Tag Archives: Singing the Faith

Lutheran Hymnody Makes the Evening News

How often do you hear Lutheran hymnody on television? Not often. How often does it make the evening news? Almost never . . . that is until “Singing the Faith: Living the Lutheran Liturgical Heritage” was produced by the Good Shepherd Institute. I stumbled across the news story “Seminary Prof. Produces Music Documentary” at the Indiana NewsCenter website via a Google search. There is a text news story and an online streaming video from the evening news with that Seminary Prof. – Kantor Resch. Not bad for only a 1 or 2 minute video.

I received my copy of the DVD this past weekend and am working my way through the videos and the study guide. Eventually I might write a review on Singing the Faith. If you’d like more information, surf on over to the Good Shepherd Institute website and view the introductory video – it’s only about 12 minutes +/-.

Singing the Faith – Living the Lutheran Musical Heritage

When I was back at Concordia Theological Seminary this last summer for an Organist Workshop, Kantor Richard Resch mentioned that the Good Shepherd Institute was working on a DVD with teaching guide that explores our rich Lutheran musical heritage. I could tell Kantor Resch was excited and passionate about this project.

Singing the FaithWithout much fanfare (e.g., there was no mass media blitz or e-mails from CPH) and by accident, I discovered that the Good Shepherd Institute will soon be releasing their DVD project entitled Singing the Faith – Living the Lutheran Musical Heritage.

Their website says that Singing the Faith “is a study of the history of Lutheran congregational song.” The contributors to the DVD include an impressive array of Lutheran music and hymnody experts.

On their website you will find links to download a 12-minute sampler video. As a word of caution — I first downloaded the “Medium” file and the video froze half way through (right after Carl Schalk). I then downloaded the “Small” file and it worked great.

After only a 12-minute preview, I’m impressed and excited. I sense this will be an important resource to help people understand the richness of Lutheran music.

I close with a brief excerpt by Kantor Resch from the video describing his goal of Singing the Faith.

To help today’s church see and hear the rich theological and musical roots of Lutheranism . . . To show that this beautiful inheritance is not simply history, but it is alive. It is an ongoing sung confession of faith that serves Christ’s church — Yes . . . even today.