Christ is alive! No longer bound
to distant years in Palestine,
but saving, healing, here and now,
and touching every place and time.

In every insult, rift and war,
where color, scorn or wealth divide,
Christ suffers still, yet loves the more,
and lives, where even hope has died.

Women and men, in age and youth,
can feel the Spirit, hear the call,
and find the way, the life, the truth,
revealed in Jesus, freed for all.

Christ is alive, and comes to bring
good news to this and every age,
till earth and sky and ocean ring
with joy, with justice, love and praise.

            Brian Wren, Piece Together, #52

[Copyright © 1975 by Hope Publishing Co., Carol Stream, IL 60188. All Rights Reserved]

The hymn begins with a statement of Easter faith: "Christ is alive! Let Christians sing." Christ is not far away and high above, but with us, here and now. Though I have revised the poem, its central thought remains, as follows: "In every insult, rift and war," amid the divisions of racism, classism, and other manifestations of "scorn," Christ suffers with us, yet outlives and outloves human evil; raised by God from death, Christ lives today, even where human hope falters and dies. Interestingly, some hymnals and anthem composers try to omit that stanza—at least they did before September 11, 2001.

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | Contents

Academics | Admissions | Alumni | Works | Listen | Look | Contact | Index | Home | Yale University

Copyright © 2003-2005.  Yale Institute of Sacred Music
409 Prospect Street,   New Haven, Connecticut 06511
Telephone: 203 432 5180    Fax: 203 432 5296