View source for Australian Hymn Book

{{short description|Ecumenical collection of hymns published in Australia in 1977}}
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The '''''Australian Hymn Book''''' ({{ISBN|1-86371-150-3}}) was published in 1977, and was the culmination of almost ten years' work by an [[Ecumenism|ecumenical]] committee, chaired by [[Harold Wood (minister)|A. Harold Wood]], intent on producing a new, contemporary and inclusive [[hymn]] book that could be used in worship by the varied [[Christianity|Christian]] congregations across Australia. The first meetings were held in 1968 amongst representatives of the [[Anglicanism|Anglican]] (Church of England), [[Congregational church|Congregational]], [[Methodism|Methodist]] and [[Presbyterianism|Presbyterian]] churches. A draft list of hymns was circulated in 1972, and in 1974, the [[Catholic Church|Roman Catholic Church]] asked to be included and two versions of the hymn book were eventually published: the ''Australian Hymn Book'' (containing 579 items) and the ''Australian Hymn Book with Catholic Supplement'' (adding a further 25 items). The new hymn book was taken up widely, especially with the union of the Congregational, the Methodist and most of the Presbyterian parishes that created the [[Uniting Church in Australia]] in 1977. In its international edition, the hymn book is known as '''''With One Voice''''' (not to be confused with the 1995 work published by the [[Evangelical Lutheran Church in America]] as a supplement to the ''[[Lutheran Book of Worship]]'').

The hymn book contains indexes to first lines, tunes, [[composer]]s, [[author]]s, subjects, [[Religious text|scripture]] and the religious calendar. A companion book, ''Songs of the People of God'', by Wesley Milgate, was released in 1982, and contains notes on the sources and history of each tune and hymn text, along with short biographies of all authors and composers.

After a survey conducted in 1990, it was decided that a new edition of the ''Australian Hymn Book'' was needed. '''''[[Together in Song]]: Australian Hymn Book II''''' was released in 1999. The major changes were the modernisation of the texts (particularly the use of inclusive language), the removal of hymns that had fallen out of use, and the addition of more modern musical settings, worship songs and psalm settings. A companion volume with notes on songs, lyrists and composers compiled by Rev. Dr. [[D'Arcy Wood (minister)|H. D'Arcy Wood]] is also available.

==See also==
*[[List of English-language hymnals by denomination]]

==External links==
*{{official website|http://www.australianhymnbook.com/|The Australian Hymn Book}}

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[[Category:Protestant hymnals]]
[[Category:Catholic hymnals]]
[[Category:1977 non-fiction books]]
[[Category:1977 in Christianity]]
[[Category:1977 in music]]
[[Category:Christianity in Australia]]
[[Category:Anglican liturgical books]]


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