tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051826042602269061.post8390025304912553891..comments2024-03-25T09:01:20.997-07:00Comments on Diary of an Autodidact: Christmas Carols in a Time of HatredDiary of an Autodidacthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11849157548643091986noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051826042602269061.post-17989648279739364672017-01-04T16:47:03.158-08:002017-01-04T16:47:03.158-08:00Hey! I'm Cradle Episcopalian; heck, my Dad'...Hey! I'm Cradle Episcopalian; heck, my Dad's family brought the first Anglican charter to what was then New Amsterdam colony. I grew up singing Go Tell It On The Mountain, along with all the stodgy classics in the hymnal. Might have been the fact that we were 20 minutes from Manhattan, might have been the '60s, but this unchurched grownup credits her Episcopalian youth for a lot of her commitment to equality and social justice. <br /><br />It is true that when we moved to a wealthy Chicago suburb I found a whole different vibe. I can remember thinking that it felt like people came to compare mink coats. <br /><br />But if you know the work of The Controversial Bishop John Shelby Spong -- that's the heart of Episcopalianism I grew up with. <br /><br />And a late Merry Christmas to you, and a happy New Year. We drove from Vegas to San Diego and back for our Christmas travels; I thought of you when I saw the signs for Bakersfield. 🙂Dana Carpenderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14755223481359798197noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051826042602269061.post-91567673660373517532016-12-19T10:38:09.779-08:002016-12-19T10:38:09.779-08:00That one is such an interesting amalgam of ancient...That one is such an interesting amalgam of ancient and modern, with the tune and some verses dating back 700 years. And that is a great verse you quote. Diary of an Autodidacthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11849157548643091986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051826042602269061.post-46797928608165244092016-12-19T10:37:10.832-08:002016-12-19T10:37:10.832-08:00Indeed. Indeed. Diary of an Autodidacthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11849157548643091986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051826042602269061.post-12737531411785475182016-12-17T15:51:32.319-08:002016-12-17T15:51:32.319-08:00Excellent! I had not realized how many of these ca...Excellent! I had not realized how many of these carols were birthed in war.<br /><br />Add to these "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel." Some quick research (thanks, Wikipedia! https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/O_come,_O_come,_Emmanuel) pulled up the fact that some of its verses, including my favorite, were added in the year 1916. The verse as I learned it sings thus:<br />"O come, Desire of Nations, bind<br />In one the hopes of all mankind.<br />Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,<br />And be Thyself our King of Peace."jochanaanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14143066702059757955noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051826042602269061.post-59583753115993739792016-12-16T22:36:59.975-08:002016-12-16T22:36:59.975-08:00Great post as usual. It always makes me think abou...Great post as usual. It always makes me think about how Christmas is supposed to be about a time when it seemed as if all hope was lost, only to have God set in motion his plan of redemption, not through the powers that be, but through a humble family in circumstances that were quite controversial.Dave Sarkshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02162092548346770139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051826042602269061.post-70669638921724472062016-12-07T09:29:22.374-08:002016-12-07T09:29:22.374-08:00Gah! It's like Baptists trying to dance, or so...Gah! It's like Baptists trying to dance, or something. I'm not sure why, exactly, but here in Southern California, most churches outside the Anglican/Episcopal/Methodist/Catholic continuum wholeheartedly embraced Gospel along with the other CCM aesthetics. And that goes for both Charismatic churches and Baptist (or closet Baptist non-denominational) churches equally. Back when I still had time for holiday church gigs, that style was ubiquitous. It's a rich church tradition every bit as much as the classical one, and I'm glad for the variety. Diary of an Autodidacthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11849157548643091986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4051826042602269061.post-55176830347038703052016-12-06T19:14:19.380-08:002016-12-06T19:14:19.380-08:00I seem to recall commenting on my blog (which sadl...I seem to recall commenting on my blog (which sadly I haven't had time lately to keep up) on one of my Christmas posts that American hymnals usually left out the third verse of Midnight Clear, and how interesting that was because it's the one that obviously references human suffering and verges on pacifism. It's a bit scary now how relevant that ended up being.<br /><br />And you know what's even worse than finding out people don't know Go Tell It? Hearing it sung by a roomful of white Presbyterians whose hymnal has removed as much of the syncopation and dotted notes as it could and replaced them with straight eighth notes. How to suck the life out of a song in one easy step.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com