LISTENING TO THE MUSIC

EXPLORING the music of Sufjan Stevens
by Colin Camacho

Photo by Daniel Ruck

Music, like film or other forms of art, is a beautiful medium to communicate emotions, questions, doubts, or even to critique public and personal issues. Music is a language that people are speaking, and it’s everywhere. As both a Christian and a lover of music, I enjoy digging deeper into lyrics and trying to understand what artists are really trying to say through their music. It is clear that the human condition is a central topic, no matter the genre, but lately I have wondered about the spiritual climate of other listeners. Unfortunately it is evident that we as Christians tend to over-spiritualize things a bit much, so in order to be relevant and truly embrace how popular culture views these lyrics, I wanted to see how other listeners, perhaps non-Christians, interpret the very same songs.

Consider Sufjan Stevens. Stevens, who does not fall under the Christian genre per se, addresses many prevalent topics of faith in his art. His ideas explore various heart issues, and his questions embrace the culture around him, making him an important figure in music today, especially for the Christian community. A particular song, “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.,” is about the infamous serial killer himself, but at the end of the song Stevens finishes with a comparison of Gacy’s disposition to his own sinful inclinations. The song is truly a poetic reflection on the human condition and the depravity of man.

In looking at a few blogs on the meaning of the song, it was obvious to me that this track was creating a bit of discussion among listeners. Along with the presence of many Christianized interpretations, there were just as many responses of frustration. One listener wrote, “I hate that everyone keeps forcing Christianity on these songs.” Even more comments reflected dissatisfaction about how we as Christians keep reading into his music, always trying to put a spiritual twist on his lyrics and seemingly try to claim Stevens as “our own.”

I find a lot of truth in these statements; there exists a real problem when Christians over-spiritualize certain themes in music, film, or other areas of expression. But, as justified as either side may be, perhaps the irritated bloggers’ views of Christianity have been shaped by the present stereotypes of Christian music today. It is obvious that the typical contemporary Christian pop lacks substance, is overproduced, and is aesthetically embarrassing, more often than not cloned and pumped out in neatly wrapped institutionalized packaging. And because of the prevalence of such material, the listeners may assume that most Christians have a shallow perspective of music.

Stevens’ music, however, is anything but Christian pop, and it is refreshing to find such sincerity in an artist fully infused in secular culture who can be intellectually honest with his faith and doubts. Speaking of Stevens in an article, Christopher Stratton says, “Spiritually speaking, Stevens stands at the forefront of a widespread movement of young people looking to live out their faith sacramentally, willing to persist in the face of the mystery of God and fully engaged with the world through art and liturgy.”

Stevens’ approach embraces real issues, and a non-Christian blogger noticed this. In reply to another blogger’s comments he said, “he (Stevens) acknowledges that believing in God sometimes doesn’t make much sense, and ironically makes me, an Agnostic, much more open to his Christian beliefs. You rarely hear anybody Christian (especially for me, growing up in the South) willing to talk about that duality.” Stevens represents an approach to faith in his music that is authentic, so can you blame us Christians for latching on and wanting to claim him as our own?

I know that music like this helps me relate. It teaches me how to feel all over again, and brings me into true worship. A song like “John Wayne Gacy, Jr.” drives me to the foot of the cross to ponder my depravity; yet as I see Christ, I am also lifted up by an unshakeable grace in the greatest gift I could never earn. It is these moments when I find myself in intimate connection with my God, and music is always a catalyst for these times. There are few moments (apart from reading Psalms) that I feel so connected to the human condition as when I listen to music, and Stevens has pushed me further down this path. When listening to lyrics, I find many times that I am dealing with the same muddy doubts and asking the same questions as the artist, leading me back to dependence on God for guidance. Surely He gets glory from that.

We do not all have to jump on the Sufjan Stevens bandwagon or closely follow other artists like him and cling to all their words, but we must begin to become more intellectually honest with ourselves, our peers, and our God. It is not easy to go outside our comfort zones and embrace the world, but this pursuit will deepen our roots, unlock doors we would have never walked through and bring more insight through that reflection. We will then begin to know ourselves and our surroundings better, contributing to our progressive growth in articulation of what lies beneath our surface, all while listening to culture and what God really wants to say through it. In the meantime, ask God to help you as you go, and turn up the volume.

