A Boy Is Born in Bethlehem
A boy is born in Bethlehem
The hymn emphasizes the paradox of the Incarnation—God's eternal power humbled in human birth—which is central to Lutheran Christology. It presents Christ's nativity as the pivotal event in salvation history, connecting Old Testament expectation with Gospel fulfillment.
History & Background
Written by Cyril Argentine Alington, Dean of Durham Cathedral, in 1919 as a modern hymnic treatment of the Nativity. The text gained wide circulation through its inclusion in major Lutheran hymnals beginning in the mid-20th century.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 277
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 43
Bulletin Note
Written by English hymnologist Cyril Argentine Alington in 1919, this carol captures the Incarnation's central paradox—eternal power humbled in human birth—and has become a staple of Christmas and Epiphany worship.
Preaching Connection
This hymn's meditation on God's humbling in the Incarnation exemplifies how the Gospel answers the Law's exposure of human need: not through human triumph, but through God's gracious self-emptying in Christ.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law (human longing for deliverance) to Gospel (God's gracious incarnation in humble vulnerability) to Response (joyful human participation in Christ's mystery)
Themes
Incarnation of Christ Nativity narrative Salvation history Joy and wonder at God's humility