Weigel on hymns that should be banned

By Domenico Bettinelli, Jr. ( articles - email ) | Aug 12, 2003

George Weigel has a half-serious proposal for an Index of Forbidden Hymns. I couldn't agree more. So many hymns sung in Catholic parishes are either insipid, heretical, or just plain bad.

The first hymns to go should be hymns that teach heresy. If hymns are more than liturgical filler, hymns that teach ideas contrary to Christian truth have no business in the liturgy. "Ashes" is the prime example here: "We rise again from ashes to create ourselves anew." No, we don't. Christ creates us anew. (Unless Augustine was wrong and Pelagius right).

Read the whole thing for the full effect.

What are your least favorite hymns and why?