FINDING MY HEART IN AFRICA

LEARNING to trust God's plan
by Ashley McCleery

Photo by Daniel Ruck

As we cruised down the open road, I gazed warily at the Driver wondering if He knew where He was going. “God,” I said addressing the One sitting in the driver’s seat and guiding me down the road of life. “You just missed our turn.” Before He could get in a word edgewise, I said, “You see, I want to work with a prestigious magazine and become a world renowned journalist, and we just passed that road on the right.” As I tried to grab the wheel, I said, “Don’t worry. I’ll attribute all my success to You.” Before I gained control of the car, He gently took the wheel and compassionately said, “Ashley, let’s go for a ride.”

I had no idea that ride would take me on a two month mission trip to Swaziland, a tiny country located in South Africa. I also had no idea why God desperately wanted me there, but I soon found out.

With a stuffed hiking backpack and a suitcase filled to the brim with ministry supplies, I was ready for training camp in Gainesville, Ga. During worship the second night there, my team learned an African praise song and dance to accompany it. Filled with joy, I joined a moving line of dancers. As I stomped to the beat in the “conga line,” I stepped in a hole bending my left foot in a 90 degree angle, which shot excruciating pain through my body.

The next day, I stared at my swollen, purple foot and prayed frantically, “What should I do, God? What if it’s broken? Will they send me home?” Replacing fear, God gave me an overwhelming sense of peace with the scripture Romans 10:15, which states, “How will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!’” I glanced down at my bruised foot, and I knew God had a sense of humor. But, I also knew God was telling me to continue on my journey because He was still in the driver’s seat.

Upon inspection, a staff member and former nurse said it probably was just a sprain and it would heal within a week. Until then, I was advised to use my team as much as possible in getting from place to place. And, that’s exactly what I did. For two weeks, my team carried me and acted as my crutches. Although my foot still hurt, I was able to walk very slowly on my own by the third week. By the fifth week, I miraculously climbed Execution Rock, the highest mountain in Swaziland.

As I climbed up the final steep rock to the top and stared at the beautiful green hills of Swaziland, God whispered, “Don’t limit me, Ashley.” I heard this phrase once more when I went to the doctor back at home and discovered God had sustained me for two months on a broken foot and three torn ligaments.

Although my foot was a small hindrance to my ministry, I discovered my own stubbornness to be the largest hindrance. I did not want to minister to the sick. It wasn’t that I didn’t care about them, but I knew that wasn’t my gift. Instead, I delved all my energy into the local orphans. For the first couple of weeks, my team led Vacation Bible Schools, taught informal school and hosted a community wide orphan camp. However, during the orphan camp, God opened my eyes.

After singing, dancing and feeding over 200 orphans at the camp, my team and I tried to convince the hyper kids to sleep. When the noise subsided, I squished in between several orphans and tried to sleep myself. Automatically, a little girl and boy cuddled with me in hopes of warmth and comfort from the freezing concrete floor. As I cradled these two precious gifts, I realized why these children and over 70,000 children in Swazi are orphans: AIDS. Right then and there, God changed my hopes and desires for the trip. I wanted to visit the hospitals.

Cautiously, I entered the children’s ward of the hospital unaware of what God had in store. I was definitely not prepared to see rows upon rows of beds housing children wrapped in bandages with severe burns, babies struggling to survive with IVs stemming from their tiny heads, children suffering from Tuberculosis and AIDS and the dear boy I came to love, Thembenkosi.

I walked to Thembenkosi’s bed and immediately knew this was where God wanted me to be. With one look at this precious nine-year-old boy, God broke my heart. His thighs, the size of my wrist, stuck through toddler diapers and his sunken eyes rolled back in his head as he went in and out of consciousness. Each breath was such a labor as his chest heaved to achieve one gasp of air. I knew I was staring death in the face. AIDS was stealing his life.

