Emphasis Preaching Journal
There are some new hymnals...
Illustration
There are some new hymnals that contain a slightly altered version of "Amazing Grace":
"Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved and strengthened me."
The old language, "that saved a wretch like me," is out. It is too negative and too depressing. Why not be positive, upbeat, and affirming of human potential?
There's nothing wrong with saving and strengthening, of course. Grace surely accomplishes those things. Yet, if we've never have a realization of what it means to be wretched, if we never have that dark and disturbing vision of Judas hanging himself, his
The old language, "that saved a wretch like me," is out. It is too negative and too depressing. Why not be positive, upbeat, and affirming of human potential?
There's nothing wrong with saving and strengthening, of course. Grace surely accomplishes those things. Yet, if we've never have a realization of what it means to be wretched, if we never have that dark and disturbing vision of Judas hanging himself, his