Hymnology Timeline

Hymnology

Persecution of Christians

60 AD - 313 AD

Destruction of Jerusalem

70 AD

Clement of Alexandria

170 AD - 220 AD

A leading Christian Gnostic scholar. "Shepherd of Tender Youth"

Oxyrhynchos Papyri

285 AD

Contained "Hymns to the Trinity"--anon. of the Alexandrian school.

Hilary

310 AD - 366 AD

Fought against Arian heresy. Became known as "the Hammer of the Arians."

Edict of Milan

313 AD

Legalized Christianity, making it the state religion

Council of Nicea

325 AD

Denounced Arianism

Ambrose

340 AD - 397 AD

Led the battle against Arianism in Milan. "O Splendor of God's Glory Bright"

Aurileus Clemens Prudentius

348 AD - 413 AD

Gave up a career in law to persue Christian writing. "Of the Father's Love Begotten"

Council of Laodicea

367 AD

Prohibited congregational participation and the use of instruments in the service.

Ephraim

373 AD

Foremost Syrian hymn writer--used popular tunes, substituting orthodox texts.

Empire splits into East and West

395 AD

Fall of the Western Roman Empire

476 AD

Dark Ages/Middle Ages

500 AD - 1400 AD

Rise of monasteries

500 AD

Gregory I

590 AD - 604 AD

Remembered for his contributions in the fields of liturgy and music.

Andrew of Crete

650 AD - 730 AD

Considered the originator of the canon. "Christian Dost Thou See Them"

John of Damascus d.

780 AD

Considered greatest of all Greek hymnists. "The Day of Resurection"

Charlemagne crowned emperor by the Pope

800 AD

Stadium Monsastery

800 AD

Contained many monks devoted to prayer and hymn writing.

Notker Balbus

840 AD - 912 AD

Greatest developer of the sequence.

Final Separation of the Eastern and Western churches

1054 AD

Bernard of Clairvaux

1091 AD - 1153 AD

Most influential monk of his day. "O Jesus, Joy of Loving Hearts"

Crusades

1095 AD - 1204 AD

Francis of Assisi

1181 AD - 1226 AD

Connected with the origins of the laudi. "Canticle to the Sun"

John Hus

1369 AD - 1415 AD

Early reformer and leader of the Bohemian Brethren; burned at the stake; start of Protestant Reformation.

Jean Tisserand

1400 AD

"O Sons and Daughters Let Us Sing"

Renaissance

1400 AD - 1600 AD

Gutenberg Invents Printing

1454 AD

Martin Luther

1483 AD - 1546 AD

Restored congregational singing.

Columbus discovers America

1492 AD

Clemont Marot

1497 AD - 1544 AD

Versified Calvin's Psalter

Humanism Becomes Influential in Germany

1500 AD

Petrucci and Music Printing in Venice

1501 AD

Henry VIII marries Catherine and becomes King of England

1509 AD - 1547 AD

John Calvin

1509 AD - 1565 AD

Rejected Catholic musical tradition including using uninspired text.

Louis Bourgeois

1510 AD - 1570 AD

Chief contributer to Genevan Psalter

Luther's Ninety-five Theses

1517 AD

Magellan circumnavigates the globe

1519 AD

Theodore Beza

1519 AD - 1605 AD

Succeeded Clement Marot

Anabaptist Movement

1520 AD

A Swiss-based reformation movement led by Zwingli and his followers.

Lutheran Church Organized

1527 AD

Henry VIII secretly marries Anne Boleyn; Pope excommunicates Henry

1533 AD

Act of supremacy declares Henry head of the Church of England

1534 AD

Peace of Augsburg

1535 AD

Gave equal rights to Lutherans and Catholics

Phillipp Nicolai

1536 AD - 1608 AD

"Wake, Awake for the Night is Flying"

Calvin settles in Geneva

1541 AD

Marot opposed for metrical psalms

1542 AD

Edward VI King of England

1547 AD - 1554 AD

Mary, Queen of England; persecution of Protestants (Bloody Mary)

1554 AD - 1558 AD

Martyrdom of Ridley, Latimer, and Cranmer

1555 AD - 1556 AD

Counter-Reformation by Catholics

1556 AD

Led by Jesuits

Elizabeth, Queen of England; Protestantism made the religion of England

1558 AD - 1603 AD

Anglo-Genevan Psalter

1561 AD

First english language psalter to inclue tunes.

Sternhold and Hopkins

1561 AD

Official Psalter of the Anglican church in 19th century.

Genevan Psalter

1562 AD

Used extensively throughout Europe in 16th and 17th centuries.

Hugenots to South Carolina and Florida

1562 AD - 1565 AD

William Shakespeare

1564 AD - 1616 AD

Ausband

1565 AD

Most significant collection of Anabaptist hymnody published in the 16th century.

