Bertus Frederick Polman

Bertus Frederick Polman (1945–2013) was a respected scholar of Christian worship, musicologist, and educator whose work significantly shaped modern hymnology and liturgical studies, particularly within the Reformed tradition. Born in Rozenburg, Zuid-Holland in the Netherlands, he later moved to North America, where he became an influential figure in church music and academic theology.

Polman pursued extensive academic training, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree from Dordt College in 1968, followed by a Master of Arts from the University of Minnesota in 1969. He later completed his PhD in musicology at the same university in 1981. He also studied at the Institute for Christian Studies, further strengthening his theological and philosophical grounding.

Throughout his career, Polman taught music at Redeemer College in Ancaster, Ontario, where he instructed students in music theory, music history, music literature, and worship studies. His teaching extended beyond music into areas such as Canadian Native studies, reflecting a broad intellectual curiosity. In addition to his academic work, he served as an organist at Bethel Christian Reformed Church in Waterdown, Ontario, actively participating in church life and worship leadership.

Later in his career, he became chair of the Music Department at Calvin College and served as a senior research fellow at the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship. His research focused especially on Christian hymnody, and he contributed articles to journals such as The Hymn and Reformed Worship.

Polman also played a major role in shaping contemporary hymnals. He co-edited the Psalter Hymnal Handbook (1989) and served on editorial committees for Songs for Life (1994) and Sing! A New Creation (2001). Through these contributions, he helped guide how congregations sing, understand, and engage with worship music.

He died on July 1, 2013, in Grand Rapids, Michigan, leaving behind a lasting legacy in the study and practice of Christian worship and hymnology.