Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland

The Hymn Society of Great Britain and Ireland is a not-for-profit organisation in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland which aims to promote the study and use of Christian hymns. As of 2024, the society comprises around 450 members, including hymn writers, composers, editors, and members of the clergy, plus 50 subscribing libraries and institutions.^[1]

The society was founded in 1936 by Dr J. R. Fleming for the purpose of:^[2]

• encouraging study and research in Hymnody
• promoting good standards of hymn-singing
• encouraging the discerning use of hymns and songs in worship
• sponsoring relevant publications

In the years after its creation, the Society set itself the task of updating John Julian's 1892 Dictionary of Hymnology.^[3]

The Society's primary actions are the production of a Newsletter and Bulletin four times per year containing articles and research on hymns and hymnody, as well as publishing additional Papers on topics in greater depth. It also works closely with sister Societies around the world, including the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada and International Arbeitsgemeinschaft für Hymnologie in Germany.^[1]

Each July, the Society holds a three-day conference of talks and workshops, culminating in a large event known since 2003 as The Festival of Hymns, and prior to that was called the Act of Praise.^[1] The first Conference was held in Oxford in 1948.

A central part of the Hymn Society's annual Conference, the Festival of Hymns (or Act of Praise as it was known prior to 2003) has been held in the following locations.

The Editors of The Bulletin have been:^[3]

• Millar Patrick (1937–47)
• Erik Routley (1948–74)
• Bernard Massey (1974-2001 and 2003–04)
• Christopher Idle (2001–03)
• Andrew Pratt (2004-)
• Martin Leckebusch