Lifeteen

[PedroX]

Cmom,

For the most part, I agree completely. There are some (perhaps more than a few) protestant songs that are completely appropriate for use in the sacred liturgy. However, more often than not we rather blindly sing a song because its about God, and we don't seem to pay attention that we are singing something that we don't believe. Thats what burns me.

Jasjis,

You are completely right about the origins of Amazing Grace, except that I'm pretty sure he had stopped being a slaver by the time he wrote that song. The unfortunate thing is that song is one of the few prot songs that is not sola fides, but rather sola gratia. Does that out weigh the author's past? I don't know.

[PedroX]

edited to delete double post. Sorry!!

Edited October 8, 2003 by PedroX

[JP2Iloveyou]

Amazing Grace is a Protestant song.  It was written by a Protestant slave ship captain and sung in Protestant churches. 

We better not sing that in a Catholic Church.

I'm not sure if you're being sarcastic or not, but let me just say, Amazing Grace is not in line with Catholic theology. It is a wonderful song and I enjoy listening to it very much, but I am opposed to its use in the Holy Mass. From ewtn.com:

Answer by Colin B. Donovan, STL on 08-05-2003:

"Sadly, it is true they are sung, as are others, all the time.

Amazing Grace is coming out of the Protestant theological tradition and reflects its emphasis on sola gratia, grace alone. In verse one the text says "Amazing grace! How sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me!" While this sounds very humble, and by itself appears inoffensive to Catholic ears, in light of the theological tradition it comes from it suggests the complete depravity of man which was at the root of Luther's theology. Catholic teaching rejects that. Human nature is wounded, but remains capable of natural good acts, that is, acts of natural virtue, both moral and intellectual, as opposed to supernatural virtue (which IS a gift from God).

In keeping with that the Catholic must also reject verse two, which asserts that sanctifying grace is given with belief. "How precious did that grace appear,The hour I first believed." While a certain natural faith in the credibility of revelation disposes the person to request entrance into Christ's Church and to desire the "Amazing Grace" of Justification, sanctifying grace (actual justice), the grace of the theological virtues (faith, hope and charity), the supernatural moral virtues (without which a meritorious act, as opposed to an act of the natural man cannot be done) and the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (which perfect man) are communicated at Baptism, NOT "the hour I first believed." Granted a Catholic could read into that the hour of baptism, when supernatural faith is actually communicated, but that is not the intended meaning of the hymn, which reflects the theology that one must only "believe on the Lord Jesus" and one is granted salvation. Implied in the balance of the verses is the doctrine of Blessed Assurance, that "once saved" one's salvation is assured - a doctrine at serious odds with Scripture, and therefore Catholic teaching, and contrary to the good of man.

Since there is an obligation to use only doctrinally sound hymns in the Liturgy, Amazing Grace is at best equivocal and at worse seriously contrary to the Catholic theology of grace."