Despite the overwhelming despair in the hospital, God allowed me to bring joy. As I watched this sweet boy deteriorate, I prayed over him, sang praises to the only One who could heal him and read hope from the Bible. Eventually, the Lord took him home where he isn’t suffering anymore.

Although I had claimed earlier that being with the sick wasn’t my gift, God obviously knew otherwise. With this one precious boy, the Lord changed my heart and showed me that I had once again limited Him.

However, Thembenkosi wasn’t the only person God wanted me to bring His love to. Throughout the rest of the summer, I visited two different hospitals and spread my time between the children’s ward and the women’s ward. And, Thembenkosi wasn’t the only one who reminded me I had limited God.

Walking into the Tuberculosis ward one day, I approached a woman who was sitting in her bed reading. I introduced myself and she did the same. Joyfully, she clutched her Bible with one hand, grabbed my hands with the other and proclaimed in rough English, “My name is Nelisiwe. I have Tuberculosis, and I’m HIV positive, but I know my Jesus is going to heal me.”

At that moment, tears welled in my eyes full of shame. I was ashamed for doubting that God would heal my foot. I was ashamed for doubting my spiritual gifts. I was ashamed for doubting God’s power. I was ashamed for doubting God’s plan for my life. I had been limiting God, and it needed to stop. “Oh Lord, take the wheel,” I prayed. “And this time I mean it.”

But, what does it really mean to give God the wheel to our lives? As Christians we are called to live a life glorifying our Savior, but more than that we are called to surrender to Him. We need to surrender our plans and aspirations for the future realizing God knows far better than we do what’s best for our lives. We need to die to self and live for Christ. When we crucify our plans, we allow God to bring His power into our lives. We allow Him to be the Potter and us the clay.

By surrendering my whole life, not just a portion, to God in Swazi, I saw how He changed the desires of my heart. My dreams and desires for my life have changed and now they hopefully match His.

Even though I experienced God’s provision in Swazi, I still struggle with doubts about my future. When I do have doubts, I open His precious Word and cling to Isaiah 55:8-9, which states, ‘”My thoughts are completely different than yours,’ says the Lord. ‘And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine. For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.’”

WISHFUL THINKING: A SEEKER'S ABC BY FREDERICK BUECHNER

BOOK review
by Neal Tucker

Photo by Daniel Ruck

“Glory is to God what style is to an artist.” With his witty style, Frederick Buechner writes a book very much his own in Wishful Thinking: a Seeker’s abc. Buechner tries to give new binding to old books, and in so doing, appeal to the 21st century mind. He writes on various ideas like Love, Questions, Fools, the Gospel, Eternity; and he offers a new pair of glasses to see seemingly lofty topics, such as how Jesus can also be God: “Just as your words have you in them - your breath, spirit, power, hiddenness - so Jesus has God in him.” So if you have the desire to seek out your wishes, those angels upon which truth sometimes takes flight, get a copy of this book and learn more of the glory of God: “what God looks like when for the time being all you have to look at him with is a pair of eyes.”

LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE

MOVIE review
by Amber Tatum and Steven Bonham

Good to the last drop. Or so the subtitle should read. Little Miss Sunshine beams in as the surprise indie hit thus far in 2006. Despite seemingly trite circumstantial elements such as the ever popular “journey in a car equals journey of life” theme, hyper dysfunctional characters and gratuitous language (thank you heroine-pumping grandpa), the film boldly captures the poignancy and soul of honest relationships. At times the movie could be mistaken for a documentary due to dead on performances by the all-star cast. One might even expect the film’s big names such as Oscar nominee Greg Kinnear or The Office’s Steve Carell to be spotlight hogs, but in fact, the six distinct main characters function as one beautifully twisted ensemble.

