[Magdalen] In Christ Alone

[Simon Kershaw]

It's a rather good tune that's certainly very singable.

The words on the other hand are so closely tied to the concept of the
penal substitution theory of the atonement as to be almost unsingable. In
particular the lines towards the end of the second verse "till on that
cross as Jesus died // the wrath of God was satisfied" portray what is to
me an image that is entirely inconsistent with the divine love that I
know.

simon

Jay Weigel wrote:
> I don't know how many of you may be familiar with this hymn. I wasn't
> until
> Easter, when I went to visit the local Anglican congregation at the
> invitation of a friend. First of all, what a lively congregation, in
> contrast to many of the Anglican churches I've been around, which are sad
> little "breakaways". Secondly, they do liturgy very well in kind of a
> "low/broad" style. Third, they can sure SING, and on that Sunday at least,
> they did not sing junk. This was one of the Communion hymns, sung by the
> congregation (they have a band, I guess you'd call it--on the day I was
> there it featured Guitar/bass, violin, flute, trumpet, and small
> pipes--but
> no choir). I'd never heard it, but found it easy enough to follow along.
> It
> sounded to me like it might be from that collection of old Irish hymns,
> "Danta De", but when I got home I researched it and found that it was
> written in 2001 by Keith Getty and was composed to *sound* like that. I
> think it's a wonderful hymn and I find myself humming or singing it at odd
> times recently. What think ye all?
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWuckLEu_hg
>


-- 
Simon Kershaw
simon at kershaw.org.uk
Saint Ives, Cambridgeshire