OK, it isn't a scientific piece of qualitative research but it did make me wonder a wee bit. In the Complete Mission Praise where I went looking for the hymn I wanted for this post, only one (that is 1) hymn begins in its first line with "Holy Spirit". The number of hymns that begin with "I" and cognates of the first person singular (I'm, I'll) is eighty (that is 80).
OK, it isn't the way to do theology either, number counting, but it does make you wonder. In poetry, letters, speeches, sermons, the first words spoken have a particular rhetorical effect, they hold an important place and are significant pointers to what is to come. So what is this about an 80 to 1 ratio of hymns that begin with "I" compared with the one, solitary, lonely, single line entry for the Holy Spirit?
But then I counted the hymns whose first word is Jesus. That's better, there are 50 of them. This is getting interesting; what about God, how well does God do in the rhetorical numerical stakes? So I counted the hymns that begin with the word God and found 25 of them. So, 25 + 50 + 1 comes to 76. Oh, what about Father, our favourite theistic metaphor, and I discover there are 20 that begin with that name for God that has Dominical precedent! That makes 96 hymns begin with the names of God whether Father, Son or Spirit. But wait a minute, what about hymns that begin with Spirit and clearly refer to the Holy Spirit. That's better, there are 6 of them.
But I'm still bothered by the sheer preponderance of the first person singular, 80 of them, and on checking I discover there are 51 that have "We" and cognates, making a final score of "I / We" 131 - and Names for God, "102".
Me 131 v God 106
If that were a basketball score it would be a convincing win, but also a respectable losing score. I can't help feeling though, that in the hymn score, the better side lost!
I did say it wasn't a peer reviewed, independently validated piece of qualitative research. But it did confirm my personal discomfort at the forwardness of the ego in our diet of songs that are meant to be hymns of praise to God. And I leave it there......
The last hymn for Pentecost week comes from Christopher Idle, and is one that celebrates the pedagogy of the Holy Spirit, according to the Gospel of John:
Spirit of holiness,wisdom and faithfulness,
wind of the Lord,blowing strongly and free.
Strength of our serving and joy of our worshipping,
Spirit of God, bring your fulness to me!
You came to interpret and teach us effectively,
all that the Saviour has spoken and done;
to glorify Jesus is all your activity,
promise and gift of the Father and Son.
Spirit of holiness,wisdom and faithfulness,
wind of the Lord, blowing strongly and free.
Strength of our serving and joy of our worshipping,
Spirit of God, bring your fulness to me!
You came with your gifts to supply all our poverty,
pouring your love on the church in her need;
You came with your fruit for our growth to maturity,
richly refreshing the souls that you feed.
Spirit of holiness, wisdom and faithfulness,
wind of the Lord, blowing strongly and free.
Strength of our serving and joy of our worshipping,
Spirit of God, bring your fulness to me!
Comments