Church of England established (Anglican)

1570 AD

Sir Francis Drake to northern California

1579 AD

Johann Heerman

1585 AD - 1647 AD

"Ah Holy Jesus, How Hast Thou Offended"

Martin Rinkhart

1586 AD - 1649 AD

"Now Thank We All Our God"

Spanish Armada

1588 AD

Este's Psalter

1592 AD

"While Shephards watched their Flocks by Night"

Matthaus von Lowenstern

1594 AD - 1648 AD

"Lord of Our Life, and God of Our Salvation"

Baroque Era

1600 AD - 1750 AD

Emphasis on homophonic style as opposed to contrapuntal style.

Baroque Era

1600 AD - 1750 AD

James I

1603 AD - 1625 AD

Jamestown settlers

1607 AD

King James Version

1611 AD

Ainsworth Psalter

1612 AD

Brought to America by the Pilgrims.

Thirty Years' War

1618 AD - 1648 AD

Caused a revival in German hymn writing.

Pilgrims arrive at Cape Cod

1620 AD

Georg Neumark

1621 AD - 1681 AD

"If You Will Only Let God Guide You"

Hymns and Songs of the Church

1623 AD

The earliest english hymnal

Charles I

1625 AD - 1649 AD

Puritans settled in Boston area

1625 AD - 1630 AD

John Bunyan

1628 AD - 1688 AD

Persecuted Baptist, wrote Pilgrim's Progress.

New Amsterdam settlers

1628 AD

Bay Psalm Book

1640 AD

First book to be published in the American colonies.

Cromwell master of Commonwealth

1640 AD - 1658 AD

Johann Jakob Schutz

1640 AD - 1690 AD

"Sing Praise to God Who Reigns Above"

Civil War in England

1642 AD - 1647 AD

Praxis Pietatis Melica

1644 AD

Was the most important Lutheran hymnal of its century; it was written by Johann Cruger.

Benjamin Keach

1650 AD

Hymnwriter and pastor of a Particular Baptist Church.

Joachim Neander

1650 AD - 1680 AD

"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty"

Richard Baxter

1651 AD - 1691 AD

Championed music, when most puritans disapproved.

Puritan religion established

1654 AD

Charles II

1660 AD - 1685 AD

Johann Freylinghausen

1670 AD - 1739 AD

"Lord, Our Lord, Thy Glorious Name"

Pietistic Movement

1670 AD

A reaction to formality and rigidity in the church.

Benjamin Schmolck

1672 AD - 1737 AD

The leading hymnist of the non-piest Lurtherans.

Isaac Watts

1674 AD - 1748 AD

Father of english hymns.

Mennonites settled in Germantown, PA.

1683 AD

G.F. Handel

1685 AD - 1759 AD

James II

1685 AD - 1689 AD

J. S. Bach

1685 AD - 1750 AD

Known for his extensive use of harmonized chorales.

Toleration Act

1689 AD

Gave dissenters right to worship publicaly.

William and Mary

1689 AD - 1702 AD

Count Zinzendorf

1700 AD - 1760 AD

Gave refuge to, and led the Moravians.

Queen Anne

1702 AD - 1714 AD

John Wesley

1703 AD - 1791 AD

Published many of Charles's hymns.

Charles Wesley

1707 AD - 1788 AD

Given the credit of a religeous awakening.

Hymns and Spiritual Songs

1707 AD

Published by Isaac Watts.

Lady Huntingdon

1707 AD - 1791 AD

Used wealth and influence to sponser preachers and musicians.

George I

1714 AD - 1727 AD

George Whitefield

1714 AD - 1770 AD

Broke with the Wesley's for theological reasons.

John Tufts

1721 AD

Produced first singing school manual: An Introduction to the Singing of Psalms.

Moravian Movement

1722 AD

Gave an increased emphasis in congregational singing.

John Newton

1725 AD - 1807 AD

Former slave trader converted and then wrote hymns.

Methodism established

1727 AD - 1760 AD

Watt's Psalms

1729 AD

Used by many early American churches, removed British references

William Cowper

1731 AD - 1800 AD

Experienced lapses into depression and insanity.

Great Awakening

1734 AD

Revival that began in New England sparked by the preaching of Jonathan Edwards.

Moravian Missions to Georgia

1735 AD

Wesleys and Moravians come to America

1735 AD

A Collection of Psalms and Hymns

1737 AD

First hymnbook to be publised on North American Soil for Anglican worship.

Watt's Hymns and Spiritual Songs

1739 AD

First American edition of Watts

Moravian Missions to Pennsylvannia

1741 AD

John Francis Wade

1744 AD

Adeste Fidelis Laeti Triumphantes

William Billings

1746 AD - 1800 AD

Early Colonial composer, famous for his fuguing tunes.

