David T. Koyzis

The remains of a previously unknown human species have been discovered in Siberia. Provisionally called Homonym, it is distinguished from Homo sapiens by its relative inability to spell . . . . Continue Reading »

Gelineau psalmody is better known in Roman Catholic than in protestant circles. Here is a description of this genre of psalm-singing from my Reformed Worship article, Straight from Scripture:One of the more interesting ways of singing the psalms was developed by Joseph Gelineau of France. Of all the . . . . Continue Reading »

Last year I discovered, much to my surprise, that the tune to Go Tell Aunt Rodie, played by every young violin student of the Suzuki method, was composed by none other than Jean-Jacques Rousseau. In the Presbyterian Church of Canada’s Book of Praise the tune is called ROUSSEAU, while . . . . Continue Reading »

This year western and Orthodox feasts of the Resurrection fell on the same day, although this is not usually the case. When I was growing up, our family would generally celebrate Easter twice, once at our Presbyterian (and later Baptist) church and with our immediate family, and again a week or two . . . . Continue Reading »

In most western languages the word for the day which we English-speakers know as Easter derives from the Hebrew pesach, or passover, usually by way of its Aramaic equivalent, pascha. Only in German (which calls it Ostern) and English is the Paschal feast called by a name sounding more like a . . . . Continue Reading »

                                              If Christ arose and put . . . . Continue Reading »

Deny my Lord? I could not but disdain The thought that I might so esteem life’s breath As timidly to flee from threat of death And thus avoid the Saviour’s Lenten pain. No, never would I shout that same refrain Of “I know not the man!” nor would I bend In fear, but follow even to the end, . . . . Continue Reading »

What is the task of the church? Sounds like an easy question, no? The answer is more complicated. We can probably agree on three basic tasks: (1) to preach the gospel, (2) to administer the sacraments, (3) to maintain discipline among its members. But beyond this we differ. Should the church be . . . . Continue Reading »

If Luther retained the ordinary of the mass, in 1526 he nevertheless created a metrical version, the Deutsche Messe, which could be easily sung by ordinary congregations. This is similar to what motivated the non-Lutheran reformers to versify the Psalms. Here is the metrical credo, We All Believe in . . . . Continue Reading »

In the western church for well over a millennium, the historic shape of the liturgy has encompassed a number of elements deemed essential to its proper celebration. Together these have formed the ordinary of the mass, including in outline form: The Confiteor The Kyrie The Gloria in Excelsis The . . . . Continue Reading »