... Can someone PLEASE articulate how hymns, new or old, are folk music and OF COURSE do completely belong in the Mudcat?...

My personal opinion is, if they are posted by Mudcatters then they belong here.

I think that hymns generally are not folk music because they are sponsored by an authority. In this case the church. However those that escape from the authority and are sung purely for pleasure and become part of the society's tradition (such as my favourites - carols) could well be considered as folk music.

Bert.