Why is "A Mighty Fortress is our God" in our hymnal?

[ProVobis]

As one who grew up in the Lutheran Church, I was very surprised when “A Mighty Fortress is Our God” was on the list of hymns for Mass one Sunday. It was only that one time, and it was several years ago, but I remember thinking to myself, “Hey, they changed some of the words.”

I think this is more to do with natural morphism than theological changes. But what do I know, I just play the notes or hum.

 

[Erich]

I loathe Amazing Grace. I’ve left instructions that they NOT play or sing it at my funeral.
BLECH.
The words are all wrong.

So’s the melody – if you substitute the Gilligan’s Island theme song for the original

 

[steido01]

I think this is more to do with natural morphism than theological changes. But what do I know, I just play the notes.

You’re correct. When my wife and I were planning our wedding at the local Catholic cathedral, I was happily surprised to stumble across it in the hymnal. The slight shift in wording was not based on substance; but merely a result of differing translation (translating is a difficult art - especially when it requires maintaining a rhyme scheme, proper syllabic count, and avoiding existing copyrights!). We considered it as a hymn for our wedding, but when the organist found a raucous organ version, we thought the more celebratory tune would fit best as a recessional/postlude. The priest got a kick out of it.

Anyway, if you ask me, the traditional Lutheran translation rolls off the tongue just a tad easier – especially verse 2.

Catholic:
Did we in our own strength confide, our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He –
Lord Sabaoth His name, from age to age the same –
And He must win the battle.

Lutheran:
With might of ours can naught be done, soon were our loss effected;
But for us fights the Valiant One, whom God Himself elected.
Ask ye, who is this? Jesus Christ it is.
Of Sabbath Lord, and there’s none other God;
He holds the field forever.

 

[exnihilo]

“In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea…”

Lilies, especially the Madonna lily, are a symbol of Mary. I’ve seen paintings by Anglican artists using that symbolism. I think there’s a good likelihood the writer meant Mary by “beauty of the lilies”.

Maybe. But that doesn’t really capture the Nativity as I understand it with no place at the inn. Of course in this song Jesus is a ‘hero’ born of woman. That isn’t surprising from a Unitarian point of view. His gospel is transmitted through burnished rows of steel which are rows of guns.

 

[Rosebud77]

I love all the rousing hymns of my childhood and early years and this is one of them that I sing still when things are hard… alone up here on the mountain… … YAY!

 

[GEddie]

When it comes to our own deaths, what does it matter, you hear nothing in death, and it will be your descendants’ wishes that will be honored.

 

[ProVobis]

The slight shift in wording was not based on substance; but merely a result of differing translation (translating is a difficult art - especially when it requires maintaining a rhyme scheme, proper syllabic count, and avoiding existing copyrights!).

I had forgotten that the hymn wasn’t written in English. In fact, according to Wiki, there are some 70 English versions of “Ein feste Burg ist unser Gott.” Surely there should be one that would suit the local parish.

 

[AbideWithMe]

Maybe. But that doesn’t really capture the Nativity as I understand it with no place at the inn. Of course in this song Jesus is a ‘hero’ born of woman. That isn’t surprising from a Unitarian point of view. His gospel is transmitted through burnished rows of steel which are rows of guns.

Julia Ward Howe was quite well educated and, IIRC, well-traveled, too. I know there have been beautiful paintings of the Madonna of the Lilies—Mary and the Christ Child standing amidst lilies—from the early middle ages, and there were also some done by the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood contemporary with Howe’s lifetime. She may well have seen both early and contemporary examples and been struck by them. (One of my favorite came a few decades after “Battle Hymn of the Republic”. It’s by Bouguereau, and Howe would not have seen it, of course, but it’s worth looking up.)

 

[Jack_Johnson]

Or Marty Haugen or David Haas. Or any of the spirituals. Catholics shouldn’t imitate protestants.

 

[Venerabilis]

I think “A Mighty Fortress” is a metrical version of Psalm 46.

Also, maybe the hymn was added to the hymnal (as well as the 1976 North American Liturgy of the Hours) for ecumenical reasons.

Solid English hymns of Anglican origin used to be sung at Low Mass during the pre-Vatican II era, as well.