Oh, how the worm has turned. I remember a time—let’s call it 1985—when certain young music leaders (perhaps like me) could get a little frustrated with the tastes and sentiments of an older musical generation. Couldn’t they see that the rah-rah, British Empire vibe of ‘At the name of Jesus’ belonged to another time? Or that the ponderous, stately hymns of our heritage, with their neatly resolving cadences, and their third-rate Victorian poetry, were just not a suitable musical language for 1980s Australia?
When you get opportunity, have a listen to this fascinating podcast from The Gospel Coalition...
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/podcasts/tgc-podcast/how-revivalism-transformed-worship/
Tony, regarding your post-script — wouldn't such a criteria exclude a fair chunk of the psalms?
The picture...George Harrison. I'm thinking..."All things must pass"