4.2. Male-Dominant Liturgical and Biblical Language
4.2.1. Popular Methodist Hymns
“Methodism was born in song.”87 Singing is an important part of worship in the MCSA and Charles Wesley, the brother of John Wesley – who originally founded a
‘Methodist Society’ within the Anglican Church – wrote hundreds of hymns, which are published in several denominations’ hymnals. Although socially aware and deeply spiritual, many of the old hymn-writers were products of their time. The English of the Eighteenth, Nineteenth and continuing through to the Twentieth Centuries CE was distinctly male-dominant. Perhaps in these times our understanding of social awareness has changed. Being gender inclusive in our language is one important way of acknowledging the worth of women and children in the face of a church tradition that has excluded them for centuries. Some modern-day hymn-writers do pay attention to inclusive language but for many the status quo remains. Excerpts from the following four hymns, from The Methodist Hymn-Book, are hymns that Methodists sing regularly:
Hymn Number 116 Hymn-writer: Charles Sylvester Horne (1865-1914) 1. Sing we the King who is coming to reign,
Glory to Jesus, the Lamb that was slain, Life and salvation His empire shall bring, Joy to the nations when Jesus is King.
Refrain:
Come let us sing: Praise to our King, Jesus our King, Jesus our King:
This is our song, who to Jesus belong:
Glory to Jesus, to Jesus our King.
2. All men shall dwell in His marvellous light, Races long severed His love shall unite, Justice and truth from His sceptre shall spring, Wrong shall be ended when Jesus is King.
(Emphasis mine.)
86 ‘Celebrating the Bible in English - KJV 1611-2011’ – www.biblesociety.co.za [Accessed 10 August 2011].
87 See the preface to The Methodist Hymn-Book. MCO, London 1933 (30th Edition – 1963:v).
103 Hymns of praise to Christ propose a challenge when transcribing hymns into gender inclusive language as historically Jesus was a man. However, the Christ of God, in the post-Resurrection concept is neither male nor female but Spirit. This hymn focuses on the
‘Kingdom of God’ and draws on imagery of war and peace. In the second verse all people are referred to as ‘men’. The terms for God, used in subsequent verses, are ‘Father’ and
‘Lord’ – ‘God’ is not used at all.
Hymn Number 313 Hymn-writer: Frances Jane van Alstyne (1820-1915) 1. To God be the glory, great things he hath done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son, who yielded his life an atonement for sin, and opened the lifegate that all may go in.
Refrain:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father through Jesus the Son, and give him the glory, great things he hath done!
(Emphasis mine.)
This very popular hymn is probably one of the best-known English hymns – most English speaking Methodists know at least the first verse and the refrain by heart. This is a praise hymn and both God and Christ are referred to as ‘he’. The concept of a ‘perfect’ hereafter is espoused in this hymn and its theology is simplistic.
Hymn Number 75 Hymn-writer: Charles Wesley (1707-1788) 1. Father, whose everlasting love
Thy only Son for sinners gave, Whose grace to all did freely move, And sent him down a world to save;
2. Help us thy mercy to extol,
Immense, unfathom’d, unconfin’d;
To praise the Lamb who died for all, The general Saviour of mankind.
4. Jesus hath said, we all shall hope;
Preventing grace for all is free:
“And I, if I be lifted up,
I will draw all men unto me.” (Emphasis mine.)
104 This is one of Charles Wesley’s hymns and immediately we discover depth in theology and beautiful poetry. God is male and ‘Father’ for Charles Wesley and the analogies he uses for people are also male. He does promote the traditionally Methodist theology that salvation is for ‘all’.
Hymn Number: 377 Hymn-writer: Charles Wesley (1707-1788) 1. How can a sinner know,
His sins on earth forgiven?
How can my gracious Saviour show, My name inscribed in heaven?
What we have felt and seen, With confidence we tell;
And publish to the sons of men The signs infallible.
(Emphasis mine.)
This well-known Wesleyan hymn uses only the male pronoun to refer to ‘all’ in the first verse – this was the custom in the 18th Century CE. Feminist theologians have suggested simple amendments to exclusive language so that all people may feel included. An example of how a verse from the hymn above could be amended is as follows:
How then can sinners know?
Their sins on earth forgiven
How can our gracious Saviour show, Our names inscribed in heaven?
What we have felt and seen, With confidence we tell;
And publish to humanity
The signs infallible. (Transcription and emphasis mine.)
Copyright needs to be investigated but many hymns are in the public domain and obtaining permission for slight changes is usually not a problem. Feminist perspectives are recognised and gender justice is an essential aspect of social justice. African languages are fortunate in that they are less gender specific. However, the term for God used in African hymns, is often ‘Father’ (Baba in isiZulu) even though the term Nkosi (Chief) is gender neutral. Although, in theory Nkosi could be used for a woman, it is primarily used for a male tribal chief.
105 Hymns like ‘Dear Lord and Father of mankind’88 are great hymns but women need to do ‘spiritual gymnastics’89 when singing them. It is deeply respectful to sing ‘Dear God, Creator of humankind’ and still retain the metre and the poetry. Some hymn-writers have written new verses for hymns with verses that are too difficult to make inclusive by editing.
One of the merits of making hymns inclusive of gender and of images for God is that it raises the awareness of the congregation that the hymns are exclusive. Another positive aspect is that many women then feel included and as though they belong. I say ‘many women’ since many women think it is petty to believe ‘mankind’ does not include women but many of them would work hard for a woman’s right to protection at home – another gender justice issue. Some women do not yet recognise linguistic gender injustice in the Church and they would be irritated if anyone changed the words of the hymns or the liturgies, to which we now turn.