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Teaching Hymnology
Bert Polman

This seminar was held June 19-23, 2006 and June 25-29, 2007 at Calvin College. It was hosted by Seminars in Christian Scholarship, with funds provided by Lilly Endowment, Inc.

Weblog Reports
2007
2006

Resources
These books and resources were discussed in the 2006 seminar:

Bruce Milne, Know the Truth (InterVarsity Press, 1982)

S. Paul Schilling, The Faith We Sing (Westminster Press, 1983)

Bernhard Anderson, Out of the Depths: the Psalms Speak for Us Today

Walter Brueggemann, The Message of the Psalms: a Theological Commentary

Denise Dombkowski Hopkins, Journey Through the Psalms

John H. Hayes, Understanding the Psalms

Tremper Longman III, How to Read the Psalms

Samuel J. Rogal, A General Introduction to Hymnody and Congregational Song (Scarecrow Press, 1991)

Harry Eskew and Hugh McElrath, Sing with Understanding (Church Street Press, 1995)

Paul Westermeyer, Let the People Sing: Hymn Tunes in Perspective (GIA Publishing, 2005)

Erik Routley and Paul A. Richardson, A Panorama of Christian Hymnody (GIA Publishing, 2005)

David Music and Milburn Price, A Survey of Christian Hymnody, 4th ed. (Hope Publishing Co., 1999)

David Music, Hymnology: A Collection of Source Readings (Scarecrow Press, 1996)

The Lutheran Hymnal Supplement, and Handbook ’98 (Concordia Publishing)

Websites:

CCLI.com
Jubilate Hymns Group
www.thehymnsociety.org
hymnographyunbound.blogspot.com

Seminar Description
Hymnology is the study of congregational singing of psalms and hymns which involves a focus on texts, tunes, authors, composers, and historical and contemporary traditions, but also on performance practice and the integration of such singing in Christian worship. This study is done in academic settings such as undergraduate and seminary institutions, but also happens in congregational settings such as Sunday School or children's worship, church music ensembles, shorter-term adult-ed programs, and is modeled in weekly worship life.

What ties all of these situations together is pedagogy: what are good processes for the teaching and learning of, and about, Christian worship songs? The "hymn explosion" and technological developments of the contemporary world bring new challenges to the teaching of hymnody. This workshop will tackle these questions in order to equip educators and practitioners from a range of contexts and traditions.

About the Director
Bert Polman has taught music and hymnology at the college-level for the past 30 years. He received his BA from Dordt College, and his MA and PhD (in musicology) from the University of Minnesota. He served on the editorial committees of five hymnals: Psalter Hymnal (CRC Publications, 1987); The Worshiping Church, a Hymnal (Hope Publishing, 1990); Songs for LiFE (CRC Publications, 1994); Amazing Grace: Hymn Texts for Devotional Use (Westminster John Knox Press, 1994); and Sing! A New Creation (CRC Publications, 2001). He was the primary author and co-editor with Emily Brink of the Psalter Hymnal Handbook (CRC Publications, 1998), and is currently working on a commentary on popular Praise-Worship songs. He has been a member of the executive committee of the Hymn Society in the United States & Canada, and is a periodic contributor to their annual conferences. Bert is currently Professor & Chair of Music at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, MI, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship.

Related Resource
Hymnology: syllabus for an undergraduate course by Bert Polman

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