Digital devotional explores history behind beloved hymns on new Liberty Worship Collective album

In an appreciation of the incredible impact that hymns have made on the Christian walk throughout history, the Liberty University John W. Rawlings School of Divinity has published a devotional for Logos Bible Software that corresponds with the Liberty Worship Collective’s new “Hymnology VOL. 1” album released on Friday.

The five-day study, “Hymnology: Study Behind the Song,” was written by Assistant Professor of Bible & Theology Dr. Eunice Chung and includes a basic definition of hymns, why the Church sings them in the 21st century, and why it is essential for Christians to continue writing hymns of praise. Users can read the history of a hymn and listen to the Liberty Worship Collective’s rendition within the Logos platform, currently available to Liberty students, alumni, and friends.

“Hymnology Vol. 1” is available for streaming on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, and more. The album was released during Friday’s Hymnology Convocation and features 10 songs, with a blend of centuries-old hymns as well as new music written by the Collective. Several of the hymns also include additional verses or other creative additions.

“Our desire for LWC has always been to write and sing songs in the Vines Center that help the LU family encounter God and engage in His Word,” Liberty Worship Collective Executive Director Kevin Huguley said. “This new initiative and partnership with Logos and the School of Divinity feels both providential and fitting. Pairing that study with our upcoming release, ‘Hymnology VOL. 1,’ gives students a way to dig deeper into Scripture while connecting it directly to the music we sing together. We’re so grateful to our friends at Logos for helping make that kind of discipleship accessible — both for our students now and for the broader LU community.”

Chung, who previously served as a staff member with LWC, said she appreciated the opportunity to highlight the integral role worship plays in the lives of believers.

“Worship is so much more than singing. We offer our lives to the Lord as living sacrifices. But there is something really beautiful about the act of singing,” she said, referencing Psalm 147. “It requires us to use our bodies and our minds. I’m really happy to be a part of this project because I’m a big believer in the Collective. (We’re thankful) to Logos for giving us the platform to put content like this on there. I’m such a fan of what they’re doing.”

She said the mix of new and old hymns holds significance.

“For me, that is a reminder that God’s people are not just us, here and now, alive. But God’s people are the people of God over all these years. How beautiful is it that (with) all these words written hundreds of years ago, we still collaborate well with God’s people after they’re gone.”

Logos’ extensive platform provides users the ability to tailor the devotional to best fit them, with links to additional word studies, answers, and more at the touch of a button. Chung likened this feature to a “Choose Your Own Adventure” book, where users can discover new information each time.

Through this partnership between the School of Divinity and the Liberty Worship Collective, university staff and faculty continue the institution’s ultimate mission of Training Champions for Christ.

“Our goal and our objective at this university is to obviously provide education, but it’s much more than that,” Chung said. “We want people to leave this university being better students who have learned a skill and graduate with their degrees but also leave having been clearly shaped and formed by how incredible God is. We want people to grow in Christian and spiritual maturity in their time here.”

Current Liberty students can access “Hymnology: Study Behind the Song” online. The devotional is available to alumni and friends at Logos.com/Liberty/Signature.

This study marks the second released in collaboration with the Liberty Worship Collective. Last month, the School of Divinity published “Send Me: Study Behind the Song” in conjunction with the LWC’s song “Send Me,” which was released during Global Focus Week.