www.byzcath.org Forums Faith & Christian Life Faith & Theology "Eyes Wide Open"

In the February 2002 edition of St. Anthony's Messenger, there is a review of a book entitled "Eyes Wide Open: Looking for God in Popular Culture" by William D. Romanowski, (Brazos Press, 171 pp., $12.99).

This is definitely a topic of interest to me. As Eastern Christians of the New World, we definitely have a unique perspective on our theology that has, in part, been shaped by our culture. The question I pose is: Name an aspect of popular culture that has added to your theological understanding?

For example, as I prepare for this Sunday's homily on the Prodigal Son, I am haunted by Simon and Garfunkel's "The Boxer." You know, "I am just a poor boy though my story's seldom told..."

I have two reasons for starting this thread:

1) I am genuinely interested in the relationship between our culture and our peculiar brand of Christianity.

2) I am looking for some new inspirational music (although your input does not need to limit itself to music alone).

Fr. Dcn. John

Hi,

Out of Chicago you can get it on the web.1067thefish.com. Contemporary Christian Music.

Nicky's Baba

On the topic of pop culture music which also inspires (is that the right word here?) for me it will always be "Let it Be" by the Beatles. I recently read that Paul wrote it about his own mother, named Mary, and it just ached in a way. I cannot hear it without crying.


Wow, that is incredible for a pop group. If he wrote it about his actual birth mother, he only thought he did. He must have been a tool to come up with that, in my opinion.

Just thought I would throw that out there.

God bless,

Patricius

I was hoping for more activity on this thread.

Another piece of music I recently noted to be imbued with theological underpinnings is Pink Floyd's: The Wall, (Dark Side of the Moon, too). The alienation and loneliness depicted is palpable.

Patricius' addition above also reminds me of James Taylor's "YOu've Got a Friend." (You know, "just call out my name, and you know wherever I am, I'll come running...")

John

Dr. Fr. Deacon,

It's probably not terribly theologically correct, but I believe one can find **bits** of the truth practically anywhere. Hang me for a heretic, but there's quite an undercurrent in the Harry Potter books on the power of sacrificial love.

I can't help on the music front - My radio would probably break if I tried to tune in something other than NPR.

Cheers,

Sharon

Sharon Mech, SFO
Cantor & sinner
shron@cmhc.com

Dear Fr. Dn. John,

Give me a chance to go back to school (I'm home for the weekend), and I'll look up the last stanza in this song by Dream Theatre that I have on my computer...I'll even listen to the whole song and see if it's applicable. I saw it on my friend's now defunct website, and it inspired me because of its religious meaning.

Kudos on listening to Pink Floyd! :p You're one of the coolest clergymen I know!

Hello Fr Dcn John!

How about U2. There are any number of faith/social issue undertones in their music. "Sunday Bloody Sunday", "New Year's Day" and "40" come to mind. "40" is actually Psalm 40, "Set my feet upon the Rock...". My teenage daughter recently introduced me to Creed. Current hits are entitled "My Sacrifice", and "Higher", "Can you take me higher to a place where blindmen see? Can you take me higher to a place with golden streets?"

Let's not overlook jazz great, Dave Brubeck, who converted to Catholicism after setting the Mass to music. There was a recent Catholic Digest article on him, as well as, the East LA band, Los Lobos.

John Montalvo

Hi,

Did anyone get the chance to listen via the web to the Christian music station? As far as secular music goes there are so many songs that you can find a positive message in. "The power oflove/love power" by Luther Vandross.It could be an anthem for the Church. The redone version of " My Maria" by Brooks & Dunne. It makes me think of the Blessed Mother."Oh Maria I love you girl,Oh my Maria". The Bee Gees song "You don't know what it's like to love somebody the way I love you". makes me think of Jesus on the Cross.Michael Mc Donald has a few songs that I feel are spiritual.The Doobie Bros. Who remembers "Jesus is just alright with me". Third World's "Try Ja Love". Oh and of course Bob Marley "One Love". Jewel's "My Hands". An Eastern perspective helps me to find the "spiritual" in the secular world when I can't listen to the Christian Station.

Nicky's Baba

[ 01-26-2002: Message edited by: Nicky's Baba ]

Hi everyone, I guess it's just the old hippie in me, but I have always been moved to tears by Simon and Garfunkel's Bridgeover troubled waters. I have always felt that the Bridge was our Lord. Keep thinking, this is a great thread.

