ABSTRACT
The words of hymns are widely regarded as the most significant communicators of doctrine and theology, for the obvious reason of their semantic power. Form, language, and editing are all important considerations in assessing Methodism's literary repertoire and the ways in which literary aspects affect hymnody's meaning, reception, and capacity for theological expression. The most noticeable difference in content between Singing the Faith and its immediate predecessor, Hymns and Psalms, is the inclusion of a significant number of worship songs, at the inevitable expense of some traditional metrical hymnody. The structure of many Methodist hymnals indicates that the names and titles for God is a central theme of some hymns, reflecting hymnody's prominent role in expressions of praise and adoration. Methodist hymnody has also consistently engaged with the communal nature of Christianity, through hymns that focus on the church as a community of believers in the world.
