Sunday, December 10, 2006
Heretical hymns
I was talking to one of the other Orthfully Catholic contributors today about the dilemma of heretical hymns and what to do about singing them. He said that if he spots the heresy in time and can think of an alternative, he changes the wording, and if not, he simply doesn't sing it. I think that's quite sensible really. Of course the ideal would really be if someone were to issue a hymn book with an imprimatur...
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6 comments:
I don't know if I'd spot something in a hymn in time to notice that it wasn't theologically quite right.
Although I'm not beyond just saying what should be said instead of what is said by everyone else. The one priest at our parish never wanted to say that Jesus became man, but I always said it any way. :-\
I'm not sure that an imprimatur could be relied upon, but it would be a step in the right direction. As would publicity of a list of heretical compositions. For starters:
Amazing Grace
Fill my House
Gifts of bread and wine
I was subjected to this song almost every week as a communion hymn in my old parish: "Hear our prayer, hear our prayer, through this bread and wine we share, let me be a sign of peace everywhere" and the worst thing is I saw nothing wrong with it at the time!
But would an imprimatur guarantee Catholic doctrine these days?
Oh, you mean like:
"One bread, one body
No brain at all..." ?
Well the Bishop's Conference is supposed to submit a list of authorised compositions to the Sacred Congregation for Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments and receive its approval. Of course they haven't, and they won't.
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