I don’t really agree with this posting, as I could probably think of some hymns that the author would love that I think would depress Mary Poppins. But judge for yourself.

First Things pens the following:

Clearly, we have too much time on our hands in the office. We put our heads together and came up with a list of what may be the ten worst hymns of all time. Here are the hymns with video links. Take a look and a listen, and let us know what you think!

They’ve added embeds for music in the article, basically ripping the Dan Shutte/David Haas school of liturgical music.

I started to think of what might be some of my favorite hymns and realized that I have more favorite “mass parts” than hymns in general. But it brings up a stylistic question in my own mind:

What should church music sound like?

I enjoy the Jazz Mass at Ascension Church in NYC–not the coolest jazz–but it’s a low-mellow vibe on Sunday night that sets a nice tone for me. I feel the same way about Taize prayer and candlelight masses. But I also love more vibrant styles such as our parish in Buffalo has a phenomenal choir that’s almost Pentecostal in style. What about yours?