We are such good little Commonwealth citizens

[jaala]

I'm singing in a service to be held at St George's Cathedral in celebration of Queen Elizabeth's 80th birthday. Get this programme:

O God, our help in ages past

Jubilate in B-flat (Stanford)

The Two Fatherlands ("I vow to thee, my country, all earthly things above")

Zadok the Priest (Handel)

God Save the Queen

O Canada

Nothing like some good ol'-fashioned chest-thumping.

Comments

[gerald_duck]

The strange bit is that Jerusalem only became a hymn (rather than a poem) after Canada gained its independence; that's a British hymn, not a Commonwealth one, so far as I can tell, therefore. (-8

Apart from the oblique Christian reference in the first two lines, I'm not sure what about "Jerusalem" is intrinsically Christian, though. "Mostly Jewish/Christian/Muslim" nicely summarises Jerusalem, the place, after all!

[reapermum.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure what about "Jerusalem" is intrinsically Christian

Since Blake's Christianity is questionable, it's no wonder "Jerusalem" is iffy.

[madrigalia.livejournal.com]

Well, as I understood it, the song loosely adapted the legend that Jesus visted Glastonbury when he was a child; a theory Blake believed to be true.

Off-topic: I have written at least two grossly overdue term papers with that anthem on repeat. Something about it is suited to rapid intellectualism.