Hymns, Heretics and History is a fascinating study in the history and practice of hymnody. It clearly documents both the historic origins of Christian hymnody, and the theological axes that have honed it into its present form. It answers such fundamental questions with respect to our praise of God as... What was the worship practice of the Old Testament Church? What were the worship practices of the Apostolic Church and the early Christian church? Who first introduced hymns into the worship of the Church? Why were hymns introduced into the worship practices of Christians? What were the responses of the Reformers to the worship practices of the time, and how did this contribute to splitting the Protestant Reformation? What was the motive for almost every wave of hymnody that has successively swept through the Christian church? For well-reasoned answers to these and other questions with respect to how we worship the Lord in song this is the book to read.