Chris Tomlin Brings 1,800 Year Old Hymn Back From the Dead in Stunning New Documentary

Chris Tomlin Resurrects the World's Oldest Known Christian Hymn in New Documentary "The First Hymn"

Grammy Award winning worship leader Chris Tomlin has partnered with Australian songwriter Ben Fielding to bring the world's oldest surviving Christian hymn back to life for the modern church.

The ancient hymn, known by scholars as "P.Oxy 1786," was discovered in 1918 by archaeologists in the Egyptian city of Oxyrhynchus. The 1,800 year old artifact contains 35 words and musical notations on papyrus, making it the earliest known Christian hymn ever found. It has been preserved at Oxford University for over a century.

A new feature length documentary titled "The First Hymn," hosted by historian and singer songwriter John Dickson, traces the hymn's journey from the deserts of Egypt to the United Kingdom, and then to Nashville, Tennessee, where Tomlin and Fielding recorded a modern version in the studio.

Tomlin reflected on the discovery of the ancient papyrus:

"It just feels like such a God story that it was even found in the scrap heap."

The worship leader emphasized the significance of the hymn's final line, "To the only giver of all good gifts," which he said represented early Christians boldly redefining pagan language in opposition to cultural norms.

Tomlin also spoke about the responsibility of theological accuracy in worship music:

"What we sing is what gets in us. Music is so powerful, it gets inside of us what we know of God. I don't want to be throwing heresy to the world."

Ancient Papyrus Hymn From Egypt Now Recorded as Modern Worship Song by Chris Tomlin

The documentary was produced by Undeceptions and will be distributed by Fathom Entertainment in theaters nationwide on March 24 and 26, 2026. In November 2023, Dickson met with Tomlin and Fielding in a rehearsal space called "The Barn" just outside Nashville, where the project began to take shape.

Tomlin described the profound experience of singing words written nearly two millennia ago:

"To think that we're singing something that 1,800 years ago was being sung, it connects us to the early Church."

The song was released on Tomlin's 2025 album "The King Is Still the King." An epic recording session featuring Nashville's top session players was a central moment in the documentary, capturing the resurrection of the ancient melody into a contemporary worship piece.

The Crusader's Opinion

This is what happens when Christians remember who they are. An 1,800 year old hymn buried in the sands of Egypt, written by believers who faced real persecution under the Roman Empire, and Chris Tomlin pulls it from the dust and puts it back into the mouths of the faithful. While the world tries to erase our history and pretend Christianity started yesterday, this papyrus proves our worship has echoed for nearly two thousand years. The early Church sang these words in defiance of a pagan world. We should be singing them with the same fire today.

Take Action

• Watch: See "The First Hymn" documentary in theaters March 24 and 26 through Fathom Entertainment. Visit thefirsthymnmovie.com for tickets and locations.
• Listen: Stream "The First Hymn" by Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding on all major platforms. Add it to your worship playlist and share it with your church.
• Share: Post this story on social media and remind people that Christian worship has endured for nearly 2,000 years. Use #TheFirstHymn to spread the word.
• Support Persecuted Christians: The early Church faced brutal persecution, and millions still do today. Donate to The Shepherd's Shield or Open Doors to support believers under fire worldwide.
• Worship: Bring "The First Hymn" to your church this Sunday. Ask your worship leader to include it in the service and connect your congregation to the ancient faith.