Comments on Faith and Theology: We hang our heads in shame and guilt

Dear Tortoise, Yes, I take your point re every po...

2011-12-23T19:34:21.466-06:00

Dear Tortoise,

Yes, I take your point re every poet being an idealogue, perhaps I should have qualified it by saying 'partisan political ideology'. When it feels (as it does to me) like the hymn is really a vehicle for a particular political message, it's hard to feel moved by it. There's no space for catharsis, I'm being hit over the head by it! It seems to me great hymn writing/poetry can have political implications, sometimes powerfully so, without such contrivance, surely this is the trick is it not?? Is not the Magnificat a perfect example? It speaks of the lifting up of the humble and the throwing down of rulers, yet with such delicacy and poise, it actually stirs your heart and mind rather than drop a tonne of bricks on your head.

To me, that is what great poetry/hymn writing does!

Cheers my friend!

Mike

Ideology generally doesn't make for good po...

2011-12-23T07:40:08.012-06:00
Ideology generally doesn't make for good poetry...

That's a startling assertion, Mike. Isn't every poet an ideologue?

And certainly for the Church, isn't every psalm of lament an occasion to acknowledge divine judgment and grace, every hymn an invitation to join oneself to the ideology of the Kingdom of God?

Or were you thinking of something else... "personally disagreeable ideology", perhaps?

Ideology generally doesn't make for good poetr...

2011-12-22T19:04:51.494-06:00
Ideology generally doesn't make for good poetry...I think I'd feel pretty depressed singing hymns like this!

Mike E

I bow before the hymn.

2011-12-19T21:02:55.625-06:00
I bow before the hymn.

I got chills.

2011-12-19T14:43:48.325-06:00
I got chills.

Love it. Thanks for sharing.

2011-12-19T07:37:21.509-06:00
Love it. Thanks for sharing.

Well done. Great hymn!

2011-12-19T01:20:47.732-06:00
Well done. Great hymn!

oh, boo hoo

2011-12-18T23:47:03.817-06:00
oh, boo hoo