Michael

Rock on Baba! Actually, I don't mean to disobey you, but Contemporary Christian Music just doesn't cut it for me. It's too white-washed, too simple. For me, it doesn't sink to the depths of the human condition like, say, Metallica (I like to think that St. Andrew of Crete would have loved Metallica!) or the heights of God's promise. Others I would like to throw out:

Depeche Mode: Songs of Faith and Devotion (album)

Living Colour: Cult of Personality (song)

Leonard Cohen: (Just about everything he has ever done. He is the best thing to come out of Canada. Sorry to some of you posters out there.)

Strong Recommendation: Live: "The Distance to Here" (album) John Montalvo, if you like Creed, definitely try this group. I swear the lead singer/songwriter, Ed Kowalczyk must have an Eastern Christian background. (I know he currently dabbles in the Far Eastern religions, but, My God, take a listen!)

Other considerations:

Literature: Les Miserables

Movies:

American Beauty

Crimes and Misdemeanors

Amadeus

Lion King

I am sure I'll come up with others.

John

Fr. Deacon John,

Would some of the music by Enya be acceptable? I once read how she would spend time in contemplation in old churches to come up with her music. Maybe hers is a bit too New Age? The instrumentals are inspiring enough, especially if you want to tune-out the world and sleep.

I would recommend reading "Virtual Faith: The Irreverent Spiritual Quest of Generation X" by Tom Beaudoin. He addresses how today's music of the lost generation has a lot of archaic elements of worship or reaching out for love and God. Sound silly? Maybe, but didn't the Prophets raise their voices against their own culture? The thing most hated was hypocrisy and institutional religion.

Movies:

"Twelve Angry Men" (a good one for all those who want to bring their gripes to byzcath.org forums; or check your biases and assumptions at the door)

"Ordinary People" (a good Mother's Day gift)

"Mission" (when good things in the church go wrong; should be mandatory for clergy)

I always enjoy Pink Floyd's "The Wall". I always come away from the movie and/or the music with a different interpretation. It is a true classic in every sense of the word. Is anyone IN there?


Cantor Joe Thur
Deacon-student

[ 01-26-2002: Message edited by: J Thur ]

As far as literature, Dostoieveski (sp?)has produced some classics from our Eastern perspective. I remember _Crime and Punishment_ from high school. Oscar Wilde's _The Picture of Dorian Grey_ explores the depravity of hedonism.

Francis Ford Coppola introduced Christianity into his movies. In _The Godfather_, the baptism of Michael Ricci, Michael Corleone's godson, is juxtaposed with the murders of the mob leaders. There is a significant presence of Eastern Christianity in Coppola's _Bram Stoker's Dracula_. Coppola sets the movie in the context of good versus evil.

John

U2 is another great suggestion. In fact, just about everything mentioned so far has been great.

And Metallica? You listen to Metallica? You really are the coolest clergyman I know...

Congratulations to all here for placing our faith and its expression within current cultural perspectives. This is certainly refreshing and exactly what religion is supposed to be doing. Much more productive than worrying about why women do not cover their heads in church anymore. Please. Not all that is new or produced in our day is "evil" and in fact, much of it is not. We must speak the timeless message with examples from our time, just as our Lord did in his particular day. The concerns of the human heart are the same now as always, although they can be conveyed through the mediums in which we work daily. I hope to see more of this productive work. God bless you all. Joe

Dear Fr. Dn. John,

I just thought of this one. I don't know how much hip-hop and rap you listen to, but you might try some Nas.

Currently he and another artist, Jay-Z, are having a bit of a war between them, but what else is new?

Much of what comes out of the rap scene is the same thing, just re-hashed.

What I've always found refreshing about Nas while other music fans were going after the other guys and their lyrics which promote drugs, alcohol, immorality, etc. (and lest you think this guy is completely clean, he's not), was that Nas's lyrics are profound. There's a lot he has to say...some songs have issues of faith, others of politics or social commentary. If you can't handle the bad stuff that's almost always present in such music, perhaps you should try it just this once and have a listen. I wouldn't recommend it if I didn't think it was applicable.

If you can get your hands on it or download it or something, you might listen to his New World. No profanities, but quite profound...released sometime before New Year's, 2000. I think the album's called Nastradamus. If you can't get it but want to hear the lyrics, I'll see if I can find them online, just let me know.