Church History
4/29/25
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter VIII. Christian Art." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 2269-2327). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 102-116).
"§113. Church Poetry and Music." (pp. 2302-2305).
Schaff observes the more important role of poetry and music when compared with art and architecture (Schaff 2014, p. 2303). The expression of specific tenets of Christianity in a clearly articulated and memorable verbal medium is of critical importance. The devotional nature of hymnody was therefore crucial in the life of Christians (Schaff 2014, p. 2304).
Schaff notes early Christian use of the Psalms, as well as the apparent use of other, newly composed texts, some of which are quoted in the epistles (Schaff 2014, p. 2304). However, we have no known examples of the complete text of an early Christian song (Schaff 2014, p. 2305).
"§114. The Poetry of the Oriental Church." (pp. 2305-2312).
As referenced above, Schaff observes we have no complete hymn texts from the first few centuries in the East, with the exception of the Te Deum and the Gloria in Excelsis (Schaff 2014, p. 2305). Orthodoxy may have been hesitant to use hymnody extensively due to the misuse of it within Gnostic and other heretical circles (Schaff 2014, p. 2306). In the fourth and fifth centuries Schaff notes conciliar resolutions against the use of such hymnody. In the late fourth century, however, numerous hymns were introduced, especially in Syrian regions (Schaff 2014, p. 2307). The sixth century saw broad acceptance of new songs in Greek territories.
Schaff describes this Greek hymnody in some detail (Schaff 2014, p. 23080. Historic Greek meters were quickly rejected, with the type of metrical structure found in Hebrew Poetry being favored. The forms of appropriate songs took on a regularity, thoguh the forms are more complex than recent Western Protestant hymnody. Both Greek and Latin hymnody of the period can be found in collections such as the Greek Menaea and the Latin Breviary (Schaff 2014, p. 2309).
4/29/25
Schaff, Philip. (2014). "Chapter VIII. Christian Art." In History of the Christian Church. (The Complete Eight Volumes in One). Volume 3, Nicene and Post-Nicene Christianity A.D. 311-600, from Constantine the Great to Gregory the Great. (pp. 2269-2327). (Original work published 1889). Amazon Kindle Edition. (Personal Library). (sections 102-116).
"§113. Church Poetry and Music." (pp. 2302-2305).
Schaff observes the more important role of poetry and music when compared with art and architecture (Schaff 2014, p. 2303). The expression of specific tenets of Christianity in a clearly articulated and memorable verbal medium is of critical importance. The devotional nature of hymnody was therefore crucial in the life of Christians (Schaff 2014, p. 2304).
Schaff notes early Christian use of the Psalms, as well as the apparent use of other, newly composed texts, some of which are quoted in the epistles (Schaff 2014, p. 2304). However, we have no known examples of the complete text of an early Christian song (Schaff 2014, p. 2305).
"§114. The Poetry of the Oriental Church." (pp. 2305-2312).
As referenced above, Schaff observes we have no complete hymn texts from the first few centuries in the East, with the exception of the Te Deum and the Gloria in Excelsis (Schaff 2014, p. 2305). Orthodoxy may have been hesitant to use hymnody extensively due to the misuse of it within Gnostic and other heretical circles (Schaff 2014, p. 2306). In the fourth and fifth centuries Schaff notes conciliar resolutions against the use of such hymnody. In the late fourth century, however, numerous hymns were introduced, especially in Syrian regions (Schaff 2014, p. 2307). The sixth century saw broad acceptance of new songs in Greek territories.
Schaff describes this Greek hymnody in some detail (Schaff 2014, p. 23080. Historic Greek meters were quickly rejected, with the type of metrical structure found in Hebrew Poetry being favored. The forms of appropriate songs took on a regularity, thoguh the forms are more complex than recent Western Protestant hymnody. Both Greek and Latin hymnody of the period can be found in collections such as the Greek Menaea and the Latin Breviary (Schaff 2014, p. 2309).
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