Becca Whitla: A Canadian goes to Strasbourg to talk about hymns (September 2026)
Becca Whitla, who delivered a keynote lecture at the 2026 conference in Strasbourg, has written a blog post about the conference and her lecture about decolonising congregational singing. Her reflections are available on the blog of the Centre for Congregational Song, provided by our sister organisation, the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada.
Wim Houtman: De idealen van de reformatie gingen in de koloniën overboord (19 September 2026)
Wim Houtman, journalist with the Nederlands Dagblad, attended the conference. In this interview with Becca Whitla, he explores how colonial ways of thinking continue to shape church hymns and theological concepts today. Whitla advocates a critical practice of “hymn study” within congregations, encouraging Christians to reflect on song texts and their historical contexts without abandoning their own tradition.
Wim Houtman: We moeten weer leren oude psalmen te zingen (9 September 2026)
Wim Houtman, journalist with the Nederlands Dagblad, accompanied the conference. In this article, he reports on a conversation with Phil Price, who draws attention to the almost forgotten tradition of English psalm singing and the so-called “West Gallery Music.” Price argues that old psalms should be sung again, not only because they represent an important musical heritage, but also because they create a living connection with earlier generations of Christians.
Wim Houtman: Wim Houtman: Wat hebben kerkliederen en kolonialisme met elkaar te maken (3 September 2026)
Wim Houtman, journalist with the Nederlands Dagblad, attended the conference and reported on its discussions. In his article, based on Becca Whitla’s keynote lecture, he explores how church hymns can reflect colonial ways of thinking and why a critical engagement with their historical background remains important today.