Little Miss Sunshine is undoubtedly made beautiful by the “little” things; namely, perfect comedic timing, priceless facial expressions and appropriately placed music (Sufjan Stevens’ “Chicago” takes the cake). The film is certainly one of the darkest comedies to hit theatres in a while with its blatant presentation of drug abuse, homosexuality, death, suicide, divorce, and horrific parenting. However, it is nearly impossible for anyone not to feel just a bit lighter upon exiting the theatre. USA Today’s Claudia Puig writes that “it's one of the rare comedies that is consistently funny for most of its 101 minutes, which is no small feat.” We agree Claudia. We agree.

BEN HARPER, BOTH SIDES OF THE GUN

MUSIC review
by Amber Tatum and Steven Bonham

As the title suggests, singer/songwriter Ben Harper’s new two-disc album, Both Sides of the Gun, features a number of opposites. Aside from the two disc distinction between the mellow acoustic disc and the more rock-driven full band disc, Harper presents a genuine juxtaposition in thematic considerations.

On one hand he uses his album as a political platform (again) with songs like “Black Rain” -a response to Hurricane Katrina. But he also shows his ever vulnerable heart on the sometimes redundant yet arguably stronger acoustic side. With tracks like the sorrowful “Never Leave Lonely Alone,” and “Waiting For You,” Harper gravitates to his usual desperation. But on the other side of the acoustic gun, the final song, “Happy Everafter in Your Eyes,” awaits to cap the disc with the optimism of the full band tracks such as the stirring opener, “Better Way”. And by the same token, it seems that Harper is still searching for something greater than himself with every track he produces.

The California artist who introduced Jack Johnson to the music scene has one upped his most recent solo effort Diamonds on the Inside with a diverse sound that can be compared to the likes of Bob Dylan or Ray LaMontague. To be sure, Ben Harper has found his side of the gun and while he probably won’t change the world in his attempts, we love to listen to him try.

RYAN SPENCER REED

INTERVIEW with a traveling photographer
by Melissa Gibson

How many times in my college experience have I seen the wide-eyed, open- mouthed expressions on peoples’ faces when injustices are exposed? However, it is as if this nakedness comes in and out with the wind. Seconds later our lips turn upward in a laugh, and we are running in the quad toward a frisbee, not running away from a gun. Our boyfriends take us on dates and sex is just a choice. When does the six-year-old Sudanese girl choose? Or does she just choose not to cry? I am not blaming Samford students, like myself, for our apathy, but I am acknowledging it. It is our duty to know and make known the truths of today. What does this look like? Is it possible to dream like we did as children? Can we change the world?

Ryan Spencer Reed was in his sophomore year at Calvin College when the road to his purpose became defined. “I came to college with an idea about where I wanted to be and how I wanted to live my life, but it completely changed based on an encounter I had with the world around me,” Reed said. As a pre-med physics major, Reed sought after a “social manipulation tool” to make a positive impact on society. He soon found an outlet in photography. With three uncles in the profession, Reed experimented taking pictures initially as a hobby. Two years later he sold his car to pay his way to Africa, armed with a camera and a passion to provide others with an encounter similar to his own.

“I was born white in America,” Reed said, humbly pointing out his unearned privilege, “I won the galactic lottery.” In the past four years, Reed has traveled to South African, Rwanda, Uganda, Tanania, Chad, and Kenya documenting displacement of Africans due to war. His concern is the responsibility we have as Americans. Are we to take our “lottery” winnings and keep them solely for ourselves? We are the very ones propagating inequities with our indifference. After all, “we are the most influential and affluent society ever to walk the face of this earth,” Reed added. Beyond America, Reed sees the world not as a collection of separate places, but as one interconnected community to whom we are accountable.

“What we don’t realize is that the issue in Sudan is not just a Sudanese issue. It’s not just Darfur, it’s the whole country. And it’s not just the whole country, it’s the whole region. But it even goes deeper than that. This is not just war – this is genocide.” Reed is confident that people need more than just a healthy awareness. We are obligated also to know why these problems exist and what things can be done about them. “That is what journalists do – document work that is done to raise awareness.”

