Upstaging bono

UPSTAGING BONO: One of Thomas Troeger's hymns, Praise the Source of Faith and Learning," was sung at the National Prayer Breakfast in February. The singing was led by the featured speaker, Francis S. Collins, director of the National Genome Research Institute. In asking Troeger for permission to use this hymn, Collins wrote: "I will try to explain the ways in which science can be a form of worship of God the Creator.

But for many of us, words are so much more powerful when coupled with music--and your remarkable lyrics, sung to Hyfrydol, would be the perfect summation of what I want to convey." At the prayer breakfast, Collins noted that "some may find it ironic that last year's speaker, the rock star Bono, spoke about justice and world economics, but passed up the chance to sing. Now this year's speaker, a scientist who might be considered a bit of a nerd, proposes to sing and play guitar" (Yale Divinity School News).

COPYRIGHT 2007 The Christian Century Foundation
COPYRIGHT 2008 Gale, Cengage Learning