Hermeneutics of Hymnody: A Comprehensive and Integrated Approach to Understanding Hymns

Scotty Gray’s Hermeneutics of Hymnody is a comprehensive and integrated approach to understanding hymns. It is unique in its holistic and interrelated exploration of the biblical, theological, liturgical, literary, musical, practical, and historical/biographical/sociocultural dimensions of one of the most basic forms of Christian literature. A chapter is devoted to each of these seven broad facets of hymnody and relates that facet to each of the others. Those who write hymns, compose hymn tunes, study hymns, compile hymnals, select hymns and tunes for the ministries of the church, and those who read and sing hymns can benefit from a keener sensitivity to and a deeper understanding of how these facets are vitally interrelated in fine hymnody from various times and traditions. This approach grew out of years of planning and leading hymns, teaching hymnology in a graduate theological seminary, chairing site visits to universities and seminaries for national and regional accrediting agencies, and extensive travel and living in other cultures.