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The Christian Hymn Society has released a collection of hymns titled, "Songs for the Holy Other"---They are hymns that affirm ---in their words, the "LGBTQIOA2S+ community."
These hymns probably won't be sung in your church next Sunday, but be very sure---these folks will be getting them into churches across the US and Canada in the coming months.
Be informed.
The ignorance.
Those creating the so-called hymns say, "We are claiming our holiness, and reclaiming our otherness as a prophetic witness to the church."
Among the nearly 50 "queer hymns" are: "God of Queer Transgressive Spaces," "Lovely, Needy People," "Quirky Queer and Wonderful," and "The Kingdom of God is the Queerest of Nations."
These so-called "hymns" were released in July, but have just now begun to be publicized and promoted.
They probably won't be sung in your church next Sunday, but they will be in a growing number of churches---and they will be coming to a church near you soon. You can expect them in most Episcopal Churches and so-called "progressive" churches like First Baptist Church in Seattle.
The Anglican Journal has begun promoting them. Homosexual activist groups are promoting them. And churches that have lost their identity in Christ and His Gospel are ordering them.
The promotion says the songs are to be used as "further potential for music as a source of affirmation and inclusion."
As always, the homosexual community does not seek deliverance, because they do not accept God's truth about their chosen lifestyle. They always seek "inclusion."
It is often said, "What you don't know won't hurt you", but God says "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge" ( Hosea 4:6).
In Ephesians 4:17-19, Paul is talking about the ignorance of people who are not Christians--and do not claim to be Christians.
However, the Bible speaks clearly to those who have a knowledge of God and His Word, or even claim to be Christians, but purposefully chose to as Peter writes (2 Peter 3:3 ff), "There shall come, in the last days, scoffers walking after their own lusts."
These people are "walking after their own lusts" and in doing so are twisting God's Words, trying to remake God in their image rather than being conformed to the image of Christ.
Acts 17: 29-31 clearly says:
"Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent"...because a judgment is coming.
The deception.
The promotions of these so-called "hymns" say, "Everything in the hymns in some way relates to the needs of the LGBTQ+ community."
They say some of the songs deal with the "hurt and exclusion" we have felt from the church, noting that there are songs of "inclusion." They are "about our created belovedness---how God created us, God loves us, and our sexuality, our gender doesn't change us."
These songs often use the same music or tunes of well known Christian songs and hymns.
Deception always includes a half-truth.
Yes God loves them, but He does not love their sexual behavior. He has already spoken to that in His Word.
Among other Scriptures, Leviticus 18:22 says:
"[Men] shall not lie with a male as one lies with a woman." And chapter 20, verse 13 of the same book of the Bible says "If there is a man who lies with a male as those who lie with a woman, both of them have committed a detestable act."
Detestable. An abomination.
Yes, Jesus bled and died on a cross outside the city because God loves us all.
However, He did not die to affirm or include the very sins He died for as "okay" as long as you "love each other."
In fact, those who refuse to repent, Paul says (Romans 1: 26-27), are given over to "degrading passions" and as a result, their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural"---and men do the same.
To be forgiven of our sins, we must admit we have sinned. That is the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The takeaway.
Spokespeople for these new hymns say this will be "our reply to violence. To make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before."
Let's look at the "ever before."
Clearly, these so-called hymns are written with the writers as the focus.
Perhaps it would help all of us to take a good look at some authentic hymns.
Gallup Poll finds year after year "Amazing Grace" is America's favorite hymn. As most of us know, that hymn was written by the former captain of a slave ship---it is John Newton's testimony---"I once was lost, but now I'm found, was blind, but now I see.
He speaks of himself as a "wretch" who was saved by God's amazing grace. He never sought to have his slave-trading "included" or "affirmed" in God's love and grace. He simply asked forgiveness.
John and his brother Charles Wesley were both "field preachers" who led in great revival meetings---often in fields because churches disinvited them, speaking to crowds of 10 to 20 thousand people without a microphone.
Together they published 56 collections of hymns. Charles himself wrote 8,989 hymns, including songs like, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing," popularized by preachers like George Whitfield and others.
Issac Watts wrote hymns like, "When I Survey The Wondrous Cross."
Martin Luther wrote, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" in 1529, paraphrasing Psalm 46. He also wrote lessor known hymns like, "Out of the Depths I Cry To Thee," paraphrasing Psalm 150, emphasizing true repentance and God's power to forgive through Christ.
Luther inspired J.S. Bach---they all have inspired billions of true Christians to "turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face."
The stark contrast between the great hymns of the Church and the songs of the homosexuals is that true hymns glorify God and seek His forgiveness. The other glorifies human passions and sexual behavior, while seeking God's affirmation.
Be Informed. Be Discerning. Be Courageous. Be Prayerful. Be Grateful.