The 1,800-year-old hymn, believed to be the oldest Christian song preserved in both words and notes, was born from the ruins of Oxylinkyu in Egypt – And Modern worship. The 53-word song is the focus of a new documentary. First hymnnAlso, the heart of a new modern song by Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding of the same name.
The song, known in academic circles as P.oxy 1786, was discovered in Parchment over a century ago, but has recently become a modern song.
Dated in the 200’s It is the oldest known Christian hymn with lyrics and musical notation. It’s the Bible It’s fulfilled Songs, melody It will accompany you They have been lost to history.
Australian historian John Dixon is the documentary host and travels to the Middle East to trace the ancient roots of the hymns.
“It seemed fascinating to bring back songs that have not been sung in nearly 2,000 years to the church,” Dixon said. “It is humble to follow in the footsteps of early Christians and witness the enduring power of their words.”
The first hymn “represents Christianity before the sect,” he said.
“That’s the point of unity,” he said.
The lyrics of the 53-word hymn say, “Let us silence everything. No shining stars will be heard, and every rushing river will be stationary. We sing hymns to the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit. We praise our God, the only giver of all good gifts, forever.
Song mention Trinity It’s important, come The previous century when the Council of Nicaea (AD 325) confirmed its important biblical doctrine.
“It’s amazing,” Dixon said in the documentary. “This is the doctrine of TrinityThe Christian idea that one God is a father and son and The Holy Spirit. And you hear it sometimes The idea was invented Then, in 325 years, when Emperor Constantine forced the church to do this doctrine at the Council of Nicaea.
“But the thing is – this is the idea of songs from the last century.”
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The documentary includes original melodies from ancient hymns The same goes for the new productions performed by Tomlin.. Originallythere was a pop sound.
“What’s so fun about this is that this song isn’t the eloquent thing that we often associate with the chants of the monks,” says Dixon. “It’s pop music. It’s the kind of melody you expect to hear in an ancient Greek pub. in Theatre performance. The person who composed this song I was trying Incorporate serious Christian ideas and give them to the masses. ”
Tomlin called the hymn “a precious gift from early followers, noting that many early Christians “literally gave life to the gospel.”
“And now, two thousand years from now, we can stand on that long, faithful line of followers and sing alongside them,“ Tomlin said.
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Photo Credit: ©Heritage
Michael Foot For 20 years, I have covered the intersection of faith and news. His stories appear in the Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Leaf, Toronto Star, Knoxville News Sentinel.
Listen to Michael’s podcast! He is the host of Cross Walk Talka podcast where he talks to Christian movie stars, musicians, directors and more. Listen to famous Christian figures keep their faith a priority in Hollywood and discover the best Christian films, books, television and other entertainment. You can find Cross Walk Talk Above lifeaudio.comor subscribe apple or Spotify So you won’t miss an interview that will surely encourage your faith.
It was originally published on April 15th, 2025.