Classical Era

1750 AD - 1820 AD

French and Indian War

1754 AD - 1760 AD

Rationalistic Period

1757 AD - 1817 AD

George III

1760 AD - 1820 AD

Oliver Holden

1765 AD - 1800 AD

"Coronation"

Thomas Kelly

1769 AD - 1854 AD

"Look, Ye Saints! The Sight is Glorious"

James Montgomery

1771 AD - 1854 AD

Considered "the greatest of Christian laywriters."

American Revolution

1776 AD

American Revolution

1776 AD - 1781 AD

Olney Hymns

1779 AD

Evangelical revival hymns writtenn by John Newton.

Robert Rakes' first Sunday School

1780 AD

Reginald Heber

1783 AD - 1826 AD

Attempted to compile a national hymnbook.

French Revolution

1789 AD

Josef Mohr

1792 AD - 1848 AD

"Silent Night, Holy Night"

Lowell Mason

1792 AD - 1872 AD

Advicated devotional style hymn tunes.

William Carey goes to India

1792 AD

Great Revival of 1800

1800 AD

Caused the move from Psalms to Watts.

The Easy Instructor

1802 AD

The first tunebook to include Shape-Notes.

Charles Darwin

1809 AD - 1882 AD

Henry Alford

1810 AD - 1871 AD

"Come, Ye Thankful People, Come"

Charles Dickens

1812 AD - 1870 AD

James Mason Neale

1818 AD - 1866 AD

Led revival of medieval hymnody and plainsong.

Fanny J. Crosby

1820 AD - 1915 AD

"Take Time to Be Holy"

George IV

1820 AD - 1830 AD

Industrial revolution in full swing; much agitation for reform

1820 AD

Romantic Era

1820 AD - 1900 AD

William W. How

1823 AD - 1897 AD

"For All the Saints"

American Sunday School Union founded

1824 AD

Book of Mormon

1830 AD

William IV

1830 AD - 1837 AD

The Christian Lyre

1831 AD

Set hymns to secular melodies.

"Assize Sermon"

1833 AD

The sermon which sparked the Oxford movement.

Oxford Movement

1833 AD - 1840 AD

A high church school of thought which sought to restore the Anglican church to former glory.

Southern Harmony

1835 AD

Published by William Walker.

Francis Ridley Havergal

1836 AD - 1879 AD

"I am Trusting You, Lord Jesus"

Queen Victoria

1837 AD - 1901 AD

Philip P. Bliss

1838 AD - 1876 AD

Song leader for Daniel Whittle.

Sacred Harp

1844 AD

Included many tunes from the camp meeting movement.

Charles Gabriel

1856 AD - 1932 AD

Rodeheaver's music editor.

Second Great Awakening

1858 AD

Civil War

1861 AD - 1865 AD

Hymns Ancient and Modern

1861 AD

Combined old and new hymns and became the most popular English hymnal ever published.

Homer Rodeheaver

1862 AD - 1935 AD

Song leader for Billy Sunday.

Colenso

1866 AD

Controversy over Higher Criticism.

Marx

1867 AD

Das Kapital textbook on social revolution.

Moody-Sankey

1870 AD - 1879 AD

American evangelistic team that held revivals in England.

Moody-Sankey Revivals

1870 AD

Used former Sunday School hymns in evangelistic movements.

Gospel Songs

1874 AD

Collection of gospel songs by Philip Bliss.

John Julian

1892 AD

The prince of all hymnologists, wrote Dictionary of Hymnology.

Gospel Hymns Nos. 1-6 Complete

1894 AD

A massaive volume of 12,000 gospel hymns.

Frederick Pratt Green

1903 AD

Methodist clergyman and playwrite who wrote hymns after retirement.

Geoffrey Beaumont

1905 AD - 1971 AD

Founded the Twentieth Century Church Light Music Group.

The English Hymnal

1906 AD

First Anglican hymnal to embrace liberal theology.

World War I

1914 AD - 1918 AD

Erik Routley

1917 AD - 1982 AD

Composed Augustine

Russian Revolution

1917 AD

Mussolini and Facism come to power in Italy

1922 AD - 1943 AD

The Hymn Society of America

1922 AD

Advanced the work of hymns in America.

Songs of Praise

1926 AD

Edited by Percy Dermer, a liberal writer.

Fred Kaan

1929 AD

A world Christian, primarily concerned with social issues.

Hitler and Nazis come to power in Germany

1933 AD

World War II

1939 AD - 1945 AD

Baptist Hymn Book

1962 AD

A comprehensive eclectic compilation of hymns.