Justin Appel

Dear Friends in Christ,

Today’s Gospel lesson contains the famous passage from John’s Gospel in which the pharisee Nicodemus visited Jesus by night.

This passage brings to mind a short chorus by John Stainer (1840-1901) from a longer oratorio entitled The Crucifixion. This larger work, a sort of passion for amateur choirs, was scored modestly for chorus, two soloists (a tenor Evangelist and a bass Jesus) and organ, and is punctuated by English hymns, much like a Bach passion, with a libretto written by W. J. Sparrow Simpson, a contemporary Anglican priest.

‘God so loved the world’ is a short and beautifully written a cappella work that has become the most well-known bit of music by Stainer, as well as the most frequently performed part of The Crucifixion.

You can listen to this anthem here, sung by the English choir Tenebrae.

Yours in Christ,
Justin