ABINGDON

Composer: Erik Routley

ERIK REGINALD ROUTLEY (1917-1982), was a scholar and an authority with keen insight, wit, grace and style. Pastor, musician and hymn writer in his own right, he was the catalyst for much that helped produce “The Hymn Explosion” of the 1970s. His influence as an editor, beginning with Congregational Praise (1951), Dunblane Praise (1962), Cantate Domino (1968), New Church Praise (1972), Ecumenical Praise (1977), and Rejoice in the Lord (1985), was profound. Dr. Routley was born in Brighton, England, on 31 October 1917, four hundred years exactly (give or take eleven days for the new style calender) after Martin Luther nailed his theses to the church door at Wittenburg. Erik once said that this was the only autobiographical fact about h… Go to person page >