says, “Is there anyone who is cheerful? Let him sing praise.” In Colossians 3:16 St. Paul encourages believers, saying, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” And in Revelation, St. John’s vision of heaven is one of “Holy, Holy, Holy’s,” “Amen’s” and “Alleluia’s” being sung continuously to the Lord. The Apostle’s vision illustrates how our own praise in song on Sunday’s imitates, conjoins, and agrees with the eternal worship service in heaven around the throne of God.

In the Church during the first several centuries after Christ, worship through song was a normal and expected pattern of worship. The first three centuries A.D. were a particularly creative time in the early church for song writing. In fact, the Gloria in Excelsius that we still use today was born during this time. Moreover, we read from the writings of the early church fathers such as St. Augustine , St. Basil, and St. Irenaeus, how vital it was for Christians to join together in worship through singing praises. Sung worship was clearly seen as we see it today, an important means of blessing God for who he is, giving him due thanks and praise for his faithfulness, celebrating salvation, and teaching the story of redemption through Jesus Christ.

Historically, the Church’s use of music matured and developed over many, many years of use and practice. Hymns were being written and circulated by the 2nd century. Some of the earliest liturgies were sung as chants – that is they were rhythmic and melodic recitations of prayers and blessings. Hymns continued to be written. For example, the ancient Irish hymn “Be Thou My Vision” that we sing at All Saints Church is traced to at least the 8th Century. By the 9th century there were hymnals which were available to various communities. The Reformation of the 16th Century ushered in a watershed period for the use of music in the worship service. For example, the Anglican Book of Common Prayer, first produced in 1549, opened wide the gates of worship through congregational singing, particularly with the Psalter (the book of Psalms).

Over the years there have been many debates concerning the settings and style of music used in worship services. Psalms or hymns? Accompaniment or a cappella? Pipe organs or strings? Hymns or contemporary choruses? While divergent opinions abound, it is indisputable that communal worship of the living and vibrant God involves vibrant and meaning-filled singing.

Fast forward to this Sunday and what you will see at All Saints Church. We utilize the treasure of classic Christian hymnody that exists in our tradition. We almost always open and close our services with abiding hymns that have been celebrated and cherished by the church for many generations. These songs are combined with some contemporary pieces which communicate not only sound doctrine but also deep intimacy with Christ. By drawing on ancient hymnody and contemporary pieces, the music in our worship is textured and dynamic, celebrating our tradition while embracing new authorship and creativity. Admittedly, however, the songs chosen on any given Sunday are really only an apparatus, a means to help accomplish an end. Real worship through song happens in the hearts of each one of us as we praise our Lord when we sing.

One of the most fascinating aspects of worshipping God through song as a community is the way our singing borders on the sacramental. It is something we do in time, in a physical place that seems to open up to us the transcendent grace of God. Moreover, when we join together our voices, we do not sing our praises to the Triune God as an assorted lot of isolated, lonely individuals. Rather we do it as the Church unified as we praise through the power of the Holy Spirit. This unified praise even transcends geography. It is bigger than our specific locale in Chapel Hill and Durham . It transcends the boundaries of society as different cultures, different nations join in one voice. It transcends time, meaning our worship looks into the past and joins the praise of our forebears in faith. It looks to the future, because when we sing together for that brief time on Sundays we are doing something that we will be doing for eternity. This transcendent union of praise is singular in its focus to honor and glorify the One who loves us, the One who calls us, the One who forgives us, and the One who redeems us.

As singing our praises is a way for us to respond to God as we should, it also prepares us to hear from God himself through the reading and preaching of his Holy Word. As we conclude our time of singing, the worship leader prays for all of us. Like the Prayer for Purity that follows the Summons to Worship, this prayer is also called a Collect (cah-lect). Collects do what the name suggests: they collect us and gather us together in a corporate prayer. They give us focus as a community and they prepare us to hear God speak.