The latest Christmas offering from Hans Fiene at Lutheran Satire:
In defense of Anglican Christmas songs, it’s not wrong in poetry to give vivid descriptive details that evoke the scene in the reader’s or singer’s imagination. The technique is called “Composition of Place” and derives from 17th century meditative practices that were popular in England. But, still, does the Luther figure in the video have a point? Can you pick up traits of other traditions and cultures in other Christmas songs?
I think the key is that “Lutheran” songs will not only be about Jesus, they will be about Jesus “for you.” By that standard, there may be other songs that are “Lutheran” (adjective), even though they are written by Anglicans, or Catholics, or Calvinists, or Wesleyans, or Baptists. Can you think of any examples?
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