Hi and welcome to this bonus episode of the Giants of the Faith Podcast. You’ve surely heard or read something about the coming AI revolution spurred on by OpenAI, Microsoft, and Google. I thought it’d be interesting to incorporate AI into an experimental podcast episode. I asked Microsoft’s Bing AI to write a biography of Isaac Watts that’s suitable for a podcast and then asked it a follow-up question about Congregationalism. What you’re about to hear is the result. And just for fun it’s read by Microsoft's Immersive Reader. So, with no further ado here’s a computer generated and read episode on Isaac Watts.
Hello and welcome to Heroes of the Faith, a podcast series where we explore the lives and works of some of the most influential Christian figures in history. Today we are going to talk about Isaac Watts, a man who is widely regarded as the father of English hymnody. He was also a theologian, logician, poet, and educator. Let’s learn more about this remarkable man and his legacy.
Isaac Watts was born on July 17, 1674 in Southampton, England. He was the eldest of nine children2. His father was a Nonconformist who refused to conform to the Church of England and was imprisoned twice for his religious views. Isaac grew up in a home where he learned to love God and His Word. He also showed an early talent for learning languages and poetry. He could read Latin at age four, Greek at nine, French at eleven, and Hebrew at thirteen. He also wrote his first hymn when he was seven years old.
At age sixteen, Isaac went to London to study at a Dissenting Academy. This was a school for Nonconformists who were not allowed to attend Oxford or Cambridge universities because of their faith. There he learned theology, philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and other subjects. He also became friends with some of the leading thinkers of his time such as John Locke and Isaac Newton.
After finishing his studies in 1694, Isaac became a pastor of a Congregational church in London. A congregational church is a Protestant church that follows the Calvinist tradition and practices congregationalist church governance. This means that each congregation is independent and autonomous in running its own affairs. There is no higher authority or hierarchy above the local church. Congregational churches emerged from the Puritan movement in England in the 16th and 17th centuries. They were persecuted by the Church of England for their dissenting views. Many of them migrated to America and formed some of the first colonies there. Congregational churches are known for their emphasis on individual conscience, biblical authority, democratic decision-making, social justice, and religious freedom. Some examples of congregational churches are the United Church of Christ, the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches, and the Conservative Congregational Christian Conference.
He served there for over fifty years until his death. He was a faithful preacher who taught God’s Word with clarity and passion. He also wrote many books on theology, logic, ethics, education, and other topics. Some of his books are still used today as textbooks or reference works.
But Isaac Watts is best known for his hymns. He wrote over 750 hymns that have enriched the worship of millions of Christians around the world1. Some of his most well-known hymns are “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross”, “Joy to the World”, “Our God, Our Help in Ages Past”, “O God Our Help in Ages Past”, “Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed?”, “Jesus Shall Reign Where’er The Sun”, “I Sing The Mighty Power Of God”, “Am I A Soldier Of The Cross?”, “Come We That Love The Lord”, “How Sweet And Awful Is The Place” ,and many more.
What inspired him to write these hymns? Well, one reason was that he wanted to improve the quality of singing in churches. In his time, most churches only sang psalms from the Bible that were translated into English verse. These translations were often dull, awkward, and hard to sing. Isaac thought that Christians should sing not only psalms but also songs that express their own faith, love, and joy in Christ.
So he began to write new hymns that were based on Scripture but also reflected his own personal experience with God. He also wrote hymns that were easy to sing, rhymed well, and had beautiful melodies. He wanted his hymns to be simple enough for children but profound enough for adults. He wanted his hymns to glorify God and edify His people.
Another reason why he wrote these hymns was that he wanted to express his awe of God’s creation. Isaac was fascinated by the wonders of nature and science. He studied the stars, the planets, the seasons, the animals, and plants. He saw God’s wisdom, power, and goodness in everything that He made. He praised God’s majesty, beauty, and grace in many of his hymns.
For example, in one of his most famous hymns, he wrote: "I sing the mighty power of God, that made the mountains rise, That spread the flowing seas abroad, And built the lofty skies. I sing the wisdom that ordained The sun to rule the day; The moon shines full at His command, And all the stars obey." Isn’t that amazing?
Isaac Watts died on November 25, 1748 in Stoke Newington, London 1. He was 74 years old. He had suffered from poor health throughout his life.