Living Our Hymns is a continuation of a project undertaken by author Carla Klassen a number of years ago. A second volume of reflections on favourite hymns, this follow-up to her first book,
These Songs We Sing, continues to explore the world of hymnody - how these songs baffle and inspire us, warm our hearts and remind us of people and places long gone. This collection of thoughts seeks both obvious and hidden wisdom to guide and challenge; wisdom that finds ways to live within these hymns and ways for them to continue living. These are songs that can fill us with joy, purpose and hope. These are the songs we continue to sing.
In this book, Klassen provides deep and poignant reflections on enduring hymn texts. She uses the lyrics to help the reader muse on faith and doubt, hope and despair, in the context of the stories of our everyday lives. Her words evoke a sense of the intense beauty and deep sadness that permeates life. She draws on the lives of the writers and composers to give insight into the text. Whether read as a daily devotional or all in one sitting, Klassen's musings invite us to offer these hymns up as prayer. Through her simple and clear writing, she explains how the hymns she's chosen help us to "think, struggle, learn, share, weep, and soar."
- Dr. Carol Penner, Director of Theological Studies, Conrad Grebel University College
