Light of the world, in grace and beauty
Light of the world, in grace and beauty. Paul S. Gibson* (1932- ).
Gibson wrote this hymn to fill a need for small congregations, which he had recognized while editing the Book of Alternative Services for the Anglican Church of Canada. He tells the following story about the hymn text:
Being Liturgical Officer of the Anglican Church of Canada for some years I became conscious of the fact that many of our congregations were very small. It seemed sad to me that the singing of many of our beautiful canticles was in danger of being lost, especially in small settings, in the transition to modern liturgical texts. The Book of Alternative Services (1985) provides for the substitution of hymns for...
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MLA style (see MLA Style Manual and Guide to Scholarly Publishing, 3rd Ed.)
. "Light of the world, in grace and beauty."
The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology. Canterbury Press. Web. 21 Jan. 2026.<
http://www.hymnology.co.uk/l/light-of-the-world,-in-grace-and-beauty>.
Chicago style (see The Chicago Manual of Style, 16th Ed.)
. "Light of the world, in grace and beauty."
The Canterbury Dictionary of Hymnology. Canterbury Press, accessed January 21, 2026,
http://www.hymnology.co.uk/l/light-of-the-world,-in-grace-and-beauty.