Hymnals also ensure a certain degree of familiarity throughout the congregation with the songs being sung. It’s difficult to worship God and learn a brand-new piece of music at the same time, especially for people who aren’t musically inclined to begin with. Songs in hymnals are also written to be sung along with, not performed by professionals, so they should be easier to follow for those of us who don’t [take] singing lessons. By having a common body of songs to pull from, churches can ensure that congregants have at least some idea of what’s coming and will be able to participate in worship more easily.
He also points out that hymnals provide more variety. A hymnal will include hundreds of songs, far more than the oft-repeated handful of songs that are typically put up on a screen. He says that hymnals, especially those prepared for specific theological traditions, draw on legions of musical and theological experts, who make sure that the songs are in accord with the congregation’s theology and that the musical arrangements are singable and playable.
“A good hymnal,” he says, “allows for plenty of variety while also offering familiarity and staying within secure boundaries for theological soundness.”
I can attest to the work and expertise that goes into the production of a hymnal. I was the chairman of the Translation Committee for the Lutheran Service Book, a busy group that studied the different translations of hymns, as well as related issues. But we were only one of many other committees–on music, on selecting and vetting the hymns, on the liturgies, etc., etc.
I don’t know what church Mr. Pino goes to, but another factor in hymnals for liturgical churches such as us Lutherans is the liturgy or liturgies that are included. The Lutheran Service Book includes both the old service beloved by so many and the modern setting many congregations had gotten used to, plus some newer arrangements. A digital supplement, the Lutheran Service Builder, allows for customized services for every occasion. As Mr. Pino says of good hymn books in general, the LSB combines the virtues of variety and familiarity, flexibility and order–and, above all, theological faithfulness and spiritual richness.
In addition, the Lutheran Service Book includes the Psalms; services for Matins, Vespers, Compline, and others; services for Baptism, Marriage, and Funerals; confession and absolution, both corporate and individual prayers; and the Catechism. The result is a comprehensive resource for the church and the spiritual lives of its members.
The project took 10 years to complete, including field testing, doctrinal review, and getting approval from the synod, including ratification by the convention of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. It came out in 2005 and has since sold more than a million copies. It did a great deal to bring our synod together and to alleviate the “worship wars” that were tearing us apart.
Go here for a detailed table of contents and samples of the Lutheran Service Book. You can buy the Lutheran Service Book here.
I should also mention the recently-released Lutheran Service Book Companion to the Hymns, a massive two-volume work that gives the history, analysis, and other information about each of the over 900 songs in the hymnal, plus biographies of all of the composers and lyric writers. This was a mammoth undertaking, which I was privileged to contribute to, along with 126 other scholars. It breaks new ground in hymn research, and anyone–Lutheran or not–who is interested in hymns will want to consult this work.