Of the Father’s Love Begotten

Of the Father’s Love Begotten

From Hark! The stories behind our favorite Christmas carols by America Media

December 8, 2024 · 44 min

About this episode

This episode explores the history and significance of the carol 'Of the Father’s Love Begotten' with insights from theologians and musicians.

If you’re in search of an ancient, theologically rich carol this season, look no further than “Of the Father’s Love Begotten.” Long before it became a Christmas carol in the 19th century, this hymn was first penned as a poem in the 4th century by Aurelius Clemens Prudentius. As Brian Flanagan, theologian and church historian, explains, this was a time of significant turmoil in church history, with Christian doctrine being defined and refined through heated debates and councils. Prudentius’ poetry appears to have been a creative way of conveying some of the core teachings that emerged from the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. to the faithful. The elegant verse was later paired with a Eucharistic hymn, thought to be from either the 10th or 13th century, and translated by the renowned Victorian composer John Mason Neale. This poem-hymn has thus endured over 1,500 years of history, proclaiming the mystery of the incarnation that we celebrate at Christmas. Host Maggi Van Dorn also welcomes back Colin Britt to help us appreciate the musical subtleties of this great work, and best-selling writer and novelist Nicole Baart shares why she chose to sing this carol on her wedding day. We owe a…

People in this episode

Host: Maggi Van Dorn

Guests: Brian Flanagan, Colin Britt, Nicole Baart

Topics covered

  • Christmas carols
  • theology
  • church history
  • hymnology
  • musical analysis
  • poetry

Keywords

  • Christmas
  • carol
  • Aurelius Clemens Prudentius
  • Council of Nicaea
  • Eucharistic hymn
  • John Mason Neale
  • incarnation
  • hymn
  • theology

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Clifton Cathedral Choir, Schola Cantorum of St. Peter’s in the Loop, Mount Holyoke Glee Club

Books & works: Of the Father’s Love Begotten, Council of Nicaea, Eucharistic hymn, poem

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