Description
Book SynopsisMusic and song are important parts of worship, and hymns have long played a central role in Protestant history. This book explores the ways in which Protestants use hymns to clarify their identity and define their relationship with America and Christianity.
Trade ReviewMuch of American religion and spirituality has been shaped, defined, and promoted through its hymnody.... The subtext for this volume is how immigrants sang their faith in the New World of the U.S. and Canada. The contributions range from the experiences of slaves, women, and Native Americans in the early 19th century through the transplanted experiences of Presbyterians, the linguistic issues of German Mennonites, Swedish Covenanters, and Spanish-speaking Protestants, to the nondenominational radio revivalism of the early 20th century.... [S]ignificantly assists in the task of fitting together the historic and cultural pieces of American religious music. - Journal of the American Academy of Religion (JAAR) ""A collection organized around an effort to study the hymnody of American Protestant groups in relation to more general issues of religion and society.... In all, they make salient points for students of American religion, including to stress the importance of hymnody as an object of study... and to emphasize that hymns represent crucial statements of what believers believe and what their religion means to them."" - Journal of Southern Religion
