View source for Doxology (Term)

A '''doxology''' is a relatively brief, concise and complete song of praiseto the Godhead. The term is often used to refer to one of several major doxologies, particularly the "Greater Doxology", beginning [[Gloria in Excelsis Deo]] in Latin and "Glory to God in the Highest" in English; the "Lesser Doxology", the [[Gloria Patri]] or "Glory [Be] to the Father"; or the stanza by Thomas Ken beginning "Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow". This stanza, now a traditional offertory dedication in many Protestant churches, was originally the seventh (and final) stanza of Ken's hymn [[Glory to Thee, My God, This Night]].

Many hymns have been written with a final stanza encompassing a trinitarian doxological statement (Ken's doxology, as noted, began in this role), and some liturgical traditions require that hymns end with such a stanza (and add it, in practice, if it is not already present). See, for example, The Cyber Hymnal's text of the Christmas hymn [http://cyberhymnal.org/htm/a/f/afrglory.htm Angels from the Realms of Glory], where two doxological stanzas are given, one as the last verse and the other supposedly as an alternative to the original fourth verse, which is frequently omitted from hymnals.

[[category:Terms]]