Reed’s favorite quote by President Harry Truman says a lot about his character and motivation: “The only thing new in this world is the history we do not know.” According to Reed the past it what concerns us. It is our job to know and to act. We have the resources, but we don’t use them enough. “On an individual level there are a lot of things that civilians of this country can do,” he said. “But you have to start locally.” According to Reed, we can demand more coverage of world issues, we can write letters of appreciation for justice sought, and we can advocate for a non-profit approach to the news. “There is a shameful percentage of what we could and should contribute,” he admitted. “We have an obligation to protect human life. As long as there’s one person in slavery, none of us are free.”

The Global Church

CHRISTIANS living around the world
by Kurt Selles

Photo by Jordan Jarvis

On the afternoon of July 29 of this year in Hangzhou, an ancient cultural and political capital on China’s prosperous eastern seaboard, hundreds of uniformed and plainclothes policemen swarmed on a site in the suburbs where Christians were building a church. Claiming that it was an “illegal structure,” the police cleared a path through the crowd of several hundred Christians and used a few drill-equipped backhoes to flatten the almost-completed structure. When some of the Christians at the site resisted the demolition, the scene quickly turned ugly. According to eyewitnesses, the police used truncheons to beat the Christians, sending a number of them to the hospital.

The destruction of the unregistered church in Hangzhou took place on a Saturday afternoon. The next day on Sunday, July 30, millions of Chinese worshipped openly in thousands of churches spread across the country. In some places, Christians met in apartments to sing, pray, and share the story of the Bible. In other places, lines formed outside church buildings as thousands waited to worship, to openly profess their faith, and to hear God’s word preached.

Which of the above two scenarios more accurately represents what’s taking place in the Christian movement in China today? Is it a persecuted church under attack by a hostile government as reported in Time (Aug. 28, 2006), or is it a religious movement blossoming and flourishing across the country?

Both are true, though, fortunately, governmental pressure is lessening while the number of Christians and churches continues to grow.

At one time, China’s militantly atheistic government attempted to wipe out all religion because it was seen as the “opiate of the people.” Christianity, with the taint of its close association with Western imperialism, was singled out as a chief target. Over time, and especially since the early 1980s and China’s dramatic opening to economic development, the government’s policy toward religious practice has softened and become much more pragmatic. Though government pressure still exists, as Nicholas Kristof, a New York Times editorialist said in September 2006, “it tends to be somewhat localized. Your average Christian in China hasn't been threatened, doesn't know anybody who's been beaten up”. As with many areas of personal freedom in China today, as long as activity is not perceived as political, almost anything goes.

While some pressures still exist, the overall trends for the Christian movement in China appear positive. The same Time article that reported the church demolition in Hangzhou also noted that as many as 1,000 Chinese per day are becoming Christians. And as more and more churches dot the landscape, Christians are growing more confident in asserting their presence in the country and claiming the religious freedoms guaranteed in the Chinese constitution.

What does the burgeoning Chinese Christian movement look like? Twenty-five years ago when churches were reopening their doors after the chaos and disaster of the Cultural Revolution, the church was predominantly rural, elderly, female, and uneducated. Today church attendance cuts across all walks of life. Though the church is still larger in the countryside, the church in Chinese cities has witnessed explosive growth, too. Today more women than men attend church, though the number of men coming is also growing. Among the newcomers are older people, middle-aged people, young people, and even a growing number of children. And despite the persistent stereotype of being an underclass movement, the church is drawing doctors, lawyers, teachers, and many other professionals.

Other things have changed for the Chinese church, too. Whereas once outside pressures dominated the life of the church, today the movement is faced with a number of pressing internal challenges. As new believers come from all regions and walks of life, this new diversity presents Christians with the challenge of getting along. The explosive numerical growth has rendered many church facilities woefully inadequate to house their congregations, and in some places church facilities are rundown to the point of being safety hazards. Perhaps the biggest challenge facing the church is the lack of trained leaders; in some provinces it is estimated that there is one ordained pastor for every twenty thousand Christians.

