Resources

Gather into One: Praying and Singing Globally (Eerdmans, 2003)

Description
One of the benefits of the multicultural nature of Christianity has been the introduction of the Western church to worship music from around the world. However, while many songs from other parts of the world are now available in Western hymnal collections, little has been written to help church musicians and ministers understand, appreciate, and use these songs in worship. Gather into One fills this void.

In this volume C. Michael Hawn explores the work of five of the most influential global church musicians found in North American hymnals: Pablo Sosa (Argentina), I-to Loh (Taiwan), David Dargie (South Africa), Patrick Matsikenyiri (Zimbabwe), and John Bell (Scotland). Hawn discusses the biographical background of each of these composers and elucidates the meaning of their music within their respective cultures. Having studied global song himself on site throughout the world, Hawn sees this music as a valuable gift from other cultures to our own—sung prayers that can broaden the ways we pray and sing together in corporate worship. His extensive research leads to some intriguing proposals, with Hawn encouraging diverse expressions of worship, endorsing the church musician as a worship “enlivener,” and making a case for “polyrhythmic worship” in our churches.

A unique resource, Gather into One demonstrates the spiritual riches to be gained through multicultural worship and makes a concrete contribution toward realizing the worldwide unity of the Christian church.

Author
C. Michael Hawn is associate professor of church music at Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas.  The editor of For the Living of These Days:  Resources for Enriching Worship and Stepping Stones:  An Ecumenical Children's Choir Curriculum, he is also the author of One Bread, One Body:  Exploring Cultural Diversity in Worship.

Reviews
"Michael Hawn has given us a stimulating book. Though primarily concerned with music, it sounds a wider note that all those engaged in developing and renewing worship need to hear."
-Bryan D. Spinks, Books & Culture

"Hawn ... brings a fresh perspective to the ongoing debate about worship in the church. Worship leaders (a.k.a. 'enliveners') who wish to reach beyond their own cultures for new resources will find Hahn's offering to be a valuable and practical resource."
-Keith Kunda, Christian Scholar's Review

"Hawn's intent is not faddish ethno-tourism, but deep and lasting intercultural exchange. ... Ultimately, Hawn concludes, the point of engaging in multicultural musical expressions "is not to 'feel good' but to feel again—feel a sense of the holy and an experience of community" which will move us, with all our sisters and brothers around the globe, to shout in renewed, "polyrhythmic" enthusiasm: Alleluia! and Amen!"
-Mary Louise Bringle, EEWC Update, newsletter of the Evangelical and Ecumenical Women's Caucus

"As we know, many prayers and songs of the non-Western world are now a significant part of our hymnal collections. This book helps church musicians and pastors to understand and appreciate them."
-Carl Linder, Lutheran Partners

CICW Liturgical Studies Series with Eerdmans
This series is designed to promote reflection on the history, theology, and practice of Christian worship and to stimulate worship renewal in Christian congregations. Written by pastoral worship leaders from diverse communities and scholars from a range of disciplines, these volumes seek to nurture worship practices that are at once spiritually vital and theologically rooted. To find all the books in this series, go to Publications and under "Publisher," select "Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing."

Table of Contents and Excerpt from Eerdmans