Asbury Hymnal

About the Asbury Hymnal

The Asbury Hymnal was published in 2018 in conjunction with the renovation of Estes Chapel. A collection of 275 hymns both new and old, the Asbury Hymnal draws on the Wesleyan heritage of ATS in its selection and theological emphasis.

Used weekly in worship at Asbury Theological Seminary and now around the world, the Asbury Hymnal is a resource for worship planning in worshiping congregations large and small.

It is our prayer that the Asbury Hymnal would represent the best of who we are as a theological, Spirit-filled, worshiping community.

Read the Hymnal Introduction

ON ASBURY THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY’s Kentucky campus, Estes Chapel is the home and heartbeat of our worshiping community, It is located between two iconic statues- to its east, the well-known statue of John Wesley and to its west, a more recent addition, a statue of his brother, Charles, author of thousands of hymns. With the preacher on one side and the hymn writer on the other, our worship as a community is cradled in the seat of the Wesley brothers’ commitment to a theology deeply rooted in preaching and worship, sermon and song.

It has been said that the branches of the church that sprang from the heritage of John and Charles Wesley are characterized by singing – and it is true. We sing our theology! Here is a wonderful canon of hymns for the Asbury community (on our campuses and abroad in the lives of our alumni and friends), rich in sung theology and warm in the experiential call of the gospel. These hymns connect us with the worship of the church through the ages and throughout the strands of Asbury’s tradition. Here are great treasures of history through which we join with the saints throughout time in their words of worship. And here are hymns of reformation, revival, camp meeting, and gospel witness, as well as new hymns that are being written today. Most importantly, here is the deep theology of the Wesley heritage to be sung and sown into our minds and hearts, a hallmark of who we are as a community of faith. 

Singing our theology means that we continue to recognize the communal nature of our faith. The need for surrounding voices to bring us harmony is a deep reminder of the shared nature of the journey of faith and holiness. Through the singing of our greatest hymns we also deeply realize the communion of saints, for when we sing them we are singing with voices through the ages and around the world. The songs in this volume can be sung by one voice, but where two or three are gathered, Christ Himself is present in the singing. He is glorified by gatherings when oldest and youngest hold a hymn book together, where one who has memorized almost all of the words harmonizes with one who is yet to know their depth. The songs in these pages have explained the deepest meanings of theology to the most-learned mind, but have also touched the depths of the simplest but hungriest of hearts. 

It is our prayer that the Asbury Hymnal would represent the best of who we are as a theological, Spirit-filled, worshiping community. It is our hope that these hymns will continue to be sung by those around the world who see all of life as an opportunity to respond to God’s works with worship. It is to God’s glory that we sing these songs of faith together!

-Rev. Jessica LaGrone, 2018

Purchase the Asbury Hymnal

The Asbury Hymnal is available for purchase from Seedbed: https://my.seedbed.com/product/the-asbury-hymnal/ or from the ATS Campus Store on the Wilmore Campus.

And Can It Be, “The Asbury Fight Song”

Generations of Asbury Theological Seminary students have sung with gusto what has been dubbed “The Asbury Fight Song”: Charles Wesley’s hymn, And Can It Be That I Should Gain. With words written by Charles Wesley in 1739 and the famous tune SAGINA by Thomas Campbell in 1835, And Can It Be tells the story of one’s soul being saved for death by the amazing love and mercy of God in sending his son, Jesus, to die for the sins of the world.

The final verse boldly declares the promise to which Christians hold fast:

No condemnation now I dread; Jesus, and all in Him, is mine;

alive in Him, my living Head, and clothed in righteousness divine;

bold I approach th’eternal throne, and claim the crown, through Christ, my own.

And Can It Be is sung at opening convocation, graduation, and throughout the year during chapel. It was the favorite hymn of Frank Stanger, president of Asbury Theological Seminary from 1962-1982.

Listen to And Can It Be below – the first verse sung in 1974 and the following verses sung by the Seminary Singers in 2020.