Peeking Behind the Curtain: A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Hymnal Creation

Dr. Mary Louise (Mel) Bringle is a Professor of Philosophy and Religious Studies and Coordinator of Integrated Studies Major at Brevard College and is an award-winning hymn writer, translator, educator, scholar, and hymnal committee chair for the Presbyterian Hymnal, Glory to God. A professor at heart, a published author and a theologian by training (with a Ph.D. from Emory University and an assortment of publications in pastoral theology), Dr. Bringle became an award-winning hymn writer whose original texts and translations appear in hymnals around the world. Dr. Bringle’s publications in the field of hymnology include Joy and Wonder, Love and Longing; In Wind and Wonder; and Introducing Glory to God. Published books in pastoral theology explore three of the seven cardinal sins: Despair: Sickness or Sin?, The God of Thinness: Gluttony and Other Weighty Matters, and Envy: Exposing a Secret Sin. As we adopt and learn about the new hymnal, Mel will share the process of selecting the hymns that are included in Glory to God; what recent hymns have been added, what older hymns have come back, and what changes, additions, and improvements have been made that convinced us that it was time to purchase this hymnal. Her research is beyond thorough, compelling, and grounded in her deep scholarship and experience in hymnology and congregational singing.