Christian music:
As it was:
'I know that my
Redeemer liveth, and that he shall
stand at the latter day upon the
Earth; and though
worms destroy this
body, yet in my
flesh shall I see
God. For now is
Christ risen from the dead, the first-fruits of them that sleep.'
- Words by Jennens from
Job and
St Paul, music by
Handel.
'O sacred head sore wounded,
Defiled and put to scorn.
O kingly head, surrounded
With mocking
crown of thorn.
What sorrow mars thy
grandeur?
Can
death thy
bloom deflower?
O countenance whose splendour
The hosts of
Heaven adore.
- from the
Latin, music by
Bach.
As it is now:
Peace, perfect peace, is the gift of Christ the
Lord.
Repeat three times
Thus, says the Lord, will the World know my friends,
Peace, perfect peace, is the gift of Christ the Lord.
New verses may be created by replacing 'peace' with another appropriate word.
Jesus
repeat twelve times Jesus is Lord.
And people wonder why no-one comes to church any more.
Addendum: My WU is principally about
hymnody. I'm not very deeply into pop music of any kind, so there may well be deeply excellent Christian Rock bands out there I've just never listened to. IMHO, it's modern hymnody in particular that's weak.