The early church took what was likely a familiar melody and infused it with bold Christian theology. It proclaims Christ’s supremacy in a dark time for God’s people. That’s what good worship music does. It doesn’t just sound beautiful—it shines a light on the truth.

A century ago, archaeologists digging through ancient ruins in Egypt uncovered a tattered scrap of papyrus. On it were the remains of a hymn dating to the mid-200s—complete with lyrics and musical notation! For decades, it remained sealed away in a climate-controlled vault at Oxford University.

Until John Dickson came across it.

John is a musician and theologian from Australia, a friend whose works have often proved helpful to me, including his podcast Undeceptions. (John makes a couple appearances in my podcast Reconstructing Faith as well.)

When John saw the fragment, he recognized its significance. This was more than a relic of antiquity. It was a hymn with words we could read and musical notations we could interpret, giving us the chance to hear how early believers under the shadow of Roman persecution worshiped the triune God, and then to sing along with them. Why not resurrect it?

John’s desire to bring this song back to life led to the The First Hymn Project, a collaboration with worship leaders Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding. Together, they’ve revived this hymn and crafted a contemporary version, faithful to its ancient words and spirit. They’ve also put together a documentary about the song’s discovery, which includes the original melody and its musical reinterpretation.

Right Theology, Right Worship

The early church took the Greek word “orthodoxy”—originally meaning “right opinion”—and repurposed it to mean “right belief.” For the church fathers, right belief mattered because of its connection to right worship. The earliest Christians didn’t see theology and doxology as separate spheres. What they believed about God shaped how they worshiped God, and how they worshiped God reinforced what they believed about God.

This hymn, dating from a time when Christians were still hunted and harassed for their faith, affirms the Trinity with clarity and confidence:

Let all be silent, the shining stars not sound forth,
All rushing rivers be stilled
As we sing our hymn to the Father, Son, the Holy Spirit,
As all powers cry out in answer:
Amen, Amen, might, praise, and glory forever
To our God, the only giver of all good gifts.
Amen. Amen.

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