The hymn “Onward Christian Soldiers” is a 19th century British hymn, written for a processional of children from Horbury Bridge to Horbury St Peter’s Church near Wakefield, Yorkshire, England. It was never intended as a crusader’s hymn, but in its lines, Christians have felt the militancy of the Crusades.
In April 2016 The Stream, a Christian-oriented website, published new words to the hymn by Brian McLaren. The article explaining the idea is called “Disarming Onward Christian Soldiers.” It says,
McLaren is troubled that the hymn “speaks ambiguously of ‘the foe’ — which could (in the minds of some) refer to our neighbors outside the church,” instead of more acceptably targeting “corporate greed, racism, domestic violence, apathy or pride.” His new alternative lyrics highlight Christian “peacemaking.” McLaren admits his own church sings “songs that consciously or subconsciously play into hostility and fear and imperial or warlike sentiments — I feel that we are flirting with dark and dangerous currents that are very unsacred.”
Having attended church for eight years in the Holy Land, I knew our congregations were very sensitive to the feelings of the Muslims and Jews around us. Their background of forced conversion during the Crusades and at other times in history was still an unhealed wound. As time went on, the hymn sounded more and more militaristic to me.
In addition to McLaren’s rewrite, new pacifist lyrics have been created on the Mormon blog, By Common Consent by Jason K. He said,
I decided a few years ago that I could no longer sing this hymn in good conscience, even though I always liked the music. Then, earlier this year, D Fletcher suggested that I rewrite it. Slowly, and with his able editorial assistance, I’ve done so. I decided that the hymn gets its theology of the cross all wrong, choosing the cross of Constantine and the Crusaders over Paul’s “scandalous” one. Thus, my rewrite owes quite a bit to 1 Corinthians, where Paul’s theology of the cross receives its best articulation.
Here’s the hymn with the new lyrics. What do you think?
Onward Christian Soldiers
Onward, Christian soldiers,
March in Jesus’ peace,
Bearing acts of mercy
‘Til oppression cease.
Christ our gentle Master
Leads us in the way;
With His grace upon us,
We’ll be kind today.
Chorus:
Onward, Christian soldiers,
March in Jesus’ peace,
Bearing acts of mercy
‘Til oppression cease.
This whole world in chaos,
Wounding every heart,
Calls to all God’s children:
“Do the Savior’s part!”
Seeing so much sorrow,
We have much to give:
On, then, Christian soldiers,
Love and let them live.
Chorus
From one loaf we’ve eaten,
Drunk the selfsame cup;
Called into one body,
Christ we’re raising up.
Honoring the weaker
Is our Christian care;
Let the cross’s scandal
Be our chosen share.
Chorus
Onward, then, dear neighbor:
Join our loving feast!
You’ll become our treasure,
Never counted least.
We will serve our Jesus,
Love His every child,
Caring for each other
‘Til we’re reconciled.
Chorus
