"They rise up together and ... form themselves into two choirs, one of men and one of women, the leader chosen from each being the most honoured and most musical among them. They sing hymns to God composed of many measures and set to many melodies, sometimes chanting together, sometimes antiphonally."
Jewish liturgical singing took two forms: antiphonal and responsorial. The first is what Philo is describing: the division of singers into two groups in such a way that they are separated from each other; for example, to the right and left sides of the central aisle in the building. They then sing alternate parts, one side starting, the other responding.
This has continued in Christian worship ever since, not so much in congregational worship, but rather by the choir. Many a well-loved anthem has the two parts marked decani and cantores, indicating that, in the past, a group of church deacons would have sung one part, and a group of chosen cantors (singers) the other.
The second type of singing is similar, involving the priest or a perhaps a solo cantor singing an opening line and the congregation in unison singing the reply. Anyone who has been to a traditional sung service in church will be familiar with this.
Priest: O Lord, open thou our lips.
Answer: And our mouth shall show forth thy praise.
Priest: O God, make speed to save us.
Answer: O Lord, make haste to help us.
Priest: Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;
Answer: As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
The Old Testament book of Psalms really came into its own here, as not only did it allow the congregation to take God's word directly on its lips, but also the very verse form made for successful breaking down into statement and response (as in the above example). Even where it didn't, a congregational reply of "Alleluia" or "We bless Thy name, O Lord" did just as well. Tertullian, at the end of the 2nd century, refers to response singing of pslams in the church at Rome.
But what happened in a multi-national congregation where several langiages were represented? The writer Origen in the mid-3rd century gives the answer:
The Greeks use Greek, the Romans Latin ... and everyone prays and sings praises to God as best he can in his mother tongue.Which sounds like a lot of fun!
If you have any comments on this post or the subject of hymns, please use the COMMENT box below. I'd love to hear from you.
I have enjoyed this, but it has raised a few questions. I looked for an email address and since I found none I am posting here. So, here goes!
ReplyDelete1) Why no mention of the earliest extra-biblical reference to both church services and singing by Pliny?
2) Where can I find Tertullian's statement?
3) I agree, what you present as Origen's statement sounds fun, but I believe you have quoted him out of context. The quotation is part of his work against one Celsus, who was spreading calumnies against Christians - like the alliteration? :-) Here is the entire chapter (brief)
"In the next place, Celsus forgets that he is addressing Christians, who pray to God alone through Jesus; and mixing up other notions with theirs, he absurdly attributes them all to Christians. “If,” says he, “they who are addressed are called upon by barbarous names, they will have power, but no longer will they have any if they are addressed in Greek or Latin.” Let him, then, state plainly whom we call upon for help by barbarous names. Any one will be convinced that this is a false charge which Celsus brings against us, when he considers that Christians in prayer do not even use the precise names which divine Scripture applies to God; but the Greeks use Greek names, the Romans Latin names, and every one prays and sings praises to God as he best can, in his mother tongue. For the Lord of all the languages of the earth hears those who pray to Him in each different tongue, hearing, if I may so say, but one voice, expressing itself in different dialects. For the Most High is not as one of those who select one language, Barbarian or Greek, knowing nothing of any other, and caring nothing for those who speak in other tongues."
As you can see, Origen is *not* describing a particular worship service, he is instead saying that Christians sing and pray to God using their mother tongue - wherever they may be. There is no "Christian tongue", God hears us no matter what tongue we use. So this is a principle, not a practice.
This of course still leaves unanswered the question, what did they do when there were several languages represented in a local church? And I have no idea about the singing. BUT, the principle would be, there would have to be some common tongue for prayer, preaching and fellowship. Otherwise it would be cacophony, and God is a God of order not confusion.
Anyway, I was interested in the Tertullian reference and wanted to offer this on the Origen quote. If you prefer to communicate via private message, my address is yorkjeff@yahoo.com