One lasting contribution of the Reformation was the recovery of congregational singing. During the Middle Ages, worshipers didn’t typically sing hymns in worship. Music was sung exclusively by choirs of professional singers. Since the musical arrangements were sophisticated and sung in Latin, singing was off limits to people in the pews. The Protestant reformers, who ascribed to the priesthood of all believers, reintroduced congregational singing in churches. This necessitated melodic, approachable songs that untrained musicians could sing.
Johann Gottfried Olearius (1635-1711) was both an accomplished preacher and hymn writer in Germany. He also was a highly regarded horticulturist. One plant genus Olearia (daisies) was named in his honor. Who knew? Johann wrote new hymns to accompany his sermons. To make it happen, he needed a capable organist to play the recently refurbished organ at his church in Arnstadt, Germany. He hired a twenty-year-old musician named Johann Sebastian Bach. They were quite a combo–one Johann in the pulpit and another on the organ bench. Since Johann the organist was a novice at his craft, not much is known of his early years at the Arnstadt church, except to say that people already recognized his prodigious talent and his tendency to experiment at the organ. He also took some heat for “entertaining a strange damsel” with music in the organ loft. It turned out to be his second cousin, whom he later married.
Consider Johann Olearius’ contributions to the church in terms of his investment in Johann Sebastian Bach alone. You never know who you are influencing today for some great purpose tomorrow. The following prayer is one Johann Olearius offered during the Christmas season: