Posted by Yong TM (202.172.43.132) on January 13, 2003 at 16:44:10:
In Reply to: Doxology posted by sy on January 10, 2003 at 18:40:33:
According to www.cyberhymnal.org (great place to find out about hymns and what they sound like), the hymn comes from Thomas Ken, in 1674, and is actually the last stanze of another hymn "Awake My Soul and the Sun" (see, hosting this web-site means I get to learn more and more things).
The singing of the doxology is in line with the reformed proclamation of Soli Deo Gloria (Glory to God alone), one of the five proclamations (the rest being Sola Scriptura - by the Word Alone, Sola Fide - By Faith alone; Sola Gracia - By Grace alone; Solus Christos - By Christ alone). It summarises the reformed understanding that everything we do in life must be for the glory of God, and God alone.
In practice, we need to constantly remind ourselves, hence the singing of doxology. I am not particular in church liturgy and the sequencing of it (whether beginning or end). I am not even very strict about whether doxology is sung or not, knowing that many people sing it with no feelings whatsoever. But I do believe that without some form of liturgic reminders, we are unlikely to want to focus on giving glory to God as oppose to giving glory to ourselves. As a tool, it is very useful; but we need to use it in a way that is relevant to our people. Perhaps the right thing to do is to teach our people the correct meditative attitude when it comes to the singing of hymns. In my own church, the first challenge is to get some to open their mouth to sing!