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And Can It Be

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347: 199: 29: 143:), and it inspired him to write two new hymns, "And Can It Be that I Should Gain" and "Where Shall My Wondering Soul Begin?". After this, Charles went on to become a prolific hymnodist, composing over 6,500 hymns. 368: 366: 427: 295:
With the line "Thine eye diffused a quickening ray", Wesley describes the liberating power of God descending on the captive soul using words closely based on a line from
234:), despite being the cause of Christ's death. The hymn makes reference to several biblical events, and each verse returns to the individual's experience of faith and 367: 241:
The second verse expresses amazement at the apparent paradox of the death of the immortal Christ — "'Tis mystery all! Th'Immortal dies!" — referring to the
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in hymnals of the Methodist Episcopal Church until the 1989 publication of The United Methodist Hymnal, where it was first paired with
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characterises this type of tune as "Old Methodist" and considers that its style may have been influenced by the popular choruses of
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The hymn remains popular today and is included in many contemporary hymn books. In 2013, following a survey conducted by the
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Early publications of "And Can It Be" set the hymn to a variety of tunes. One of the first settings was to the tune
889: 879: 748: 289: 179: 854: 175: 904: 442:, a small flowering plant, was published to accompany a translation by John Wesley of a German hymn by 112: 899: 527: 227: 171: 146:
The original six-verse hymn "And Can It Be?" was first published in 1739 in John Wesley's hymnal,
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In the fourth verse ("My chains fell off"), Wesley makes reference to the imprisonments of both
864: 837:"The United Methodist Hymnal", The United Methodist Publishing House: Nashville, 1989, Hymn 363 470: 396: 356: 328: 223: 630: 582: 490: 120: 250: 8: 894: 664: 577: 273: 219: 203: 164: 504: 235: 116: 665:""And can it be": analysing the words, music and contexts of an iconic Methodist hymn" 115:, which he regarded as having taken place on 21 May of that year. The hymn celebrates 777: 603: 465:, which has since become the most firmly established tune for the hymn. Musicologist 301: 679: 443: 246: 596:
Reese, Martha Grace; Weaks, Dawn Darwin; Caffey, Catherine Riddle (January 2008).
828:"The Methodist Hymnal", The Methodist Publishing House: Nashville, 1966, hymn 527 771: 434:; the floral title referred to Campbell's tunes all being given botanical names. 404: 258: 254: 231: 211: 159: 331:— "No condemnation now I dread" — and looks forward to the believer receiving a 167:
suggests that the hymn is one of the best-loved of Wesley's six thousand hymns.
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A Collection of Tunes, Set to Music, as they are commonly sung at the Foundery
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Favorite hymns; stories of the origin, authorship, and use of hymns we love
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The Bouquet: a collection of tunes composed and adapted to Wesley's Hymns
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Dictionary of Composers for the Church in Great Britain and Ireland
285: 183: 28: 163:, "And Can It Be?" was voted number 6 in the UK's Top 100 Hymns. 281: 277: 207: 509:. Philadelphia, The General Council Publication House. p.  439: 226:, in which the narrator/singer asks if he can benefit from the 44: 430:(1800–1876). It was first published in 1825 in his hymnal 583:
