Soulful Hymns for a Culturally-Rich Hymn Study

Soulful Hymns for a Culturally-Rich Hymn Study | Heritage Mom

source: https://heritagemom.com/index.php/2020/12/31/soulful-hymns-for-a-culturally-rich-hymn-study/

I recently wrote about how we approach Charlotte Mason hymn study in our home. One of the things that continues to bring us joy is incorporating a variety of singing styles as we learn new songs, including soulful renditions of our favorites.

In most cases the lyrics remain the same, but the way they are musically interpreted vary by person and often by culture. Hymns sung by Black choirs or singers in a predominantly Black environment are usually shared in a more soulful style than what is traditionally heard in broader environments. And since living in Georgia, I've found that a similar style of singing is occasionally found in predominantly White congregations with rural southern roots.

Sometimes it can be difficult to describe the differences, but people who have heard both styles of hymns - traditional and soulful - will understand what I mean. Sonya Shafer of Simply Charlotte Mason and I shared a laugh about that during our recent Books as Mirrors chat. It was pretty funny! The whole thing is worth listening to, but our hymn giggles can be found at timestamp 19:45.

I also spoke a little about my experiences with Black hymns in homeschool world while chatting with Art Middlekauff about Charlotte Mason and Your Heritage on the Charlotte Mason Poetry podcast. During that conversation, I told a story about a Facebook post I read one time where a mom was complaining that her homeschool curriculum included a link to a soulful version of that term's hymn. She expressed how difficult it was to sing and how much she disliked that type of music. It struck me how little interest she had in learning to appreciate something new. I wondered then whether she ever stopped to consider that 99% of the hymn links provided across years of lesson plans are targeted into the bulls eye of her comfort zone and what she would say if I pointed out that what she basically just called ugly was one of my family's highest forms of worship. I remained silent though.

Because music plays such a sweet and prominent role in our homeschool, I intentionally include various versions while learning new songs. The goal is for my children to develop an appreciation and love for beautiful lyrics expressed in a variety of ways and for them to intimately know and love the musicality of those who came before them.

If you're interested in experiencing the beauty of different hymn styles or if you're up for trying a few of the hymns that we have enjoyed, here are some links you may find helpful for getting started. Please note that each version is different. I usually try to find at least one that matches our lyrics, but some are just meant to listen to or go with the flow.

Blessed Assurance

My Hope is Built on Nothing Less

Jesus Paid It All

Other hymns we have done the same thing with include The Old Rugged Cross, Something About the Name Jesus, The Blood Will Never Lose Its Power, Precious Lord Take My Hand, Evening Prayer, and so many more. Listening to a variety of versions across the weeks really is a wonderful gift to our children. It teaches them to appreciate the way others worship, even if it's different than what they're used to hearing, and it bonds believers through the words and their meaning rather than the notes.

Please share some of your family's favorite hymns in the comments. I'd love some fresh ideas!

You can find me on Instagram @heritagemomblog. See you there!

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