18 September 2015 A.D. Modern Hymnal—Interview with Keith Getty
18 September 2015
A.D. Modern Hymnal—Interview with Keith
Getty
Antlitz, Kevin. “The Modern Hymnal: An interview with Keith Getty.” Aquila Report. 14 Dec 2014. http://theaquilareport.com/the-modern-hymnal-an-interview-with-keith-getty/. Accessed 18 Sept 2015.
The Modern Hymnal: An interview with Keith Getty
Together the Gettys and the community of musicians with whom
they work are revitalizing the church by providing this generation with robust
and moving church music.
Over the past decade or so,
the Protestant church in North America has experienced a revival of sorts. The
revival of which I speak is the renaissance of hymnody. I first encountered
this movement to resurrect the ancient hymns of the church in 2009 when a band
called Page CXVI released an album entitled “Hymns.” With the clear intent of
“making hymns accessible and known again,” countless musicians have repurposed,
rearranged, or revamped the great hymns of old. Preeminent among these are
Keith and Kristyn Getty.
Standing on the
shoulders of giants, the Gettys have distinguished themselves as leaders in the
hymnody revival. Though they are among the vanguard of artists reintroducing the
church to her musical heritage, they are perhaps best known for their original
compositions like “In Christ Alone” (penned by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend).
Together the Gettys and the community of musicians with whom they work are
revitalizing the church by providing this generation with robust and moving
church music.
The following
interview of Keith Getty was conducted via email.
KA: I’ve heard you describe
your calling as that of a “steward” of the great hymns of the church. Can you
unpack this a bit?
KG: We are
hymn-writers and stewards of those hymns, but part of that wider responsibility
is pointing people to all songs that they can carry with them through life,
whether they are old hymns or new.
KA: Who are your top three
favorite hymn writers? Why do you favor these three?
KG: Martin Luther,
Cecil Frances Alexander, and Charles Wesley.
Luther because he
rebirthed a vision for reforming the church through the preaching and singing
of the Word and had the courage to take time out of his life to write, collate,
and inspire others. Wesley because for every hymn I’ve ever written on any
subject he has a better one! Alexander, because she took her Irish heritage and
wrote for her local church and realized that Christian catechizing through
hymns begins at a young age.
KA: What is your all-time
favorite hymn? Why?
KG: St. Patrick’s
Breastplate because it is the essence of Christianity, the essence of poetry,
and because it’s lasted 17 centuries.
KA: Contemporary Christian
music is sometimes criticized for being uncreative and shallow, especially when
compared with the great hymns of the church. What are your thoughts on this?
Can you offer any thoughts on why modern church music doesn’t quite pack the
punch of an Isaac Watts or Charles Wesley?
KG: I think there
are two things. In defense of church music, we are comparing what was written
yesterday against the very best 0.1% of what was written in Church History.
However, my concern is that the values have changed in the world of church
music.
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