Tue 21 Oct 2008
Simultaneously thrilled and terrified
Posted by S.G.R. Webster under An Introduction to the Old Testament
[5] Comments
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I’ll be honest, there are some songs by some authors that do an excellent job provoking thought… and sadly more so than much Christian music… Some groups that come to mind are U2, Creed, and Kansas. Not sure the Beatles would be one of them.
To say, however, that any of these are just as good as the Bible… well that’s some pretty shallow Christianity.
Interesting … this quote kind of drove me crazy:
“The Bible tells a great story, but it is not as accessible as it used to be for a generation that hasn’t been brought up with it.”
A great story? I think it’s much more than that. And it is not as accessible as it used to be? The word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword. I’m inclined to think it can pierce one further than any song ever could. I believe it could be difficult to believe in the sufficiency of scripture and affirm the things that may be said in this book simultaneously.
When I preach I usually try to make a cultural connection with people, usually via music. While I also wouldn’t place any of these songs on par with the Bible it is a very interesting idea that has historical precedent. On related note all of my pastors have met the Archbishop of Canterbury and have very high respect for both him and his theology, so his endorsement goes a long way in my book.
I became a Christian because of listening to The Beautiful Letdown by Switchfoot, and playing video games. The songs on that CD led me to the Bible, they did not replace it. Jon Foreman’s words are not Truth. They may have been truthful but they were not Truth. You can not replace Truth with truthfulness.
Calling the Bible an “ancient book” ticked me off. I think i may have used Church cuss words to respond to that…as well as violent thoughts. Where does he think he has the right to call the word of God ancient. I can’t imagine the guts it takes to do that.
What you use to bring the people into Church is what is going to keep them there. You can’t count on music to do that. The only thing that we can bring them in with is Jesus. Anything less and we are doing them a diservice and we are disappointing God. If we are giving them words of Bono, which are very thought provoking and truthful, Bono is the one keeping them in church, not Jesus. That just seems wrong to me. Jesus is more relevant than the Beatles and Coldplay could ever hope to be.
As you can see i had a bit of an opinion about this…hit me back with your thoughts….that is to anyone…
i suppose it depends on how you define the word Christianity or Christian. i don’t suspect that this columnist and i would agree on what that word means.
if you see Christianity as a set of moral principles or as a practical moralistic therapeutic deism, then i don’t see why pop music wouldn’t be just as effective as the Bible in conveying those thoughts.
if you see the heart of the Christian message as the proclamation of an actual person, Jesus the Christ, then there isn’t a single Beatles song that comes remotely close in communicating the news of his life, death and resurrection.