Vincent Silliman's work in the middle half of the 20th Century helped shape the hymnody of Unitarian Universalism. UUMN members are invited continue his musical mission by submitting compositions to the 2014 Vincent Silliman Hymn Competition. The deadline is March 1, 2014 and details about the competition can be found here.
Director of Publications, Scott Roewe, recently spoke with the Reverend Dr. Richard Speck, one of the judges for the 2014 Vincent Silliman Hymn Competition. Reverend Speck recently finished writing a book about the competition's namesake.
Who was Vincent Silliman?
The Rev. Dr. Vincent Silliman was a Unitarian Universalist minister who lived in the middle of the 20th Century. He became a minister in 1917 and served until his death in 1979, a sixty-two year ministry. He served eight churches in that time. None of the churches were ever large. He was very musically inclined playing the piano and organ.
Did he write hymns or compile hymnals?
His genius lay in his prodigious energy at shaping hymnals into fine works of art. He was the prime editor of three major hymnals as well as several other efforts to enhance the hymnody of Unitarian, Universalist, Ethical Culture, and Unitarian Universalist churches and congregations. He composed a few hymns that have stood the test of time and are still in the current Singing the Living Tradition such as "Morning, So Fair To See" and "Faith of the Larger Liberty" as well as responsive readings. He was the first person to include humanist material in a hymnal.
How was he supportive of the arts in worship?
Vincent was a founding member of the Worship Arts Guild in 1923 which created liturgical material for use in Unitarian churches. He adapted plays and dramas for use in the churches he served. He created speaking choruses that were widely used in festivals. He was interested in all aspects of the arts in worship including architecture and furnishings for the esthetics of the space. Vincent created the Service of the Living Tradition which is still held each year at the General Assembly to honor ministers and now all religious professionals including musicians.
What motivated him to do this work?
Vincent was deeply concerned for how congregations worshiped. He read widely in contemporary worship theory. When he was asked to edit the first hymnbook in 1933, he threw himself intothe work giving up vacation time and any spare time to craft a hymnal thatmet instant success. Vincent wanted his faith to have the liturgical resources to meet a contemporary world, not one from the past century.
What was his mission?
His mission was to provide the best worship experience that he knew to give. He was a perfectionist and never was satisfied to let sub-par work be used in his worship services. He experimented constantly to improve the hymns he wrote as well as adapting those of others to new tunes. Out of this work came the 1964 "Hymns of the Spirit" which served Unitarian
Universalism for over thirty years. This hymnal was strikingly forward thinking in its scope and content.
How can we continue to carry this mission forward?
The UUMN has been given a part of the mantle of the Worship Arts Guild and its affiliate organization, the Worship Arts Clearing House. Both of these groups were cancelled in the 1980s just as the UUMN was beginning. Now it is up to the UUMN to create new worship material in the form of hymns, instrumental and choral works that meet the needs of a 21st Century religious sensibility. The previous Silliman Anthem Contest and now the Silliman Hymn Contest call forth the best that our music professionals can provide that will bring our liturgy the resources to grow our faith and meet the spiritual hunger for religious arts that our members have.
How can people purchase your book?
I have published Vincent Silliman's biography through Lulu. You can order the book at www.lulu.com/spotlight/ChalicePublishing. I have priced it at $25.00 and hope people will enjoy learning more about Dr. Silliman and his contributions to the Unitarian Universalist faith.