Could someone explain to me the difference between Traditional Presbyterian Music and Tryaditional Baptist music. I grew up in a Baptist church and then switched to a Presbyterian church in college. The music itself seemed very similar in my opinion, and many of the songs were the same. The only thing I can think of is that it must be the lyrics of the song, although to be honest, when I was growing up I didn't pay much attention during church, so my memory of the Baptist songs is a little hazy. Does anyone have an example of a Traditional Baptist hymn that wouldn't be a Traditional Presbyterian hymn?
Joe, Definitions would be helpful and maybe some examples too. My 80 year old friend Fannie quotes often from the hymns her parents would sing. They were primitive Baptists (Calvinistic) and those hymns were rich in doctrine and were Christ centered. Probably many were the same as the Presbyterian hymns. Years ago, when I attended an arminian country Baptist church after becoming a Christian, I remember singing the song "If I could only hear my mother pray again." This is what I would call sentimental, without any Biblical content. They weren't all that bad though.
Just As I Am Trust and Obey In the Garden anything by Fannie J. Crosby
Yes, you are right about Revivalistic hymns being included.
Although, I would agree with Susan when she said that the category "Baptist traditional" is broad because it doesn't account for Primitive Baptists.
True godliness is a sincere feeling which loves God as Father as much as it fears and reverences Him as Lord, embraces His righteousness, and dreads offending Him worse than death~ Calvin
The church I have been attending does use the Baptist Hymnal, but the songs chosen so far are not the Revivalistic hymns but are the older ones that you'd also find in the Trinity Hymnal.
Kyle, Pilgrim, and I have already discussed musical instruments in the church. I'll open that discussion to the board. At the church I'm going to, we have (in order of "importance" in relation to the music), a piano, classic guitar, and bongos. The music is not loud, and our voices are what are heard the loudest.
It is not happy-clappy, evan-jelly-cal either. The way I would describe the worship is very prayerful and reverent. In fact, I think we pray more in the service than any other church I've been to. The service is about an hour and a half long, which I like as well. We have an Old and New Testament reading, and, from what I can tell, they have a liturgy. We also either read a Psalm or sing one.
True godliness is a sincere feeling which loves God as Father as much as it fears and reverences Him as Lord, embraces His righteousness, and dreads offending Him worse than death~ Calvin
I just put Other because there is a mix of Baptist hymns, Kingsway Music, PDI, and other things. The worship minister makes a point of choosing Gospel and Theology rich songs that can in no way be sung by heretics. We have instruments accompanying the chior and congregation, but I really just like it without the instruments. The piano and strings get immunity, though. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bananas.gif" alt="" />
We have a contemporary service in our church, PCUSA. I wouldn't call it "Happy Clappy Traditional." But this might be the term expressed in the poll. But we sing Modern Contemporary Christian music. As keeping true to the Presbyterian church, only a few are moved to make any motion with their hands. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/ClapHands.gif" alt="" /> HA! But we're getting better with each service. We even get a few Amen's during the sermon. But, even though, it took me a while to get used to this type of praising, I find that now I enjoy it very much. But I still attend the traditional service where we have Traditional Presbyterian Hymn's.
Brother Dave.
Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. - Galatians 2:16
We attended an RPC church recently in which only the Pslams were sung. Later I was at a conference in which the speaker (Michael Horton) said that singing the Psalms was a better way than regular hymns because in singing a Psalm, one gets the whole counsel of God rather than the favorite bits and pieces that someone decided to write up into a hymn. Certainly I can agree with that. However, we noticed that at this RPC church, they didn't sing the whole Psalm. They had divided it up into segments, each with its own tune, and they would sing the segments, not the whole thing. Furthermore, in an effort to get the thing to rhyme, the grammar of the sentence had been so rearranged that one had to spend alot of time trying to figure out what one had just sung.
In the Episcopal church, I grew up chanting Psalms. I think this is a really better way: the tune is simple, one gets the whole Psalm, and rhyme does not matter.
Nevertheless, I still love the old hymns. With the instruments. And the organ. There, I said it. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/uhoh.gif" alt="" />
E_F_Grant wrote: Later I was at a conference in which the speaker (Michael Horton) said that singing the Psalms was a better way than regular hymns because in singing a Psalm, one gets the whole counsel of God rather than the favorite bits and pieces that someone decided to write up into a hymn.
With all due respect to Michael Horton, and assuming that this is an accurate quote and in context, I would have to strongly disagree. It is simply erroneous to assert that "[in a] Psalm, one gets the whole counsel of God . . ." which one doesn't get if one sings a hymn. If that were true, then it would be theoretically sufficient to know one Psalm to apprehend the entirety of God's revealed will. If that were true, why did the Spirit include 150 Psalms? And if that were true, why would the Spirit chose to include 66 books? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/scratch1.gif" alt="" />
The fact is, the Psalms of the O.T. are beautiful, instructive, and reveal much of God and the heart of a believer. But they are hardly sufficient to instruct one in the "whole counsel of God", never mind the ability of just one of them to do so. The New Testament interprets the Old Testament and it builds upon and expands on the Old Testament. Thus, for example, we are given to know the details of the atonement, the name of the Redeemer, details of that which awaits all those whose hope rests on Him, etc., etc., ad infinitum.
Personally, I cannot fathom NOT singing praises to God but never mentioning the name of Jesus my LORD. Simply put, I cannot restrict my new life in Christ to the types and shadows of the Old Testament Psalms. But likewise, I cannot possibly sing praises with a full understanding of that praise unless I also include the Psalms. It is not a matter of "either/or", but rather BOTH. <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />
I agree. I don't think that it is an accurate quote, but more like a paraphrase. I don't believe he meant that one gets the whole counsel of God, but rather the whole thought presented in the Psalm. His point was more, it's good to praise God, but much better to know why you do it...and you can do that if you sing the whole thing.
Well, by God's good and wise providence I am in a church that neither sings the Psalms nor too many hymns. So I do it at home. My Bible and my hymnbook have not yet been taken away.
Well never thought I'd see the day I could disagree with Pilgrim.I believe the point of psalm singing (only)is really purity of worship.You can enter my humble little church and you have nothing but the word of God sung.Christ is in the psalms so I cannot see the problem Pilgrim in many hymns there is no mention of Christ.Also with no instruments ALL present participate in the singing ,something I think does not happen so much in instrumental aided singing IMHO.
Apparently you do dare....<img src="/forum/images/graemlins/3stooges.gif" alt="" /> We sing contemporary music mostly but on occasion the music director will deign to have a good hymn. I would not exactly call them "praise choruses" in the sense that one sings seven words eleven times in a row, but they are decidedly lite.
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