Australian Hymn Book
Encyclopedia
The Australian Hymn Book (ISBN 1-86371-150-3) was published in 1977, and was the culmination of almost ten year's work by an ecumenical
committee, chaired by A. Harold Wood
, intent on producing a new, contemporary and inclusive hymn
book that could be used in worship by the varied Christian
congregations across Australia. The first meetings were held in 1968 amongst representatives of the Anglican
(Church of England), Congregational
, Methodist
and Presbyterian
churches. A draft list of hymns was circulated in 1972, and in 1974, the Roman Catholic Church
asked to be included and two versions of the hymn book were eventually published: the Australian Hymn Book (containing 579 items) and the Australian Hymn Book with Catholic Supplement (adding a further 25 items). The new hymn book was taken up widely, especially with the union of the Congregational, Methodist and most of the Presbyterian parishes that created the Uniting Church in Australia
in 1977. In its international edition, the hymn book is known as With One Voice (not to be confused with the 1995 work published by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
as a supplement to the Lutheran Book of Worship).
The hymn book contains indexes to first lines, tunes, composer
s, author
s, subjects, scripture
and the religious calendar. A companion book, Songs of the People of God, by Wesley Milgate, was released in 1982, and contains notes on the sources and history of each tune and hymn text, along with short biographies of all authors and composers.
After a survey conducted in 1990, it was decided that a new edition of the Australian Hymn Book was needed. Together in Song
: Australian Hymn Book II was released in 1999. The major changes were the modernisation of the texts (particularly the use of inclusive language), the removal of hymns that had fallen out of use, and the addition of more modern musical settings, worship songs and psalm settings. A companion volume with notes on songs, lyrists and composers compiled by Rev. Dr. H. D'Arcy Wood
is also available.
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
committee, chaired by A. Harold Wood
A. Harold Wood
Rev. Dr A. Harold Wood OBE was a 20th-century Australian churchman, educator, writer, hymnologist and advocate of church union.Born Alfred Harold Wood in Geelong on 4 May 1896, the son of Salvation Army officers, Wood was educated in Sydney...
, intent on producing a new, contemporary and inclusive hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
book that could be used in worship by the varied Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
congregations across Australia. The first meetings were held in 1968 amongst representatives of the Anglican
Anglicanism
Anglicanism is a tradition within Christianity comprising churches with historical connections to the Church of England or similar beliefs, worship and church structures. The word Anglican originates in ecclesia anglicana, a medieval Latin phrase dating to at least 1246 that means the English...
(Church of England), Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
, Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
and Presbyterian
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
churches. A draft list of hymns was circulated in 1972, and in 1974, the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
asked to be included and two versions of the hymn book were eventually published: the Australian Hymn Book (containing 579 items) and the Australian Hymn Book with Catholic Supplement (adding a further 25 items). The new hymn book was taken up widely, especially with the union of the Congregational, Methodist and most of the Presbyterian parishes that created the Uniting Church in Australia
Uniting Church in Australia
The Uniting Church in Australia was formed on 22 June 1977 when many congregations of the Methodist Church of Australasia, the Presbyterian Church of Australia and the Congregational Union of Australia came together under the Basis of Union....
in 1977. In its international edition, the hymn book is known as With One Voice (not to be confused with the 1995 work published by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. The ELCA officially came into existence on January 1, 1988, by the merging of three churches. As of December 31, 2009, it had 4,543,037 baptized members, with 2,527,941 of them...
as a supplement to the Lutheran Book of Worship).
The hymn book contains indexes to first lines, tunes, composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
s, author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
s, subjects, scripture
Religious text
Religious texts, also known as scripture, scriptures, holy writ, or holy books, are the texts which various religious traditions consider to be sacred, or of central importance to their religious tradition...
and the religious calendar. A companion book, Songs of the People of God, by Wesley Milgate, was released in 1982, and contains notes on the sources and history of each tune and hymn text, along with short biographies of all authors and composers.
After a survey conducted in 1990, it was decided that a new edition of the Australian Hymn Book was needed. Together in Song
Together in Song
Together in Song: Australian Hymn Book II was published in 1999. It is a book of 783 psalms, hymns and spiritual songs for use in Christian worship in Australia and elsewhere. It is a significant revision of The Australian Hymn Book published 22 years earlier.It was created by an ecumenical...
: Australian Hymn Book II was released in 1999. The major changes were the modernisation of the texts (particularly the use of inclusive language), the removal of hymns that had fallen out of use, and the addition of more modern musical settings, worship songs and psalm settings. A companion volume with notes on songs, lyrists and composers compiled by Rev. Dr. H. D'Arcy Wood
H. D'Arcy Wood
Reverend Dr Harold D'Arcy Wood is a semi-retired Uniting Church in Australia Minister and was President of the UCA Assembly between 1991-94. He has been active in ecumenism in Australia and globally....
is also available.