History of Hymns

A good hymn directs those who hear or sing it to more God-centered thoughts and behavior, regardless of their knowledge of its author. Knowing the background of a particular song or songwriter, however, can be beneficial in its own right. "It is Well With My Soul" is generally beloved, but when you know that the author had just lost his four daughters in a shipwreck when he wrote it, its impact becomes even deeper and more powerful.

Hymns are one of the best ways to teach and learn theology and doctrine. Songs are often remembered whether we want to remember them or not, and when truths about God and His character are put to music, we remember them much better than if we simply tried to memorize sentences out of a book or bullet points in a list....which is another reason knowing who wrote them and why can be important.

You wouldn't want just anyone writing a Church creed or denominational confession. Why do we often ignore the authors of the songs we sing on Sunday (and hum through the rest of the week)? The books we offer here ensure you don't have to anymore, covering both many of the world's favorite hymn-writers and their works, as well as many few have heard of.

What about modern songs and choruses? you might ask. While many of them are doctrinally acceptable and worshipful in nature, few have achieved the "classic" status of the older songs and hymns. We aren't wholly against such music (unless it's theologically wrong or irreverent!), but the traditional songs are proven while many choruses are still in a state of flux. Also, too many of them are just pop songs with a vaguely Christian message, and lack the richness of more thoughtful compositions.

Singing has always been one of the favorite activities of Christians. We want to promote that, but we also want to encourage those who sing to do so with an understanding both of the music and lyrics they love. In this century, we often hear "I like the music; I don't listen to the words." Christians worship the Word of God, Jesus Christ, and can't afford that attitude. These books will help you love the songs you already sing more deeply and truly, and to praise the God to whom they're offered even more vigorously than you do now.

Review by C. Hollis Crossman
C. Hollis Crossman used to be a child. Now he's a husband and father who loves church, good food, and weird stuff. He might be a mythical creature, but he's definitely not a centaur. Read more of his reviews here.
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Hymnopedia
26 Items found Print
101 Hymn Stories
by Kenneth Osbeck
from Kregel Publications
for 6th-12th grade
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
101 Hymn Stories
by Kenneth Osbeck
40th Anniversary from Kregel Publications
for 6th-12th grade
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
101 Hymn Stories - audio book on CD
by Kenneth Osbeck, read by Wayne Shepherd
from Oasis Audio
for 6th-12th grade
in Audio Books & Dramas (Location: CD-AUDIO)
$15.00 (1 in stock)
101 More Hymn Stories
by Kenneth Osbeck
from Kregel Publications
for 6th-12th grade
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
Abide With Me
by John H. Parker, Paul Seawright
from New Leaf Press
for 7th-Adult
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
Accidental Voyage
Mr. Pipes Series #4
by Doug Bond
from P&R Publishing
for 5th-8th grade
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$15.99 $8.00 (1 in stock)
Foundations in Worship
by John D. Morris
from Master Books
for 7th-12th grade
in Master Books Bible & Worldview (Location: BIB-MBWV)
$39.19
Great Christian Hymn Writers
by Jane Stuart Smith & Betty Carlson
from Crossway Books
for 7th-12th grade
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
How Sweet the Sound
by Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Frank Morrison
from Atheneum
for 1st-4th grade
in Picture Books (Location: PICTURE)
$17.99
Hymns in Prose - Set
by Sonya Shafer, Lanaya Gore
from Simply Charlotte Mason
for 3rd-8th grade
in Handwriting Resources (Location: HAN-REF)
Life of John Newton
by American Missionary Fellowship
from Attic Books
for 10th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
$9.50
More Hymn Stories
by Carl F. Price
2nd Printing, 1929 from Abingdon Press
for 8th-Adult
in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
$9.00 (1 in stock)
Mr. Pipes and Psalms and Hymns of the Reformation
Mr. Pipes Series #2
by Doug Bond
from Christian Liberty Press
for 5th-8th grade
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$15.60 $7.00 (2 in stock)
Mr. Pipes and the British Hymn Makers
Mr. Pipes Series #1
by Doug Bond
from Christian Liberty Press
for 5th-8th grade
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$15.60 $6.00 (1 in stock)
Mr. Pipes Comes to America
Mr. Pipes Series #3
by Doug Bond
from Christian Liberty Press
for 5th-8th grade
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$7.00 (1 in stock)
Mr. Pipes Comes to America
Mr. Pipes Series #3
by Doug Bond
2nd edition from Christian Liberty Press
for 5th-8th grade
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$15.60
Mr. Pipes Series
by Doug Bond
from Christian Liberty Press
for 5th-8th grade
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$53.37
Our Hymns, Our Heritage
by David & Barbara Leeman, foreword by Keith & Kristyn Getty
from Moody Press
for 9th-Adult
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$24.99
The Poetic Wonder of Isaac Watts
Long Line of Godly Men Profiles
by Douglas Bond
from P&R Publishing
for 9th-Adult
in Biographies (Location: BIO)
Then Sings My Soul Book 1
by Robert J. Morgan
from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for 9th-Adult
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$22.99 $14.00 (2 in stock)
Then Sings My Soul Book 2
by Robert J. Morgan
1st edition from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for Adult
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$19.99
Then Sings My Soul Book 3
by Robert J. Morgan
1st edition from Thomas Nelson Publishers
for Adult
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$19.99
Then Sings My Soul Trilogy
by Robert J. Morgan
for 9th-Adult
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
Treasury of Best-Loved Hymns
by Daniel A. Poling, illustrated by James Daugherty
for 3rd-Adult
in Vintage History & Biographies (Location: VIN-HIS)
What Is Worship Music?
Basics of the Faith
by Paul S. Jones
from P&R Publishing
for 10th-Adult
in Basics of the Faith (Location: XNC-BAS)
$3.50
When Morning Gilds the Skies
by Joni Eareckson Tada, John MacArthur, Robert & Bobbie Wolgemuth
from Crossway Books
for 10th-Adult
in History of Hymns (Location: XCH-HYMN)
$11.00 (1 in stock)