Despite these significant challenges facing the Chinese church, its prospects for the future have profound implications for the worldwide church. As China takes its place on the world stage, so too will the Chinese church. Already many in the Chinese church are awakening to the potential contribution of Chinese Christians to the global missionary task of the twenty-first century. And as this process of participating in missions expands, so too will the maturity of the Chinese church.

Do you care?

COPING with the world's problems
by Jennifer Wilmore

Photo by Jordan Jarvis

I have a lot of questions. What is the worth of a life? Of half a million lives? Can a world that vowed “Never Again” in response to the Holocaust still fail to act, fully knowing that innocent people are being brutally killed, raped, driven from their homes and denied their livelihood?

I know the answer to the last question because, for the past three years, the international community has allowed government-sponsored militias to carry out genocide against the people of Darfur, Sudan. Genocide is the deliberate, systematic attempt to exterminate a national, ethnic, religious, political or racial group. We are shocked and saddened that this evil was perpetrated in Nazi Germany and Rwanda, but do we not care that it is being carried out now in Darfur, where the death toll is estimated at over 400.000 people and 2.5 million are struggling to survive in refugee camps? Will we be content to weep over the remains of even more precious lives lost when we could have saved them?

As people of faith, our just God calls us “to act justly and to love mercy” (Micah 6:8)—to manifest our love for Him by loving others. In this case, loving our African neighbors as ourselves requires us to first intercede in prayer for them and to then to use the means God has given us to demand that our government and the international community act immediately to save millions of lives.

So I guess my last question is, will you care?

INVISIBLE CHILDREN

UNDERSTANDING the problem in Uganda
by Lindsey Harter

Photo by Jordan Jarvis

It’s almost comical now to think back on the fears we had as children when the lights went out at night. Shadows became monsters and sometimes we were sure about those horrible creatures that lurked beneath our beds while we slept. It was always comforting to hear Mom or Dad assure us that “there is nothing to be afraid of”.

For the children of northern Uganda, fear far exceeds that of an imaginary shadow, and it cannot be accompanied by any true assurance. These children simply hope to make it through the night, praying that they will not be abducted by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA), a rebel group that has been attempting to take over the Uganda government for the past 20 years. Unfortunately, for about 30,000 Ugandan children, this fear has become a reality, leaving them as sex slaves, objects of torture and mutilation, or forced as soldiers against their own people.

The LRA targets children roughly between the ages of 5 and 14 because they are strong enough to carry weapons (and learn how to use them) but young enough to be brainwashed through fear. This process begins almost immediately after their capture. Usually within the first week, the children set aside for soldier training are forced to murder another abducted child with nothing but a panga (a type of machete). If a child disobeys, the same act he was instructed to perform will be carried out on him instead. Constant exposure to this type of violence has now become their routine environment. Removed from their homes, the only education these children will receive will be in tactics of murder and destruction.

Every night there are tens of thousands of Ugandan children who travel to bus ports or hospitals from their homes in an attempt to sleep safely. Despite this heavy darkness, compassion and love for these children are becoming increasingly evident throughout the world. Invisible Children, an organization based in California, works to bring international attention to the issue, motivate governmental efforts, and raise financial support to build communities of safety and education for the children of northern Uganda. Unfortunately, however, there is much more work to be done. Please join us in bringing hope to this desperate generation of children.

FAITH & FILM: AN INTERVIEW WITH MATT RINDGE

LOOKING for God in secular culture
by J. William Lasater

Photo by Jordan Jarvis

“Our faith is already married to our culture, whether we recognize it or not,” Matt Rindge told me as we sat down in the lobby of a local Holiday Inn. “There’s all these different ways in which we are married to our culture, and yet it’s interesting that, in spite of that, Christians tend to say, ‘We need to be very careful about what we expose ourselves to in terms of the content of films or television shows or books. We need to be very careful that these materials don’t tarnish or negatively affect our faith.’” He continued as he enjoyed an apple he had picked up from the hotel lobby. “We don’t need to have a duality between the sacred and the secular.”

