From Weekly Column by Fr.George Rutler for January 29, 2017
C.S. Lewis did not care much for hymns, which he said were usually fifth-rate poetry set to fourth-rate music.
Sad but true.
He added:
Exceptions include the great works of Charles Wesley, John Mason Neale, John Henry Newman, and the like. Those were sturdy adaptations of classical theology set to splendid tunes. As such, they stand out from the bad verse and banal tunes that have descended on congregations from the culturally bleak 1970’s onwards
Father Rutler’s book, The Stories of Hymns – The History Behind 100 of Christianity’s Greatest Hymns, is available through Sophia Institute Press (Paperback or eBook) and Amazon (Kindle only).
Blithe Spirit 