Forward Christ's fighter

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Vorwärts, Christi Streiter ( English Onward, Christian Soldiers , also "Always brave forwards") is a hymn from the 19th century of English origin. The lyrics were written by William Sabine Baring-Gould and the music by Arthur Sullivan in 1871. Sullivan called the melody “St. Gertrude ”, in honor of the wife of his friend Ernest Clay Ker Seymer.

The theme of the text relates to the New Testament , in which the role of the Christian as a soldier of Christ is spoken of, for example in the second letter of Timothy : “Suffer with me as a good soldier of Christ Jesus. Nobody who goes to war gets involved in everyday business, because he wants his general to be satisfied with him. "( 2 Tim 2,3  EU )

background

The text was written as an entrance anthem or processional march for children at Horbury Bridge, near Wakefield , Yorkshire . Originally it was entitled "Hymn for Procession with Cross and Banners" . Baring-Gould reportedly wrote the text in about fifteen minutes. He later apologized for it: "It was written in an extreme hurry and I fear some of the lines may be in error." For this reason, he allowed the editors of church hymn books to change the text. Most of the time, the text is still printed in the original version, especially in more recent, contemporary hymn books.

Baring-Gould originally set the words to a melody from the slow movement of Joseph Haydn's Symphony in D , No. 15. The song was already printed in the year of its composition, first in an English church magazine, the Church Times and later in some church hymn books . However, it only became more popular after Sullivan wrote a new tune, St. Gertrude.

reception

The song quickly became popular with the Salvation Army in particular because of the relationship between the Salvation Army and Christ's warriors; it is often wrongly ascribed to her today. In the 19th century the song hit the Christian zeitgeist and passed from the Salvation Army to other revival movements inside and outside the regional churches.

A parody criticizing the connection between Christianity and militarism became popular in British society in the 19th century. Among other things, the line of text "Spread the peaceful gospel, with the Maxim gun" was inserted.

It is still popular in the USA and England today and is also included in more recent hymn books of mainstream churches, such as the United Methodist Church's 1989 hymnbook or the 1982 Episcopal Church in the USA hymnbook .

Since today the connection between Christianity and war in practically all Christian directions, apart from the Salvation Army, sounds rather strange in the German-speaking area, despite the biblical reference, the song can no longer be found in today's German church hymn books. The Apostolic Hymnbook , where it is still listed in the 2005 edition, is an exception .

German propaganda

On October 11, 1939, shortly after the outbreak of World War II , Onward, Christian Soldiers was rewritten by the Erhard Bauschke Orchestra and provided with anti-Semitic and anti-British elements. The new title was now called British Soldier's Song .

The British Soldier's Song was just a foretaste of the wave of Nazi propaganda songs that broke out from 1940. The Erhard Bauschke Orchestra was taken over by Lutz Templin in 1940 and then recorded modified swing hits with anti-American, anti-Semitic, anti-British and anti-Russian texts under the name Charlie and His Orchestra in the service of the Reich Propaganda Ministry .

Text (english)

Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before:
Christ the royal Master, leads against the foe;
Forward into battle, see his banners go

(Refrain :) Onward Christian soldiers, marching as to war,
With the cross of Jesus going on before.

Like a mightly army moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod;
We are not divided, all one body we,
one in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

(Refrain)

Crowns and thrones may perish, kingdoms rise and wane,
But the Church of Jesus constant will remain;
Gates of hell can never 'gainst that church prevail;
We have Christ's own promise, and that cannot fail.

(Or :) Like a mighty army moves the church of God;
Brothers, we are treading where the saints have trod.
We are not divided, all one body we,
one in hope and doctrine, one in charity.

(Refrain)

Onward, then, ye people, join our happy throng,
Blend with ours your voices in the triumph song;
Glory, laud, and honor unto christ the King;
This thro 'countless ages men and angels sing.

(Refrain)

The third stanza is in a version that is less frightening for monarchs.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Piers Brendon: The Rise and Fall of the British Empire 1781-1997 . London, 2008, pp. 140f.
  2. ↑ APWiki of the Network of Apostolic History: Always Brave Forward . History and Variants of the Song in the Apostolic Faith Communities.
  3. ^ Center for Church Music: Onward, Christian Soldiers .