The Uk's Top Ten Hymns

[John81]

What are the most popular hymns in the UK?

 

In 2013 Songs of Praise conducted a nationwide survey. Tens of thousands of people voted for their favourite, from a list of one hundred hymns and these are the top 10:

 

1. How Great Thou Art

 

2. In Christ Alone

 

3. Be Still, For The Presence Of The Lord

 

4. Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind

 

5. Here I Am, Lord (I, The Lord Of Sea And Sky)

 

6. And Can It Be

 

7. Abide With Me

 

8. Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer

 

9. Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace

 

10. The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended

 

The hymns featured in a special edition of the Songs of Praise Big Sing that was broadcast on Sunday 27th October 2013.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006ttc5/features/top-tenhymns

[Invicta]

Songs of praise has a very liberal definition of Christianity.

 

I used to like Abide With Me. until I saw a broadcast of Ranjiv Ghandi's funeral.  The Hindu commentator said theye were the oldest fire worshipping religion, and that Abide With Me was the favourite hymn of Ranjiv Ghandi.  I thought that if it is vague enough for Gahandi, then it is not suitable for me to sing.

[Alimantado]

Surpised Holy Holy Holy isn't there, or I will sing the wondrous story. Anyway, American gospels hymnals are better, like Sweet hour of prayer and Leaning on the everlasting arms.

[swathdiver]

Some of these I immediately recognize as CCM, they're not hymns at all.  In Christ Alone is a bridge song, to you folks into the ecumenical fold, the one world church that these contemporary charismatic musicians are actively and openly building.

[Alimantado]

Some of these I immediately recognize as CCM, they're not hymns at all.  In Christ Alone is a bridge song, to you folks into the ecumenical fold, the one world church that these contemporary charismatic musicians are actively and openly building.

 

I'm not a fan of In Christ Alone but it's one of the very few modern songs that has a good melody. The lyrics are too verbose and like so many modern songs it isn't very humble and has a 'look at me everyone I'm saved aren't I great' flavour to it. What actually makes it CCM (if it is), though?

[swathdiver]

I'm not a fan of In Christ Alone but it's one of the very few modern songs that has a good melody. The lyrics are too verbose and like so many modern songs it isn't very humble and has a 'look at me everyone I'm saved aren't I great' flavour to it. What actually makes it CCM (if it is), though?

 

Be sure to read Brother Cloud's message on CCM today when the RSS feed posts it.

 

It's the association.  The author and singers are charismatics, bridge builders to the one world church.  They purposely wrote this song to bring us into Satan's fold.  The Lord very clearly teaches us to stay away from such people and things.

[candlelight]

5. Here I Am, Lord (I, The Lord Of Sea And Sky)

 

What are the most popular hymns in the UK?

 

In 2013 Songs of Praise conducted a nationwide survey. Tens of thousands of people voted for their favourite, from a list of one hundred hymns and these are the top 10:

 

1. How Great Thou Art

 

2. In Christ Alone

 

3. Be Still, For The Presence Of The Lord

 

4. Dear Lord And Father Of Mankind

 

5. Here I Am, Lord (I, The Lord Of Sea And Sky)

 

6. And Can It Be

 

7. Abide With Me

 

8. Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer

 

9. Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace

 

10. The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, Is Ended

 

The hymns featured in a special edition of the Songs of Praise Big Sing that was broadcast on Sunday 27th October 2013.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006ttc5/features/top-tenhymns

 

 

 

Thanks, John for the list.  #5 is a song that I sang, years ago in the RCC.  #9 is also sang, as well.  It comes from the prayer of St. Francis of Assisi.  The prayer is called, "Lord Make me an Instrument of Your Peace."

[Alimantado]

Be sure to read Brother Cloud's message on CCM today when the RSS feed posts it.

 

It's the association.  The author and singers are charismatics, bridge builders to the one world church.  They purposely wrote this song to bring us into Satan's fold.  The Lord very clearly teaches us to stay away from such people and things.

 

Thanks Swath, I will.

Interesting to look at the lyrics of 'In Christ Alone', though, in the context of what you say about its association with Charismatics and ecunemicalism. The lyrics overtly affirm the following:

    Jesus' death on the cross
    Jesus' bodily resurrection
    Penal substitutionary atonement
    Salvation through Jesus Christ by faith alone
    Once saved always saved

That must make it a tricky one for quite a few demoninations to sing. It contains no direct reference to everlasting punishment (though it does talk about God's wrath), so I guess it could just about be sung by universalists, and no reference to the Holy Spirit, so it could be sung by people who deny that part of the Trinity (it does, however, affirm Jesus as God).

