Hymnal Controversy

Editors of a forthcoming Presbyterian, USA hymnal have decided to not include the popular Christian song In Christ Alone by a 9-6 vote. They asked writers Keith Getty and Stuart Townend to change Till on that cross as Jesus died/the wrath of God was satisfied to as Jesus died/the love of God was magnified. The decision by the Presbyterian Committee on Congregational Song has drawn fire from Southern Baptist leader Russell Moore and Samford University's Timothy George, who leads the school's divinity school. They suggested a liberal theological bent is causing the editors to avoid references to God's wrath. George wrote a post about it (which you can read here) titled "No Squishy Love." He asked, "Why do many Christians shrink from any thought of the wrath of God"

However, the committee chair, Mary Louise Bringle of Brevard College, indicated the committee was concern focused on the word satisfied because it is a reference to a specific theology promoted by medieval theologian Anselm. She writes about the controversy in the Christian Century magazine here and says the committee decided to reject "the view of Anselm and Calvin, among others, that God’s honor was violated by human sin and that God’s justice could only be satisfied by the atoning death of a sinless victim." The Glory to God hymnal is due out in a few months.