United Methodist Hymnal

United Methodist Hymnal. The United Methodist Church published the United Methodist Hymnal in 1989, which was a significant update to the Methodist Hymnal of 1966, used by John Wesley and Charles Wesley in their Methodist movement. This hymnal was designed to be used in United Methodist congregations, and it includes a wide range of hymns and songs from various Christian traditions, including Baptist, Lutheran, and Presbyterian churches. The United Methodist Hymnal was edited by Milburn Price and Carl P. Daw Jr., who worked with a committee of United Methodist clergy and musicologists from Duke University, Vanderbilt University, and Emory University.

History of the Hymnal

The United Methodist Hymnal has its roots in the Methodist Episcopal Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, which merged in 1968 to form the United Methodist Church. The Methodist Hymnal of 1966 was used by United Methodist congregations until the publication of the United Methodist Hymnal in 1989. The new hymnal was designed to be more inclusive and diverse, with hymns and songs from a wide range of Christian traditions, including African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. The United Methodist Hymnal was influenced by the ecumenical movement and the liturgical renewal movement, which emphasized the importance of worship and liturgy in Christian life, as seen in the work of Thomas Cranmer and Martin Luther.

Hymns and Songs

The United Methodist Hymnal includes over 700 hymns and songs, ranging from traditional hymns like "Amazing Grace" and "Holy, Holy, Holy" to more contemporary songs like "Because He Lives" and "Here I Am to Worship". The hymnal also includes hymns and songs from various Christian traditions, such as "Wade in the Water" from the African-American tradition and "For the Beauty of the Earth" from the Episcopal Church tradition. The United Methodist Hymnal features the work of many famous hymn writers and composers, including Charles Wesley, Isaac Watts, Fanny Crosby, and John Newton, as well as contemporary Christian music artists like Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant.

Organization and Content

The United Methodist Hymnal is organized into several sections, including hymns for worship, hymns for special occasions, and service music. The hymnal also includes a section on psalms and canticles, which are used in liturgical worship. The United Methodist Hymnal features a wide range of musical styles, from traditional hymn tunes to more contemporary styles like gospel music and folk music. The hymnal was designed to be used in a variety of worship settings, from traditional worship to contemporary worship, and it includes resources for pastors, music directors, and congregations from Asbury Theological Seminary, Duke Divinity School, and Perkins School of Theology.

Musical Settings and Styles

The United Methodist Hymnal features a wide range of musical settings and styles, from traditional hymn tunes to more contemporary styles like jazz and rock music. The hymnal includes settings by famous composers like Johann Sebastian Bach, George Frideric Handel, and Felix Mendelssohn, as well as contemporary composers like Marilyn Keiser and David Hurd. The United Methodist Hymnal also features settings from various Christian traditions, including African-American gospel music and Latin American folk music, influenced by Mahalia Jackson and Andrés Segovia.

Publication and Reception

The United Methodist Hymnal was published in 1989 by Abingdon Press, the official publisher of the United Methodist Church. The hymnal was widely acclaimed by United Methodist clergy and laity, who praised its diversity and inclusivity. The United Methodist Hymnal has been used in United Methodist congregations around the world, and it has been translated into several languages, including Spanish, French, and Korean. The hymnal has also been influential in the wider Christian community, with many other denominations and churches adopting similar hymnals and worship resources, such as the Presbyterian Church (USA) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, with the support of World Council of Churches and National Council of Churches.