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Emily R. Brink

Tam, Angela, ed. Hymns of Universal Praise. New revised ed. Hong Kong: Chinese Christian Literature Council Ltd., 2006.

ABSTRACT：

The 2006 edition of Hymns of Universal Praise (hereafter HUP2006) is the third in more than sixty years of ecumenical hymnal collaboration among Chinese Christians.

HUP2006 is greatly changed from its preceding editions in reducing the amount of 19th-century hymns, adding some older and many newer hymns, and greatly expanding stylistic variety. The committee applied recent biblical and liturgical theology from ecumenical sources; the structure of the hymnal and the additions are rooted in great attention to the liturgical year, the sacraments, and the psalms.

The structure is the first 775 numbers are “Hymns and Spirituals” and a “Service Music” section follows. All songs and indexes are bilingual. 

About original Chinese contributions, great effort was expended in translating hundreds of newer texts from English into Chinese, most for the first time. There are also some original Chinese hymns. In addition to the older hymns retained from earlier editions, there are more than thirty new hymns by Chinese hymn writers and composers.

In summary, the ecumenical effort in HUP2006 could provide guidance for North American denominations that have lived such separate lives when it comes to publishing hymnals. HUP2006 continues the flow of West to East that is so characteristic of much contemporary culture. But the original Chinese hymns in this collection serve notice to the West that it is time to reconsider the flow that has been so one-sided. HUP2006 offers an excellent collection to all Chinese (and English) speaking churches and offers direction and hope for the next generation of Chinese Christian poets and composers toward a robust Chinese hymnody that will start to flow more strongly from East to West.

原載於《教牧期刊》23期（2007），頁235-240。