Matt then talked about the Christian perspective apparent in recent films and how, in general, Christians tend to see movies like Lord of the Rings and The Chronicles of Narnia as wonderful expressions of the Christian faith in secular society. Although these films have a well-known Christian influence, Matt said he finds it ironic that films like Harry Potter have the same spiritual potential as well known “Christian” films, but are often overlooked. “In some ways I think Harry Potter can be seen as more Christian than Lord of the Rings and Narnia because of all the explicit themes, in terms of a woman laying down her life for her son, and that act of love is what explicitly marks the son as being protected.” It’s unfortunate, however, that many Christians view such films more suspiciously because they are not based from renowned Christian thinkers like Tolkien and Lewis. “That’s unfortunate to me because it hinders effective communication with people who don’t ascribe to the Christian faith about issues that are raised in films like Harry Potter.”

There is a passage in Jeremiah 29 where the prophet Jeremiah tells the Israelites exiled in Babylon, “Seek the shalom of the city you are in and in the shalom of the city you will find your shalom.” Here, the prophet is pushing these Israelites to engage their culture in a positive way – even finding their “peace” within it – rather than becoming an inner-monastic community. “It’s a striking challenge for people of any faith, because it says that one’s peace, wholeness, or well-being isn’t found in myself, but in pursuing it for the broader culture of which I’m a part.”

As the conversation and Matt’s apple dwindled down, we talked about the controversial chemical burn scene in the movie Fight Club. In the scene, Tyler Durden, played by Brad Pitt, states, “Our fathers were our models for God. Our fathers failed. What does that tell you about God? God doesn’t like you. He didn’t want you, and in all probability He hates you. We are God’s unwanted children, so be it.” We agreed that most Christians would say how horrible and untrue that line is. Matt then brought up a point that intrigued me. He said, “What’s interesting to me is to take a scene like that and say, that sounds so similar to Jesus’ last cry on the cross in Mark and Matthew when Jesus says, ‘My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?’ What Jesus does there is express what is common in the lament psalms in which, rather than praising God, people accuse Him. It’s part of our religion that we don’t give much attention to.” Matt encouraged believers to consider that all art has the potential to have spiritual worth derived from it. God is able to speak through both secular and Christian sources, and truth can be seen through multiple mediums.

When asked about how important it is for Christians to engage their culture in this way, Matt responded, “I think that engaging culture is absolutely essential if you want to just be a healthy human being and, secondly, if you want to dialogue effectively at all with people outside of your box. It’s a non-negotiable. If you want to preach to people, if you want to yell at people, if you don’t care how people respond, then it doesn’t matter. But if you are interested in a dialogue in which you want the other person to listen to what you have to say and take it seriously, then you have to first be willing to listen to them. Listening entails engaging your culture.”

HUNGRY?

HOW one organizations is trying to solve a global problem
by Erin Stewart

When most Americans think about hunger, they think of mass starvation in far-away countries like India or Sudan. Haunting images of skeletal children with flies buzzing around their faces permeate the media—but “Feed the Children” commercials are only a snapshot of the real issue. Hunger is a complex problem, and it requires a much more complex solution than an 800 number and twenty dollars a month can provide.

Eight hundred fifty-two million people worldwide—almost three times the population of the United States—cannot meet their most basic need for food. In America alone, thirty-eight million people do not have access to enough food to lead a healthy lifestyle. It is chronic undernutrition, rather than natural disasters like famines or tsunamis, that causes the most hunger-related deaths each year. Hunger is not a one-time emergency; it is a perpetual global tragedy.

Unfortunately the tragedy does not stop with hunger. There is an inextricable, cyclical link between hunger and poverty—poverty causes hunger, and hunger creates poverty. Other issues such as AIDS, literacy, gender equality, and sanitation contribute to the global hunger cycle.

The world produces enough food to eliminate hunger, but there is no mechanism for equitable distribution. One of many hunger-related organizations, Bread for the World lobbies our nation’s decision-makers seeking to both protect existing hunger programs and increase hunger-focused development assistance worldwide. As Christians, it is our duty to care for all of God’s creation, especially the poor and needy. God has given us our daily bread, and we are compelled to share it.

