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Shapers of The Hymnal 1982: Our Faith in Words and Music
Explore the groundbreaking Hymnal 1982 through the eyes of its creators as the Episcopal Church celebrates the fortieth anniversary of its publication.
The Hymnal 1982 is a landmark publication that has shaped the Church’s song and provided a wealth of musical resources. Through the author’s first-person interviews, meet the poets, composers, clergy, liturgists, and scholars who contributed to this influential book, and hear their insights about what has worked well—and the changes they envision for the future. The author also shares her observations, as well as input from musicians currently serving Episcopal parishes. Discussion questions and hymn suggestions related to each chapter provide a highly usable resource for group study in celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the hymnal’s publication.
The Hymnal 1982 is a landmark publication that has shaped the Church’s song and provided a wealth of musical resources. Through the author’s first-person interviews, meet the poets, composers, clergy, liturgists, and scholars who contributed to this influential book, and hear their insights about what has worked well—and the changes they envision for the future. The author also shares her observations, as well as input from musicians currently serving Episcopal parishes. Discussion questions and hymn suggestions related to each chapter provide a highly usable resource for group study in celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the hymnal’s publication.
147 pages, Kindle Edition
Published November 18, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
February 24, 2026
Wonderful Resource
I rarely give five star ratings; only to a book that strikes me as encompassing everything it can in its particular genre. This is one of those books.
For people of faith who “sing what they believe” and have found a comfortable home in the Episcopal Church, this book not only describes the careful crafting of our current hymnal but also discusses its broadening appeal and challenges of for the future. By collecting the thoughts of many of the people who were deeply involved in the creation of the 1982 Hymnal, we get a new understanding of the changes made from the previous 1940 Hymnal, whether we like them or not. A sly example at the beginning of the text committee chapter is the parody verse of a favorite hymn omitted from the old hymnal that was so familiar that I had to sing as I read it.
This book is a thoroughly delightful and important resource for Episcopal musicians and clergy and everyone contemplating the future of singing their faith.
I rarely give five star ratings; only to a book that strikes me as encompassing everything it can in its particular genre. This is one of those books.
For people of faith who “sing what they believe” and have found a comfortable home in the Episcopal Church, this book not only describes the careful crafting of our current hymnal but also discusses its broadening appeal and challenges of for the future. By collecting the thoughts of many of the people who were deeply involved in the creation of the 1982 Hymnal, we get a new understanding of the changes made from the previous 1940 Hymnal, whether we like them or not. A sly example at the beginning of the text committee chapter is the parody verse of a favorite hymn omitted from the old hymnal that was so familiar that I had to sing as I read it.
This book is a thoroughly delightful and important resource for Episcopal musicians and clergy and everyone contemplating the future of singing their faith.
August 14, 2026
Not for everyone, but Episcopal church musicians and choristers will appreciate this brief but interesting look into the creation of the 1982 Hymnal.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews