Erik Routley

Erik Reginald Routley (/ˈraʊtli/; 31 October 1917 – 8 October 1982) was an English Congregational minister, composer and musicologist. He was educated at Lancing College and Magdalen and Mansfield Colleges in Oxford. He was chaplain of Mansfield from 1948 to 1959 and then held appointments as minister in Edinburgh and Newcastle before becoming Professor of Church Music at Westminster Choir College, Princeton, New Jersey in 1975.

His publications include Congregational Praise (1951), The University Carol Book (1961), A Short History of English Church Music (1977) and other critical and historical works on hymnody, church music and carols. He wrote the preface to the Summit Choir Book, and composed several hymn tunes. such as SHARPTHORNE and ABINGDON. Routley also wrote hymn texts, including "All who love and serve your city" and the translation "There in God's garden stands the Tree of Wisdom".