The eleventh chapter of Hebrews has well been called the "great gallery of gallant Christian faith", a thrilling account of spiritual giants who were willing to give all in defense of their faith in God. There have been martyrs of the Christian faith in every century since this New Testament record was first written. Some writers and historians have estimated that at least fifty million individuals have died a martyr's death since the crucifixion of Christ. Even today, in our civilized culture, there are many who suffer and die because of their faith and profession of Christ as Savior and Lord.

No doubt the hearing and singing of this hymn conjures in many minds various scenes from the great "cloud of witnesses" referred to in Hebrews 12:1, who, with their surrounding but unseen presence, encourage us to "run with patience the race that is set before us. "It is good for us to be reminded often that the history of the Christian faith is a rich heritage of countless numbers whose faith in God was counted more dear than life itself. Much could be said about the first century Christians and their persecution by the Roman Empire, or the suffering of the Huguenots in France during the reign of Louis XIV, or even the religious persecution to our forefathers resulting in their quest for a new land where they could enjoy religious freedom.

The "faith of our fathers" referred to in this hymn, however, is the faith of the martyred leaders of the Roman Catholic Church during the sixteenth century. The author of this text, Frederick William Faber, born June 28, 1814, in Calverley, Yorkshire, England, was raised as a strict Calvinist by a father who was an English clergyman. After young Faber's graduation from the renowned Oxford University in 1843, he became a minister in the Anglican Church at a small parish at Elton, England. In his younger days Faber was strongly opposed to the teachings and practices of the Roman Church. However, this was the time when a movement known as the Oxford or Tractarian Movement was strongly influencing the Anglican Church. Whereas the Wesleys and their evangelical followers preached a message of personal conversion easily grasped by even the illiterate man, leaders of the more sophisticated Oxford Movement were of the persuasion that a meaningful religious experience could only be gained through better liturgical and ceremonial church services. From about 1833 to 1850 the Oxford Movement tenaciously directed religious England, during which time many of the Anglican Church's leaders either joined the Roman Church or developed a rejuvenated high church party known as Anglo-Catholics.

Early in his ministerial training Faber came under the influence of this Oxford Movement. After serving just three years as an Anglican minister, he left the Church and joined the Roman Catholic fold. He became known as Father Wilfrid. Shortly after his secession to the Roman Church Faber noticed the great lack of congregational hymnody that existed within this group. He recalled the important and influential role that congregational singing had in Anglican congregations, especially within the more evangelical parishes. Faber began to make it his life's mission to write hymns that promoted the history and teachings of the Catholic Church. In all Frederick Faber wrote 150 such hymns before his early death at the age of forty-nine. For his efforts in this regard he was honored by the Pope with a Doctor of Divinity Degree.

"Faith of Our Fathers" was written by Faber to remind Catholic congregations of their many leaders who were martyred during the reign of Henry VIII in the early days of the establishment of the Anglican Church in Great Britain. The text first appeared in 1849 in Faber's collection, Jesus and Mary; or Catholic Hymns for Singing and Reading. It was always Faber's hope that some day England would be brought back to the papal fold. One of the omitted verses from his original text expresses this thought: Faith of our fathers! Mary's prayers Shall win our country back to thee; And through the truth that comes from God, England shall then indeed be free. Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We would be true to Thee till death.

The tune for this hymn, a melody known as "St. Catherine's Tune," was composed by a noted Roman Catholic, Henri Hemy, born at New Castle-Upon-Tyne, England, on November 12, 1818. He was a respected organist and composer at the church at Tynemouth and in 1864 compiled a popular Catholic hymnal, Crown of Jesus. The tune was originally composed for a Catholic hymn entitled "St. Catherine, Virgin and Martyr." It was written in honor of Catherine of Alexander, a fourth century martyr. The final eight measures or refrain, "Faith of our fathers, holy faith, we will be true to Thee till death" were added by James G. Walton, when he made a new arrangement and used it for his collection, Plain Song Music for the Holy Communion Office, published in 1874. "There's a wideness in God's mercy Like the wideness of the sea; There's a kindness in His justice Which is more than liberty. "There is welcome for the sinner And more graces for the good; There is mercy with the Savior; There is healing in His blood. "For the love of God is broader Than the measure of man's mind; And the heart of the Eternal Is most wonderfully kind.

"If our love were but more simple We should take Him at His word, And our lives would be all sunshine In the sweetness of our Lord." Written by Frederick Faber in 1862.

Quoted from "101 Hymn Stories" by Kenneth Osbeck. Kregel Publishers, P.O. Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501, 1982.
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