Hymns ban strikes sour note

Reverend Donald Allister: hymns "not appropriate"

A couple from Greater Manchester have cancelled their church wedding, claiming they were told that their favourite childhood hymns were "too nationalistic".

Victoria Williams and her fiancé Stuart Turton had sent out invitations, booked photographers and arranged wedding cars ahead of the planned ceremony at Cheadle Parish Church in Stockport.

Ms Williams, 26, and Mr Turton had wanted to sing Jerusalem and I Vow To Thee My Country.

"I booked the church 18 months ago and the rector never said anything then about allowing certain hymns and not others," she said.

In a sense it's nationalistic as it is asking whether Jesus came to England when we all know he didn't

Rev. Donald Allister, describing Jerusalem

"But when my mum rang last week, just to confirm the order of service, she spoke to the church's musical director and told him the first hymn we intended, which was Jerusalem.

"All he could say was 'no not approved.'

"She then told him the next hymn was I vow to Thee My Country and he turned that down too as he said they were both too nationalistic.

'Well-known church hymns

"I could not believe it. To me they are two extremely well-known church hymns which have been around for years and I have loved Jerusalem ever since being a little girl.

"I Vow to Thee My Country was even used at Princess Diana's wedding, so I cannot see why there is a problem.

Rev. Allister said the musical director had spoken to the couple while he was on holiday.

I Vow to Thee My Country was sung in 1981

"But it was not a case of saying it's too nationalistic, you can't have it," he went on.

"Jerusalem is not in our hymn books and I have never come across a church which sings it in its Sunday services.

"It's not about God, it's a speculative poem.

"In a sense it's nationalistic as it is asking whether Jesus came to England when we all know he didn't.

"We offer families alternative hymns to the same tune as it is just not the sort of song we would sing in church."

Controversial comments

In April last year, Rev Allister refused to baptise the children of unmarried couples.

In 1998 he said he would not accept money from the National Lottery, which he described as national disgrace for encouraging and glorifying gambling.

Windsor fire: Divine warning?

In 1994 he criticised Prince Charles's Christianity.

He even said the Windsor Castle fire was a warning from God for the Royal Family to change its ways.

Mr Turton and Ms Williams, who work together as trainee bank managers for the Royal Bank of Scotland, have switched venues to St Alban's Church in Offerton where they will sing their choice of hymns.

Victoria's father James Williams, 64, said: "She really wanted the hymn at her wedding.

War lament

"It was after all her big day and not the vicar's. The whole family is upset.

"She has lived in Cheadle all her life, and is disappointed it could not be in Cheadle, that was their choice of church."

I vow to thee my country was written by Cecil Spring Rice in 1918 as a lament at the terrible human cost of the First World War.

Jerusalem was written by the Victorian visionary and artist William Blake, as a call for a fairer society.

Rev. Allister studied at Peterhouse college and held posts at Rochdale and Birkenhead before becoming rector in Cheadle in 1989