Big Picture

Institutionalized Christianity is going through a massive shaking. No one knows exactly what tomorrow holds, but one thing is for sure - the Christian world is in a season of significant change. Escapism is being challenged by realism. Sacred vs Secular dualism by a more integrated approach to life. Status quo by social activism. Judgmentalism by compassion. Exclusion by inclusion. Male dominance by gender equality. Hierarchy by egalitarianism. Racism by the flourishing of BIPOC leadership. Colonization by the rise of former colonies, both geographic and spiritual. And the quest for power in Christian nationalism by a call to return to the way of Jesus. In this process, an emerging generation of forward-thinking artists and thought leaders are experiencing an increasing disconnect from the institution and finding shelter in the spiritual underground. Notwithstanding, their voices are exceedingly important, with the potential to help the society at large to grab a hold of the future and drag it into the present.

With all of this in mind, Common Hymnal was created as a virtual library to help people of faith navigate these uncertain times and find safe passage into the future by loading them up with insightful content from the underground.

History teaches us that the future is innovated at the margins. Therefore, our efforts to treasure hunt the periphery of the faith to find these displaced voices, and to stock this repository with their songs, stories and ideas, exposing the broader community to the important conversations and cultural shifts that are happening on the fringe. In providing an outlet for these changemakers, Common Hymnal has been able to curate an intriguing catalog that is free of colonial residue - filled with content that centers life, justice and underground spirituality; that embraces both praise and protest; that treasures healing, restitution and reparation; that comforts the disheartened and emboldens the courageous.

As a word of clarification, we do not think of protest as a random trolling of the various social media platforms and attacking people with emotionally charged comments. We wholeheartedly believe that the most effective way to challenge injustice and bring about systemic change is to give voice to the hidden genius that has been formed in the hearts and minds of the marginalized, the disenfranchised and the oppressed.

We are not pursuing a platform in the Christian bubble, nor are we seeking to recycle familiar practices with new packaging. Neither are we revolting against the ‘overground’. We are, however, convinced that God is doing important work outside the current structures, and we are serving those who share this conviction. Some people find themselves on the outskirts because of prophetic insight, some because of unfortunate experiences in the system that have caused them to search out a place of safety in the underground. With regard the latter, we are fully aware of the risks involved in working with people who are still healing from religious trauma. Nevertheless, the example of Jesus and the people that he gathered compels to keep living dangerously.

When it comes to music, underground believers tend not to be drawn to the current trends. They are hungry to build out a more exploratory genre that applies faith to all of the realities of life. They are not comfortable with cliches, hype or spiritual fads but hungry for thoughtfulness and honesty. Hence, this hymnal’s showcasing of an eclectic and curious culture, embodied in a broad spectrum of subject matters, styles and production sensibilities.

This venture is more of a long distance run than a sprint. We are not pretending to be culturally ‘woke’, while secretly hoping to make it big in the praise and worship scene - in disguise. When we say we are ‘underground’, we truly mean it!   

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