Memorial Day: 7 sacred songs of solemn remembrance, hope for peace

By Michael Gryboski, Mainline Church Editor Saturday, May 28, 2022

Onward Christian Soldiers

Ironically, the Rev. Sabine Baring-Gould wrote “Onward, Christian Soldiers” in 1865 with the intention that it would only be sung by children for a school festival in Yorkshire, England.

The hymn has remained quite popular, appearing both in hymnals and popular culture, even as the song garners controversy in some Christian circles for its militaristic themes.

“Due to its militaristic theme and martial melody, the hymn has encountered some resistance in recent years, and some church denominations have removed it from their hymn books entirely,” wrote blogger and author Tim Challies in 2013.

“However, it is appropriate to remember that Paul commands Timothy to ‘share in suffering as a good soldier of Jesus Christ’ (2 Timothy 2:3), and that he instructs the church to ‘put on the whole armor of God’ because we wrestle against the spiritual forces of evil (Ephesians 6).”