Hymns of the Reformation with Peter Reske

The Concordia Publishing House Podcast

The Reformation was an amazing time of change and renewal in the Christian Church brought on by a complex chain of events that shook both church and state to their very foundations. This significant period in history also had a profound impact on the hymnody of the Lutheran Church. This episode explores musical shifts that occurred during the Reformation era with special guest, Peter Reske.

Show Notes:
In this episode, Peter discusses how hymns before the Reformation were often closed off and inaccessible as most were written and sung in Latin. As many churchgoers could not read this language - let alone sing the verses - this made worshipping with hymns very difficult for the general population. Peter describes the time surrounding when Martin Luther entered the scene, and how he led the movement to make hymns understandable and enjoyed by all believers. Peter also dives into the nuances of this story of change and enlightenment.

LSB: Companion to the Hymns serves as the definitive resource on the hymnody of Lutheran Service Book. Readers can dig deeper into the historical backgrounds prepared from a decade of groundbreaking research. Find out more by visiting cph.org/companion.

About the Guest:
Peter Reske is the senior editor of music and worship resources here at Concordia Publishing House.