Music in the Church

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Would it be wrong for theologically sound Protestant hymns to be sung at Mass? Some of them are so beautiful (example: Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing or How Great Thou Art etc.) and would be a VAST improvement over the 70’s folksy pop music and praise in worship music that is used so often in Mass now. I understand that music from a Catholic source would be best, but why not use music that is already there as long as it glorifies God?
 
I think you should consider the pope’s recent statements on the best music at mass.
 
I actually am now singing in a Catholic choir, and they do make use of Protestant hymns. I do know of some churches, however, that will only allow hymns composed by Catholics. I attended one where they would have Protestant melodies but with substituted lyrics written by Catholics.
 
If it’s theologically sound, it is just fine. You’d be surprised at how many hymns in our Catholic hymnals are, in fact “Protestant” in origin. I’d be shocked if you had a hymnal that did not contain “Amazing Grace”, for example.

Additionally, don’t assume that just because it is in the Catholic hymnal, the song is theologically sound. Always be vigilant and use good judgment.
 
I believe that there is no problem with Protestant hymns; however, the theology has to be looked at very closely before singing them in a Catholic Church. For example hymns promoting OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved), and hymns promoting Consubstantiation.
 
CatholicZ09 said:
I believe that there is no problem with Protestant hymns; however, the theology has to be looked at very closely before singing them in a Catholic Church. For example hymns promoting OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved), and hymns promoting Consubstantiation.
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Could you please list some examples? If you have time, perhaps you would be so kind as to quote the troublesome passages in the hymns you list.

Thanks.
 
Here are the words to “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” for those of you who don’t know this beautiful hymn.

Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.
  1. Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
    hither by thy help I’m come;
    and I hope, by thy good pleasure,
    safely to arrive at home.
    Jesus sought me when a stranger,
    wandering from the fold of God;
    he, to rescue me from danger,
    interposed his precious blood.
  2. O to grace how great a debtor
    daily I’m constrained to be!
    Let thy goodness, like a fetter,
    bind my wandering heart to thee.
    Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
    prone to leave the God I love;
    here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
    seal it for thy courts above.
Do you see anything that isn’t in line with Catholic theology? I don’t.

In fact, I’m shocked that I never noticed, in my 47 years of being Protestant, that the 2nd verse of this hymn says, “and I hope, by Thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home.”

I hope!!! Them’s CATHOLIC words! Shocking!

And then the last verse says, “Prone to wander, Lord I feel it, prone to leave the God I love.”

That’s certainly not OSAS! Again, this is CATHOLIC teaching–the idea that a Christian can actually walk away from God never came out of the mouth of a Calvinist preacher boy!

Frankly, I’m surprised that evangelical and Calvinist Protestants sing this blatantly Catholic hymn!

And I’m even more surprised that Catholics never sing it. Why don’t they?

Oh, and it sounds good on an organ, too.
 
Here are some Protestant hymns that I have a problem with:
  1. Blessed Assurance
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine
Oh what a foretaste of glory divine
Heir of salvation, purchase of God
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood
  1. My Faith Has Found A Resting Place
My faith has found a resting place
Not in a manmade creed
I trust the ever living One
That He for me will plead.
I need no other evidence, I need no other plea;
It is enough that Jesus died and rose again for me.
  1. The Solid Rock
When He shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in Him be found
Dressed in His righteousness alone
Faultless to stand before the throne.
 
Come Ye Sinners Poor And Needy (“All that He requires of sinners, is to turn and trust in Him”)
My Tribute (“With His blood He has saved me, with His power He has raised me”)
Glorious Things Of Thee Are Spoken (“On the rock of ages founded, what can shake my sure repose?”)
At Calvary (“Mercy there was great and grace was free”)
Since Jesus Came Into My Heart (“I shall go there to dwell in that City, I know, since Jesus came into my heart”)
Since I Have Been Redeemed (“I have a home prepared for me, since I have been redeemed”)
Heaven Came Down And Glory Filled My Soul (“I have a future in Heaven for sure, There in those mansions sublime”)

That’s all I have time for. Those are all from a Methodist hymnal. However, there are plenty of Protestant hymns that contain nothing that contradicts Catholicism. But since you asked…🙂
 
“Heaven Come Down” is actually a bit innocuous. It fails to take into account a person’s free will. We are in a time of “already, but, not yet”. This particular song does not take into account the sin of presumption.

Jesus offers us salvation, but, up to the last moment of our lives, we can make a conscious choice to refuse it. Salvation takes two: Jesus’ offer and our acceptance. As St. Augustine said, “the one who made you without your cooperation cannot save you without it.”
 
Here is another contradiction:

To God Be The Glory:

The vilest offender who truly believe,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
 
Lookup said:
Here is another contradiction:

To God Be The Glory:

The vilest offender who truly believe,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
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Hmm, the only time I’ve heard that sung is during Easter Vigil during all the readings at the beginning.
 
I think “Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken” is just fine for Catholic use. The phrase “on the rock of ages founded, what can shake thy sure repose?” refers to the Church not an individual - or at least that’s how I’ve always understood it.

I like “To God be the Glory” and would be willing to sing it with the line “The vilest offender who truly believe, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.” There is a Marian version of “To God Be the Glory” for use on Assumption sung by Anglo-Catholics.
 
Cat said:
in my 47 years of being Protestant

I was Protestant for over 20 years, I’ve been Catholic for 10…I’ll take the Protestant music:blush: Not the wave your hands in the air gospel music, just hymns.
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HaroldA said:
I think “Glorious Things of Thee are Spoken” is just fine for Catholic use. The phrase “on the rock of ages founded, what can shake thy sure repose?” refers to the Church not an individual - or at least that’s how I’ve always understood it.

I like “To God be the Glory” and would be willing to sing it with the line “The vilest offender who truly believe, that moment from Jesus a pardon receives.” There is a Marian version of “To God Be the Glory” for use on Assumption sung by Anglo-Catholics.
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Yes, I think you’re right about “Glorious Things…” I just reread it.🙂

Actually, I also like “To God be the Glory.” I just don’t like that one phrase. It’s a great hymn tune though.
 
And how could I forget “When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder”? 😃 I actually played that one at a Baptist funeral a couple of months ago.:rolleyes: (By request, of course.)
 
convert999 said:
And how could I forget “When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder”? 😃 I actually played that one at a Baptist funeral a couple of months ago.:rolleyes: (By request, of course.)
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That is one song that I have never seen in a Catholic song book.
 
Why don’t more people disagree with the music that is sung a lot at mass?.. At most churches I’ve been to the music is pretty awful and people just go along with it. It just doesn’t fit with the Mass at all, it makes me cringe!
 
Cat said:
Here are the words to “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing,” for those of you who don’t know this beautiful hymn.
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This is the same melody that a Catholic writer rewrote words to: “Sing a New Church” - the same hymn people are always complaining about in here.

There was nothing wrong with the original lyrics. 🤷

Sing a New Church
Summoned by the God who made us
rich in our diversity
Gathered in the name of Jesus,
richer still in unity.

Refrain: Let us bring the gifts that differ
and, in splendid, varied ways,
sing a new church into being,
one in faith and love and praise.

Radiant risen from the water,
robed in holiness and light,
male and female in God’s image,
male and female, God’s delight.

Refrain

Trust the goodness of creation;
trust the Spirit strong within.
Dare to dream the vision promised,
sprung from seed of what has been.

Refrain

Bring the hopes of every nation;
bring the art of every race.
Weave a song of peace and justice;
let it sound through time and space.

Refrain

Draw together at one table,
all the human family;
shape a circle ever wider
and a people ever free
 
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