Ernest Edwin Ryden

Born in 1886 and active through much of the 20th century, Ernest Edwin Ryden was an American Lutheran clergyman, editor, and hymnologist. He is best remembered for his lifelong devotion to Christian hymnody and for writing books that opened up the history and meaning of hymns for general readers.

Alongside his pastoral work, he served in church publishing and was associated with the Lutheran Companion magazine. Sources on his life also describe him as a key worker in Lutheran hymn and liturgy projects, reflecting how closely his ministry and scholarship were connected.

Ryden’s best-known books include The Story of Our Hymns and The Story of Christian Hymnody. They helped preserve the background of hymn writers, texts, and traditions in a way that is still useful for readers interested in church music, worship, and religious history.