Jerusalem - The Hymn

The unofficial 'anthem' of England from the poem written by William Blake. A tribute to the generations that have gone before us to preserve that 'green and pleasant land' for 'England & St. George!'

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• st.george
• faith
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[bambagirlbeveridge]

@piddflicks - I will concede that without being sung for years in Churches it would not have lasted to have relevance elsewhere. But it's still not scriptural, however godly. sincere and devout Blake (and the aims of his poetry) may have been. LIke sanatatic commented, it's about the Industrial Revolution! A true "hymn" which honours Jerusalem is "The Holy City" - several versions here on YouTube!

[piddflicks]

@bambagirlbeveridge It doesn't need to be literally 'scriptural' to make reference to Christ and the 'Holy City'. It's not an Evangelical hymn. It's a poem put to music that appeals to the hope that transcends those dark satanic mills.

[bambagirlbeveridge]

Didn't know Blake wrote these lyrics as a poem - but that makes sense! I think it's a great SONG rather than a HYMN. It's not scriptural in the least. It's an English anthem first and foremost. I don't really think it's relevant to be sung in Churches. It's associated with football, rugby and the Women's Institute.

[piddflicks]

@bambagirlbeveridge Oh, nonsense. It is a 'song of praise', i.e., a hymn, to England and to the hope of the Kingdom of God. The hymn itself is not directed towards God but is a call to the people of England to rise up with the sword and mental fight to fulfil the hope of Christian society. English Christians should sing this at appropriate times as the appeal is central to their vocation. If it hadn't been sung at church, it would never have been heard at sporting events.

[sanatatic]

It's about the INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION you retards

The "dark satanic mills" are about just that...the dirty, coal fired mills springing up everywhere in Blake's time.

"Until we have builded Jerusalem in Britain's green and pleasant land" is hoping and waiting until the dark satanic mills disappear. Now of course I bet most of you wish they would hurry up and get back to making stuff again so that Britain can be rebuilt into a strong economy and the middle class can be made strong once more

[BakerBrownies]

doesnt this just make you proud to be british

[piddflicks]

@keepytreats You are right, except for the 'heathen lands' bit.

[keepytreats]

@customanalogue No, it's symbolic - to make England into "a" Jerusalem - a holy Christian land.

The dark satanic mills to which he refers are the heathen lands before Christianity was known here.

[piddflicks]

@customanalogue Well, as a former Anglican clergyman well-acquainted with the history and policy of the C of E, I can assure you that the 'Empire' was never, ever promoted as the New Jerusalem. That the Church regarded the Empire as a means for evangelisation is, of course, a fact, for it most certainly was. Along with commerce, culture, language, sport and the like, the Christian faith, Anglican style, prospered among all the 'pink bits'.