Brian A. Wren

Short Name: Brian A. Wren
Full Name: Wren, Brian A., 1936-
Birth Year: 1936

Brian Wren (b. Romford, Essex, England, 1936) is a major British figure in the revival of contemporary hymn writing. He studied French literature at New College and theology at Mansfield College in Oxford, England. Ordained in 1965, he was pastor of the Congregational Church (now United Reformed) in Hockley and Hawkwell, Essex, from 1965 to 1970. He worked for the British Council of Churches and several other organizations involved in fighting poverty and promoting peace and justice. This work resulted in his writing of Education for Justice (1977) and Patriotism and Peace (1983). With a ministry throughout the English-speaking world, Wren now resides in the United States where he is active as a freelance lecturer, preacher, and full-time hymn writer. His hymn texts are published in Faith Looking Forward (1983), Praising a Mystery (1986), Bring Many Names (1989), New Beginnings (1993), and Faith Renewed: 33 Hymns Reissued and Revised (1995), as well as in many modern hymnals. He has also produced What Language Shall I Borrow? (1989), a discussion guide to inclusive language in Christian worship.

Bert Polman

Wikipedia Biography

Brian A. Wren (born 1936 in Romford, Essex, England) is an internationally published hymn-poet and writer. Wren's hymns appear in hymnals of all Christian traditions and have been influential in raising the awareness of theology in hymns. Brian Wren is married to Rev. Susan M. Heafield, a United Methodist pastor.

Texts by Brian A. Wren (133)sort descendingAsAuthority LanguagesInstances
A man of ancient time and placeBrian A. Wren (Author)English2
A Prophet-woman broke a jarBrian A. Wren, 1936- (Author)English8
A Stranger knocking on a doorBrian A. Wren, 1936- (Author)English2
[A Woman in the Crowd]Brian Wren (Author)English2
[Abraham, Sarah Too]Brian Wren (Author)English2
Amor, que por amor me amaste (Dear God, your love is all around me)Brian Wren (Translator (English))English, Portuguese2
Are shepherds good?Brian Wren (Author)2
Arise, shine out, your light has comeBrian A. Wren, 1936- (Author)English5
As man or woman we were madeBrian Arthur Wren, 1936- (Author)English15
At the table of the worldBrian A. Wren (Author)English2
Baptise us with your SpiritBrian Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English2
Beautifully moving, ceaselessly formingBrian A. Wren (Author)English2
Because Jesus feltBrian Wren (Author)English2
Believers, make a joyful noiseBrian Wren (Author)2
Bring many names, beautiful and goodBrian Wren (Author)English19
Christ is alive! Let Christians singBrian Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English50
Christ is risen! Shout Hosanna!Brian Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English, Spanish23
Christ leads! From the shore to the hillsBrian A. Wren (Author)English2
Christ loves the church, with grace beyond all measureBrian Wren (Author)English3
Christ will come againBrian Wren (Author)English2
Christians everywhere shall sing now and alwaysBrian Wren (Author (English))English, Muscogee3
Come, build the Church – not heaps of stoneBrian A. Wren (Author)3
Come, Celebrate the Call of GodBrian Wren (Author)English4
Come, let us love the unborn generationsBrian A. Wren (Author)English2
Come, let us praise what God has doneBrian Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English3
Come, welcome Christ in every faceBrian Wren (Author)English2
Con gozo vengo, hijo/a soyBrian Wren (b.1936) (Author)Spanish2
Deep in the shadows of the pastBrian Wren (Author)English10
[Doom and Danger]Brian A. Wren (Author)English2
Dust and ashes touch our faceBrian A. Wren (Author)English9
Enthroned upon the cherubimBrian Wren (Author)English2
Faith looking forward from the crossBrian A. Wren (Author)2
Fill our mouths with laughterBrian Wren (Author)English2
For the bread that we have eatenBrian Wren (b. 1936) (Author)English4
Give thanks for music-making artBrian Wren (Author)1
Glory to God, all-pervading, all-knowing, all-seeingBrian Wren (Author)English2
[Go Forth in Faith]Brian A. Wren (Author)English2
Go now in peace; though friends must partBrian Wren, 1936- (Author)English4
God, as we merge, bid us emergeBrian A. Wren (Author)English2
God is One, unique and holyBrian Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English6
God of Jeremiah, grieving with an aching heartBrian A. Wren (Author)English2
God of many namesBrian Wren (Author)English8
God remembers painBrian Wren (Author)English5
God, the All-HolyBrian Wren (Author)2
Lord God, your love has called us hereBrian Wren (b. 1936) (Author)English27
Grief of ending, wordless sorrowBrian A. Wren (Author)English4
Her baby, newly breathingBrian A. Wren (Author)2
Here am I, Where underneath the bridgesBrian A. Wren (Author)English8
Here hangs a man discardedBrian Arthur Wren, 1936- (Author)English8
Hidden Christ, alive for everBrian Wren (Author)English4
Hiking in the hills, hot and thirstyBrain Wren (Author)English2
Holy Spirit, storm of loveBrian Wren, 1936- (Author)English3
Hope is a star that shines in the nightBrian A. Wren, 1936- (Author)English6
How can we name a LoveBrian Wren, 1936- (Author)English3
How deep our Maker's griefBrian A. Wren (Author)English3
How great the mystery of faithBrian A. Wren (Author)English3
How shall I sing to GodBrian Arthur Wren, 1936- (Author)English4
How wonderful the Three-in-OneBrian Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English11
I am going to Calvary, Would you like to come with MeBrian A. Wren (Author)2
I come with joy to meet my LordBrian Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English66
If I Could Visit BethlehemBrian A. Wren (Author)English3
In God we Trust, That God is justBrian Wren (Author)English2
In the fields of this worldBrian Wren (Translator (stanzas))English6
In water we grow, secure in the wombBrian A. Wren (Author)English5
Jehová es mi pastor; nada me faltará (Sure as the Lord's my Shepherd)Brian Wren (Translator)English, Spanish2
Christ, upon the mountain peakBrian Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English40
Jesus, tu reuniste os teus amigosBrian Wren, n. 1936 (Translator (English))Portuguese1
Joyful is the dark, holy, hidden, GodBrian Wren (Author)English8
Let all creation dance Brian Wren (b. 1936) (Author)English6
Let hope and sorrow now uniteBrian A. Wren (Author)English6
Life is great! so sing about itBrian A. Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English5
Lift up your heads, ye mighty gates, Behold the King of glory waitsBrian Wren (Author (B))English1
Lord Christ, the Father's mighty SonBrian Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English8
Lord Jesus, if I love and serve my neighborBrian Wren (b. 1936) (Author)English3
Lord of the boundless curves of spaceBrian Wren (Author)English2
Lord, when You came to JordanBrian Wren (Author)English2
Love makes a bridge from heart to heartBrian A. Wren (Author)English2
May the living God be with you, my friendsBrian Wren (Alterer)English2
May the Sending One sing in youBrian Wren (Author)English4
Meko sapvke (Sisters and brothers)Brian Wren (Versifier (English))English, Muscogee2
Mekoahapahlket maymahn ahpokeezBrian Wren (Versifier (English))Muscogee1
Naizdaan bee zezay (Mother earth is my home)Brian Wren (Paraphraser (English, st. 2)))English, Navajo1
Nombres sin fin, buenos bellos sonBrian A. Wren (Author)Spanish5
Not only acts of evil willBrian Wren (Author)English3
Nuevos comienzos trae el día Brian Wren (Author)Spanish5
O how joyfully, O how hopefullyBrian Wren (Author)English6
On the day I die; straight awayBrian Wren (Versifier (English))English2
Once from a European shoreBrian Wren (b. 1936) (Author)English2
Our God, our help in ages pastBrian Wren (Adapter)English2
Praise God for the harvest of farm and fieldBrian Wren (b. 1936) (Author)English11
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow. Praise God, all creatures high and low(Wren)Brian Wren, 1936- (Author)English6
Praise the God who changes placesBrian A. Wren (Author)English7
Praise the Lover of CreationBrian Wren (Author)English2
[Praising God]Brian A. Wren (Author)English2
Remember the children by God named and knownBrian Wren (Author)English2
When love is found and hope comes homeBrian Wren (Author)English33
Sing my song backwards from end to beginningBrian Wren (Author)2
Sing praises old and newBrian Wren (1936-) (Author)2
Sing together on our journey!Brian A. Wren (Author)English2
Sing with joy to the AuthorBrian Wren (Author (text A))2
Spirit of Jesus, if I love my neighborBrian Wren (b. 1936) (Author)English4
Takwaiénh:a (Father in heaven)Brian Wren (Versifier (English))English, Mohawk2
Thank you God, for water, soil, and airBrian Wren (Author)English15
There's a spirit in the airBrian A. Wren (Author)English32
This is a day of new beginningsBrian Wren, 1936- (Author)English22
This is a story full of loveBrian A. Wren (Author)English5
This we can do for justice and for peaceBrian Wren (Author)English2
Three things I promise, Holy God (Ce que je promets ô Dieu saint)Brian Wren (Author)English, French2
[Transfiguration (Wren)]Brian Wren (Author)English2
Trav'ling, trav'ling over the worldBrian A. Wren (Author)English2
Unbounded Spirit, breath of GodBrian Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English4
We are not our own. Earth forms usBrian A. Wren (Author)5
We are your people, Lord, by your graceBrian Arthur Wren, 1936- (Author)English13
[We Bring, You Take]Brian Wren (Author)English2
We Meet as Friends at TableBrian A. Wren (Author)English2
We offer Christ to all the world around usBrian Wren (Author)English2
Weep for the dead. Let tears and silence tellBrian A. Wren (Author)2
[Welcome the Wild One]Brian A. Wren (Author)English2
What was your vow and visionBrian A. Wren (Author)English3
When all is ended, time and troubles pastBrian Wren (Author)4
When Christ was lifted from the earthBrian A. Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English14
When grief is raw and music goes unheardBrian Wren (Author)English6
When illness meets denial and rejectionBrian A. Wren (Author)English2
When Jesus, went to CalvaryBrian Wren (Author)2
When minds and bodies meet as oneBrian A. Wren (Author)English3
When on life a darkness fallsBrian Wren (1936- ) (Author)2
When pain and terror strike by chanceBrian Arthur Wren, 1936- (Author)English2
Who is God— young or old?Brian A. Wren (Author)English2
Will you come and see the light from the stable door?Brian A. Wren (Author)English, Spanish3
With humble justice clad and crownedBrian Wren, b. 1936 (Author)English3
Woman in the nightBrian Wren (Author)English9
Wonder of wonders, Life is beginningBrian A. Wren (Author)English6
"You are my body!" Joy and wonder!Brian Wren (Author)English2

Data Sources

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