Norway tragedy inspires Hillsong album

A tragedy that shocked the world is the inspiration behind Hillsong's next live release, Cornerstone.

Hillsong worship leader Reuben Morgan arrived on the Scandinavian peninsula for a visit on the same day as the killing of 77 people in a shooting rampage and bomb attack in Norway.

As the world reeled from the scale of the horror, Morgan reached for his guitar and pen as an outlet for his emotion.

“When you write songs that people sing as part of their worship to God there is a bit of your soul that shares the aches of those around you," he explained.

"When there is tragedy, the song of lament wakes up with you, and when there is joy, the sound of praise fills your ears.

"To some it might seem really odd to reach for a guitar when tears are falling on scuffed up shoes, but I really don’t know any other way of being.”

Cornerstone was inspired in the moment of that tragedy, but Morgan says the album has a bigger message and a bigger question for everyone who hears it - who or what do we turn to for our strength?

“We only just have the time to forget the face of the gunman when another chorus of sirens wail,” he continued. “We have barely cleaned up after the flood when an earthquake strikes. When the earth shakes, we look to our feet and wonder what it is that we are standing on.”

Cornerstone, out on 3 July, was recorded at the Allphones Arena in Sydney last autumn before a capacity crowd.

It brings together Reuben Morgan, Joel Houston, Ben Fielding, Darlene Zschech and the international teams from London, Stockholm and Cape Town.

There are 11 new songs, including material penned by Reuben Morgan, Hillsong UNITED, and Brooke Fraser.

The title track is a new anthem “Beneath The Waters” (I Will Rise), an upbeat praise song, “Running”, and the debut radio single “Hope of the World”.