A History of Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years
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In Britain the hymn is most commonly sung to the tune
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The title and first lines of the hymn are framed as a
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Expecting the Unexpected: An Advent Devotional Guide
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Unbinding Your Church: Pastor's Guide (Green Ribbon)
131:Charles Wesley (1707–1788), along with his brother 770:Humphreys, Maggie; Evans, Robert (January 1997). 704: 702: 700: 871: 740: 595: 491:Wesley: A Heart Transformed Can Change the World 769: 697: 446:, "Thee will I love, my strength, my tow'r" ( 395:, composed by the songwriter and dramatist 374:Thomas Campbell's tune for "And Can It Be?" 317:And gleams of glory brighten'd all the day. 27: 522: 520: 457:"And Can It Be" was paired with the tune 186:' cover of the song reached No. 1 on the 658: 656: 654: 652: 197: 16:Christian hymn written by Charles Wesley 872: 662: 517: 502: 678:(1). Open University: article no. 2. 649: 496: 426:, which was composed by Yorkshireman 249:. The following verse celebrates the 135:, was one of the founding figures of 746: 672:Yale Journal of Music & Religion 311:Thy eyes diffus'd a reconciling ray, 170:"And Can It Be?" was the source for 749:"And can it be, that I should gain" 13: 865:And Can It Be, That I Should Gain? 450:Ich will dich lieben, meine Stärke 345: 338: 14: 916: 844: 101:And Can It Be That I Should Gain? 737:(Upper Room Books, 2006), p. 38. 382:Problems playing this file? See 364: 323:The fifth verse uses words from 831: 822: 797: 763: 727: 150:, with the title "Free Grace". 623: 602:. Chalice Press. p. 110. 589: 571: 553:"2013: The UK's Top 100 Hymns" 545: 483: 280:and the Liberation of Paul in 180:You Are My King (Amazing Love) 1: 776:. A&C Black. p. 56. 476: 411:, and in the 1786 edition of 885:18th-century Christian texts 855:Choral Public Domain Library 503:Hunton, William Lee (1917). 327:to describe the doctrine of 172:Phillips, Craig & Dean's 7: 403:(1742) the hymn was set to 202:"My chains fell off" - the 93:"Sagina" by Thomas Campbell 10: 921: 126: 747:Scotland, The Church of. 253:and borrows a verse from 111:in 1738 to celebrate his 89: 78: 68: 58: 50: 40: 26: 21: 193: 890:Hymns by Charles Wesley 880:English Christian hymns 714:Discipleship Ministries 684:10.17132/2377-231X.1023 663:Clarke, Martin (2016). 532:hymnology.hymnsam.co.uk 190:Christian songs chart. 471:George Frideric Handel 350: 329:Justification by faith 215: 176:Contemporary Christian 148:Hymns and Sacred Poems 119:through the death and 559:. BBC Songs of Praise 489:Kenneth C. Kinghorn, 413:A Collection of Hymns 349: 201: 121:resurrection of Jesus 751:. Church of Scotland 733:Blair Gilmer Meeks, 251:Incarnation of Jesus 578:Diarmaid MacCulloch 290:liberation from sin 288:for the narrator's 274:Liberation of Peter 220:rhetorical question 204:Liberation of Peter 165:Diarmaid MacCulloch 905:18th-century hymns 637:. 