Ryden shared the lore of Christian hymns across many times and cultures not just inThe Story of Our Hymns, but also in a radio show of the same name that aired inMinneapolis and St. Paul from 1928-1934. “To know the hymns of the Church is to knowsomething of the spiritual strivings and achievements of the people of God throughoutthe centuries,” Ryden aptly wrote. Taking an historical perspective, he proceedschronologically, but divides the history of hymnology according to culture. First, herecounts hymnology’s beginnings and development up until the Protestant Reformation.Then, he tells the story of Protestant hymnology in Germany and Scandinavia. He endshis history with the development of a hymn tradition in England and America.

Kathleen O’Bannon
CCEL Staff