Danish priest wants a shorter, more modern hymnbook

A Danish parish priest is calling for a shorter, more contemporary national hymnbook that reflects modern life, DR reports. Mads Djernes, who serves at Sankt Nicolai Church in Vejle, says he would be willing to remove around a third of the hymns in the current edition.

The country’s bishops have decided to revise the hymnbook, which was last published in 2003. Preparing that edition took 10 years, and work on the next one is expected to take about as long. A new edition is expected in 2036.

A commission will be appointed next year to select hymns for the book. It will consult churches and priests about which hymns they use and which they do not.

Djernes says the new edition should retain well-known hymns such as “I østen stiger solen op” and “Dejlig er jorden”, while including newer works that speak to contemporary concerns, including urban life and external threats. He hopes “Du spør mig om håbet”, or “You ask me about hope”, will be included. The hymn was published 14 days after Russia invaded Ukraine and addresses hope in a global context.

He also says some existing hymns reflect a way of life that is no longer dominant. As an example, he points to “Du Gav Mig, O Herre, En Lod Af Din Jord”, written in 1953 and rooted in an agricultural culture.

Djernes believes a shorter book, with fewer than the nearly 800 hymns it contains today, would be more useful. He says he would be prepared to see 200 to 300 hymns removed, with the focus on works that have shown they endure, including newer hymns.

Bishop Marianne Christensen of the Diocese of Haderslev says the revision should take time, adding that the gradual process is what makes the tradition strong.