20 December 2003 424:Sagina (Pearlwort) 359:Sagina (Pearlwort) 351: 236:personal salvation 228:sacrifice of Jesus 216: 117:personal salvation 783:978-0-7201-2330-2 609:978-0-8272-3806-0 369: 302:Eloisa to Abelard 97: 96: 912: 900:Protestant hymns 838: 835: 829: 826: 820: 819: 817: 815: 801: 795: 794: 792: 790: 767: 761: 760: 758: 756: 744: 738: 731: 725: 724: 722: 720: 706: 695: 694: 692: 690: 669: 660: 647: 646: 644: 642: 627: 621: 620: 618: 616: 593: 587: 575: 569: 568: 566: 564: 549: 543: 542: 540: 538: 524: 515: 514: 500: 494: 487: 464: 460: 444:Johann Scheffler 437: 425: 418: 410: 394: 371: 370: 360: 348: 319: 313: 247:Passion of Jesus 245:accounts of the 206:(1514 fresco by 31: 19: 18: 920: 919: 915: 914: 913: 911: 910: 909: 870: 869: 847: 842: 841: 836: 832: 827: 823: 813: 811: 803: 802: 798: 788: 786: 784: 768: 764: 754: 752: 745: 741: 732: 728: 718: 716: 708: 707: 698: 688: 686: 667: 661: 650: 640: 638: 629: 628: 624: 614: 612: 610: 594: 590: 576: 572: 562: 560: 551: 550: 546: 536: 534: 526: 525: 518: 501: 497: 488: 484: 479: 462: 458: 435: 428:Thomas Campbell 423: 419:was specified. 416: 408: 405:Samuel Akeroyde 392: 389: 388: 380: 378: 377: 376: 375: 372: 365: 362: 358: 352: 346: 341: 339:Musical setting 333:crown in heaven 321: 315: 314: 309: 255:Philippians 2:6 232:blood of Christ 222:written in the 212:Vatican Museums 196: 160:Songs of Praise 129: 36: 17: 12: 11: 5: 918: 908: 907: 902: 897: 892: 887: 882: 868: 867: 858: 846: 845:External links 843: 840: 839: 830: 821: 805:"Tune: SAGINA" 796: 782: 762: 739: 726: 696: 648: 622: 608: 588: 570: 544: 516: 495: 481: 480: 478: 475: 438:, named after 379: 373: 363: 355: 354: 353: 344: 343: 342: 340: 337: 307: 297:Alexander Pope 195: 192: 155:BBC Television 128: 125: 109:Charles Wesley 105:Christian hymn 95: 94: 91: 87: 86: 80: 76: 75: 70: 66: 65: 63:Charles Wesley 60: 56: 55: 52: 48: 47: 42: 38: 37: 34:Charles Wesley 32: 24: 23: 15: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 917: 906: 903: 901: 898: 896: 893: 891: 888: 886: 883: 881: 878: 877: 875: 866: 862: 859: 856: 852: 851:And Can It Be 849: 848: 834: 825: 810: 806: 800: 785: 779: 775: 774: 766: 750: 743: 736: 730: 715: 711: 705: 703: 701: 685: 681: 677: 673: 666: 659: 657: 655: 653: 636: 632: 626: 611: 605: 601: 600: 592: 585: 584: 579: 574: 558: 557:www.bbc.co.uk 554: 548: 533: 529: 523: 521: 512: 508: 507: 499: 492: 486: 482: 474: 472: 468: 467:Percy Scholes 455: 453: 451: 445: 441: 433: 429: 420: 414: 406: 402: 398: 387: 385: 361: 336: 335:after death. 334: 330: 326: 320: 318: 312: 306: 304: 303: 299:'s 1717 poem 298: 293: 291: 287: 283: 279: 275: 271: 267: 262: 260: 256: 252: 248: 244: 243:New Testament 239: 237: 233: 229: 225: 221: 213: 209: 205: 200: 191: 189: 185: 181: 177: 173: 168: 166: 162: 161: 156: 151: 149: 144: 142: 138: 134: 124: 122: 118: 114: 110: 106: 102: 92: 88: 85: 81: 77: 74: 73:Psalm 145 71: 67: 64: 61: 57: 53: 49: 46: 43: 39: 35: 30: 25: 22:And Can It Be 20: 857:(ChoralWiki) 833: 824: 812:. 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The 127:History 103:" is a 51:Written 780:  606:  463:Sagina 440:Sagina 436:Sagina 393:Surrey 272:— the 178:song " 90:Melody 84:(L.M.) 668:(PDF) 399:. In 357:Tune 284:— as 230:(the 194:Words 174:2003 79:Meter 41:Genre 816:2021 791:2021 778:ISBN 757:2021 721:2021 691:2021 643:2021 617:2021 604:ISBN 565:2021 539:2021 513:-97. 268:and 59:Text 54:1738 45:Hymn 680:doi 276:in 876:: 863:, 807:. 712:. 699:^ 674:. 670:. 651:^ 633:. 580:, 555:. 530:. 519:^ 511:94 473:. 454:) 305:: 292:. 238:. 210:, 818:. 793:. 759:. 723:. 693:. 682:: 676:2 645:. 619:. 567:. 541:. 452:" 448:" 386:. 259:8 257:- 214:) 99:"

Index


Charles Wesley
Hymn
Charles Wesley
Psalm 145
(L.M.)
Christian hymn
Charles Wesley
conversion
personal salvation
resurrection of Jesus
John Wesley
Methodism
Pentecost
BBC Television
Songs of Praise
Diarmaid MacCulloch
Phillips, Craig & Dean's
Contemporary Christian
You Are My King (Amazing Love)
Newsboys

Liberation of Peter
Raphael
Vatican Museums
rhetorical question
first person
sacrifice of Jesus
blood of Christ
personal salvation

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