christian music

Post-Christian Pop-Culture?

CJ Casciotta — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 15:22:14 -0700

I have more questions than answers. My mission for the past few years has been to bring Christians across a bridge between church and culture, to recognize the holy in unexpected places. Lately, however, I feel all our efforts to rescue people over the bridge weren’t fast enough.

I recently called a publicist for a popular band coming out with a new album in September. Two of the band’s members used to be in a group under a Christian label. However, their current band is signed to a mainstream company with a mainstream following though many of their songs weave deep biblical themes throughout them. When asking for an interview on behalf of a Christian publication the publicist answered, “Look, I like you guys, but the boys in the band have decided not to take any press from Christian media outlets. Once Christians are under the impression that you’re a Christian band, they sink themselves into it, they start having these certain expectations for you, and it’s literally impossible to get out.”

I’m not sure what frustrated me more: the publicist’s answer or the fact that his experiences probably reflected his views on Christianity. I wish I could say this is the first time I’ve heard this. I’m friends with many artists dedicated to a Christ-like life who embed elements of that life in their music but feel trapped, burned, and segregated after choosing to tell their story to Christian publications. What amazed me about the conversation with the publicist is he knew I work for the forward thinking ones, the ones that are “conversant” and “relevant.” The truth is, as a writer, it’s getting harder and harder to get any artist to tell their story to a publication with a faith-based association.

For once I have no opinion on this. I don’t know what to think either way. It’s no big news that the “Christian music” industry is shrinking (something I’m actually thankful for) and that more and more artists of faith are choosing more organic, all-encompassing methods to make their stories heard. Do we still need platforms to bring awareness to people interweaving their faith with culture? Is it truly debilitating for an artist of faith to be categorized as a Christian artist? Is the American evangelical still that polarizing and archaic that we set unreasonable expectations on culture makers?

Finally, what does this mean for Christian media outlets, even the “forward thinking” ones? Do Christians still need to be educated on culture by other Christians or is it more realistic to go the route of “you either get it or you never will?”

Thoughts?

What is Christian Art anyway?

Manuel Luz — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:21:24 -0700

One of the ideas I’ve grappled with over the years is, What is Christian art? I mean, what makes an artistic expression like music or drama or dance uniquely Christian? What does that term mean anyway? And I’ve come to the conclusion that it isn’t necessarily anything that has Christian symbolism or religious themes or doves and crosses. More than anything, Christian art must begin to reflect the overarching story of God, the Meta-Narrative, that our Triune God is in the process of redeeming that which has fallen, that which He had created, that which He loves.

The story of all that is, is the story of God. He takes His pen in hand to write this story: Creation, Fall, Redemption. All of history, all of the Bible, all of what was and is and will be, reflects this three act play of Creation, Fall, and Redemption, that God is writing in the universe.

But that’s not all. He writes this story in our souls as well. For all of us have our own stories, our own vignettes of how God’s grace has saved us, changes us. And our stories enter into His larger story of the redemption of the universe.

And this distinction can be subtle or overt. It certainly need not be forced or made formulaic. But it must affect us as artists. It must affect our art. Hilary Brand and Adrienne Chaplin contend in their essential book, Art and Soul: Signposts for Christians in the Arts:

"In working through the most central plot of the Bible’s “grand story”—creation, fall and redemption—we have put in place the beginnings of a worldview. Through these spectacles we can begin to view and perhaps question the many assumptions that are tossed in our direction. Questioning assumptions is, of course, very much in the spirit of the post-modern age, but it is also the spirit of Christ."

We stand in the shadows of differing worldviews—a mosaic of religions, philosophies, mindsets, and historical eras. And in one way or another, art has been an expression for all of these co-existing yet unaligned worldviews. And we also live in a broken world. Because of the fallen nature of this earthly existence, we are thrust into unintended complexity—the universe has been invaded by sin, and as a result, we have disorder, distortion, disease, dysfunction. The universe does not operate as it was intended. We as Christians share the worldview that God created the world and in spite of the world’s broken nature, He is in the business of rescuing it and redeeming it. And in one way or another, our art should be an expression of that. This is what Christian art should be, honest in the brutal and complex realities of this world but also revelatory in the redemption of it.

So when we compose songs or choreograph dance or edit film or write a book, God’s story is told in some small way. Creation, Fall and Redemption. When you can see your art in this way, then I think you can begin to frame what it is to make Christian art.

MIA Wins Her First Dove Award: Non-Christian Hip Hop category.

MarkM — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 06:11:44 -0700

In a stunning turn of events, the Hip Hop star MIA recently won a Dove Award in the new category: non-Christian Hip Hop. Her song, 20 Dollar, was played in her honor, but incited the audience to run out of the auditorium screaming in fear. Miss MIA, who did not attend the award ceremony, was very surprised to have won, as she had never heard of the Dove awards. Deep breath. Then I woke up.

I’ve been listening to MIA a lot lately. You heard some of her music in Slum Dog Millionaire. She is a young refugee from Sri Lanka, where her father was part of the Tamil Tiger movement. She and her family fled to London and she eventually ended up in Brooklyn. Her music has coarse edges, while artistically blending cultures, styles, and beats. Her lyrics usually touch topics that are far removed from most of our lives, such as poverty, African war, and the life of refugees. As I sat on the swaying subway with MIA rapping in my ears, I started to wonder. Why don’t churches and Christian radio stations play MIA? Isn’t God all about the outcast? The poor? “The least of these?” Could He be sick of me singing songs in church . . . about me? Wouldn’t He love for us to be thinking about what He thinks about?

MIA’s haunting song, “20 dollar,” is titled for the cost of an AK47 automatic rifle in Africa. She peers into the life of African refugees on the edge of war:

“So I woke up with my Holy Quran and found out I like Cadillac
So we shooting till the song is up
Little boys are acting up
Baby mothers are going crazy
And the leaders all round cracking up
We goat rich, we fry
Price of living in a shanty town just seem very high
We still like T.I.
We still look fly
Dancing as we shooting up
And lootin just to get by.

With your feet in the air and your head on the ground
Try this trick and spin it, yeah
Your head'll collapse when there's nothing in it
And you'll ask yourself
"Where is my mind?"

War, war, war
Who made me like this
Was it me and god in co-production
My devil's on speed dial
Everytime I take the wrong direction”

Real music for the real world. A song about the forgotten poor, a way to connect our theology to our practice. Wouldn’t it be appropriate to sing a song about Africa when communion is served? How about 20 dollar as the recessional hymn? We could leave thinking about how to use the sermon instead of how to skewer the Pastor.

Instead, Christian churches and radio stations play and sing the sickly sweet churchy stuff. Even the Christian music award has an “oh so sweet name,” The Dove Awards. Ahhh, a dove! How nice! Other dove things include Dove chocolate and Dove soap. Maybe they are called Dove Awards because the Christian music industry has targeted women who like chocolate and use soap. I don’t know.

The Best Christian Album Art...Ever

CJ Casciotta — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 16:10:35 -0700

Believe it or not, I do get paid to do my job here at Conversant. And I wouldn't be doing my job if I didn't share the following with you. If you're a follower of Christ, it's your duty to know you too have the right to get down and funky with the Lord, as long as it's "Christian Music" like some of these real albums that follow:

I want this suit.

Jesus: "Ok, but first a couple
of ground rules."

I've always wanted to know where I
could hear that sermon.

doo dah doo dah.

...I'd have a thing for Dobson.

...but please don't squat.