2007: 25 Years of Songs of Zion

Prior to Songs of Zion being published in 1982 by Abington Press, mainline denominations paid scant attention to African-American spirituals, according to William B. McClain, professor of preaching and worship at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. Protestant hymns were primarily New Testament themed, said Dr. McClain, who is African-American. "Black spirituals [largely] deal with the Old Testament, and rather profoundly. Black folks so easily identify with the suffering and the persecution. The Old Testament God is a strong God who insists on justice, a God who uses God's own power to side with the poor, the oppressed, and the hurting." Those that do have New Testament themes have a tender Jesus "who is poor, who will suffer and die unfairly." Abington Press 25 years ago was skeptical there would be any demand for the songs until McClain and others sang the songs for the vice president. "Tears were running down his face. That's how we got the book published." [United Methodist Reporter, Sept. 14, 2007.]

New Hymnal in 2013?

There may be a new United Methodist Hymnal in 2013. The General Board of Discipleship is asking General Conference next year to form a committee to develop it. Said the Rev. Karen Greenwald, general secretary: We need a new hymnal that picks up new hymns, new texts, new melodies, new words to old tunes that are being created and sung in our churches." Besides praise music, the new hymnal would include "jazz, spirituals, contemporary harmonies, and a greater variety of accompaniment settings for guitars, keyboards, [and] percussion instruments," said Neil Alexander of UMC Publishing. "Leaders are also asking for music that emerges from African American, Hispanic, Native American, [and] Asian/Pacific Islander cultures." [Newscope, September 7, 2007.]