Now compare it to the lyrics of one of my favourite hymns, Leaning On the Everlasting Arms. That contains a reference to Deut 33:27 but otherwise does not affirm--at least not explicitly--any doctrines at all. It doesn't even refer to Jesus by name. Therefore pretty much anyone who is theist and believes the OT is a holy book could sing 'Leaning..', including JWs, Unitarians, Mormons, Jews, Muslims.

This also popped up while I was trying to find the lyrics to 'In Christ Alone'. One denomination has already rejected the song because it talks about God's wrath. So that's a ecunemicalism fail.

Also, when I was looking up the lyrics to 'Leaning...' I found out that the authors of the song were Presbyterians--a demonination many on here wouldn't consider brothers in Christ. Given most people--me included--wouldn't even know who the authors of 'In Christ Alone' were without doing some research, it raises the question: do we need to research the beliefs of the writers of hymns before we ever consent to singing them?

[Invicta]

I'm not a fan of In Christ Alone but it's one of the very few modern songs that has a good melody. The lyrics are too verbose and like so many modern songs it isn't very humble and has a 'look at me everyone I'm saved aren't I great' flavour to it. What actually makes it CCM (if it is), though?

 

Look at the youtube video of Townend singing it.

[John81]

Look at the youtube video of Townend singing it.

One can look at YouTube videos of folks singing most any famous hymn in a way we don't like, or worse. There are some horrible versions of Amazing Grace out there!

 

Most of the songs on that list I don't recognize. It's possible I may know some of them if I heard them because I don't always remember hymn titles well.

[swathdiver]

Also, when I was looking up the lyrics to 'Leaning...' I found out that the authors of the song were Presbyterians--a demonination many on here wouldn't consider brothers in Christ. Given most people--me included--wouldn't even know who the authors of 'In Christ Alone' were without doing some research, it raises the question: do we need to research the beliefs of the writers of hymns before we ever consent to singing them?

 

My pleasure sir.  You raise a good point.  Presbyterians today are not the same as yesterday but does that matter?  With an old hymn, folks are not likely to look up the author who died 100 years ago and begin to emulate any of their sins or false doctrines.  But it's very easy today to google Townend, see him on youtube or on the television giving an interview or playing in concert at the nearest rock-n-roll church.  That makes him and those like him very dangerous.  I suspect that in 75 years when I'm dead and buried and gone to heaven my great grandkids will be playing and singing In Christ Alone on the piano at their IFB Church if the Lord tarries that long.  They won't know Townend from Fannie then without digging. 

 

How's the family doing?

[John81]

My pleasure sir.  You raise a good point.  Presbyterians today are not the same as yesterday but does that matter?  With an old hymn, folks are not likely to look up the author who died 100 years ago and begin to emulate any of their sins or false doctrines.  But it's very easy today to google Townend, see him on youtube or on the television giving an interview or playing in concert at the nearest rock-n-roll church.  That makes him and those like him very dangerous.  I suspect that in 75 years when I'm dead and buried and gone to heaven my great grandkids will be playing and singing In Christ Alone on the piano at their IFB Church if the Lord tarries that long.  They won't know Townend from Fannie then without digging. 

 

How's the family doing?

With the internet folks are looking up everything these days. I know of a few who have studied up on their favorite hymn writers and decided to adopt their viewpoints. There are churches I know of, as well as several more I've heard of from friends, who have changed the way they use the hymns based upon videos from church websites, YouTube and such. There are even some white Baptist churches that have decided to model their music after the black Baptist churches, which means the hymns are sung to a much more up tempo beat, the music is louder, as is the singing.

 

The widespread use of the internet has people around the world looking up everything and trying to copy this, that and the other thing. It's amazing to see so many Asians trying to copy what they see as American ways, and in those countries where America has a stronger presence it seems many younger Asians are adopting an American "ghetto rap" or "hip-hop" style. Rather sad.

[Alimantado]

My pleasure sir.  You raise a good point.  Presbyterians today are not the same as yesterday but does that matter?  With an old hymn, folks are not likely to look up the author who died 100 years ago and begin to emulate any of their sins or false doctrines.  But it's very easy today to google Townend, see him on youtube or on the television giving an interview or playing in concert at the nearest rock-n-roll church.  That makes him and those like him very dangerous.  I suspect that in 75 years when I'm dead and buried and gone to heaven my great grandkids will be playing and singing In Christ Alone on the piano at their IFB Church if the Lord tarries that long.  They won't know Townend from Fannie then without digging. 

 

How's the family doing?

 

Good point nicely made!

 

Familywise, I've spent some time with my father and am satisfied he's looking after himself and isn't about to do anything foolish. The rest is the calm before the storm really.