Our Father, by Whose Name

Bland Tucker (1895–1984), full name Francis Bland Tucker, was a prominent Episcopal priest, hymnist, and translator, born in Norfolk, Virginia. Coming from a distinguished clerical family, his father was a bishop and his brother a Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, he pursued higher education at the University of Virginia (B.A., 1914) and Virginia Theological Seminary (B.D., 1920; D.D., 1944). He served as a private in Evacuation Hospital No. 15 of the American Expeditionary Forces in France during World War I before being ordained deacon in 1918 and priest in 1920.

Tucker’s first pastoral charge was at Grammer Parish in southern Virginia. From 1925 to 1945, he served as rector of historic St. John's Church in Georgetown, Washington, D.C., and from 1945 until his retirement in 1967, he led old Christ Church in Savannah, Georgia, the parish once served by John Wesley. Tucker did not initially plan to write hymns, but in 1937, upon joining the Joint Commission on the Revision of the Hymnal that prepared The Hymnal 1940, he began contributing both original hymns and revisions. He later served on the Joint Commission on Church Music (1946–1958) and on the Theological Committee reviewing material for subsequent hymnals. His work often modernized older hymns, addressing archaic language or gendered expressions.

Tucker’s hymns and translations have been widely adopted across English-speaking denominations. Notable works include “All Praise to Thee, for Thou, O King Divine,” “Alone Thou Goest Forth, O Lord,” “Father, We Thank Thee, Who Hast Planted,” and “Our Father, by Whose Name.” His contributions spanned languages, including Portuguese, Chinese, and multiple hymn adaptations, reflecting both theological depth and literary skill. In 1980, he was honored as a Fellow of the Hymn Society of America, recognizing his enduring influence on Christian worship and hymnody.