whether the subject matter is 'spiritual' or not, I like to hear chanties done at the tempo the task called for. There are so durn many groups doing the equivalent of "bluegrassing" chanties into tempos that would have been impossible to work to.

If you have specific examples, it wouldn't be hard to make suggestions about a reasonable tempo for them.

(I think I will go look at Mudcat midis and see if there are examples there)