For more information about Bread for the World or other opportunities to get involved, visit Bread for the World’s web site at http://www.bread.org/

MUTEMATH

EXPERIMENTAL Rock

by Bob Miller
Photo by Bob Miller

A bright red keytar gaining fame in the music world. Under the banner of experimental rock and elaborate instrumentation, New Orleans-based band Mutemath is bringing a fresh new sound to listeners of all backgrounds, and I must confess that I am mildly obsessed. When I first heard Mutemath was coming to Birmingham on March 8^th, I abandoned all of my non-fanatic tendencies and began counting off the days on my calendar. For a band with recent success in the secular music industry and lyrics that linger on themes of faith, Mutemath’s experimental rock is a rare gem for culture-minded believers. What’s more, watching a live Mutemath show is like witnessing two hours of ordered chaos run by in vintage clothing.

But Mutemath isn’t exactly your typical experimental rock band. With influences ranging from The Police and Vanilla Ice to Canadian rock and Brazilian rhythm, Mutemath’s sound is unique to say the least. And having opened for Mae and headlined with support acts The Working Title and Mat Kearney, these Louisiana rockers are attracting attention. Their self-titled debut album released in January of this year, developing a style previously established in the seven-song EP, Reset, from 2004. But even though the band boasts a fresh new album, Mutemath's greatest appeal comes on the stage.

With eccentric theatrics and a dominating stage presence, the popularity of Mutemath’s live performances precedes them. Their current set features a Stompesque percussion break in which mic stands, piano chairs, and metal trash can lids turn percussive as every member of the band dazzles fans with a perfectly crafted cadence. Homemade instruments, drum pyramids, live sampling and a bright red keytar are all hallmarks for a live Mutemath show. But even though some of the band’s on-stage theatrics are spontaneous, most of Mutemath’s stunts progress from show to show. I spoke with drummer Darren King about this after a concert in Huntsville, Alabama.

“Some of them don’t work and some of them do, you know. It’s sort of hit or miss,” King said. Three days earlier in Birmingham, King slipped off his shoes in the middle of the song “Plan B” and began frantically beating his snare and cymbals with them. “That one didn’t work,” he said. “It looked cool, you just couldn’t hear it.” King laughed as if he were only scratching the surface. “We just try to have fun.” For many fans, King’s fanatical drumming style makes him the Mutemath poster-child. Despite his acclaim, King was quick to point out his meager beginnings as a musician.

“Through playing a lot of really bad shows I began to get a little bit better on the drums,” he said. While living in Missouri, King said he developed a fascination with percussion after watching his childhood friend Greg Hill play in his youth group. Greg is now the guitarist for Mutemath.

“Greg and I grew up in church together,” he said, “and I would sit behind him cross-legged on the floor and watch him play the drums. Then I would go home. At that time in the 90s everybody wanted to be Michael Jordan. I was no exception, so I would collect basketballs from each year of summer camp and practice ball with them.” King laughed in reverie and continued in the story.

“I failed miserably at basketball. I was horrible…no talent or skill at all.” As an alternative, King said he stole a pair of drum sticks from his friend Greg and decided to ditch basketball altogether. “I took all of these basketballs which were otherwise useless and aired them out to different pitches. Then I would sit cheerleader style on the floor and play on the side of my bed as my hi-hat, the basketball with the most air as my snare drum, and so on. I did that for hours.”

At age 14, King met Paul Meany, a young and talented musician with a flare for creativity and an unmistakable feaux-hawk. King kept up with Meany throughout his involvement in various other bands, and before long King found himself auditioning for the Christian rock band.Earthsuit – Meany’s first big music venture. The audition was a disaster.

“I wasn’t very good,” he said. “I was a little hyper…and annoying.” It wasn’t until Earthsuit’s drummer left the band in October of 2000 that King decided to audition again – this time only for Paul. It was then that his famous relationship with duct tape began.

“I figured out I needed to keep my headphones on so I could move around,” he said. “So I taped the headphones on my head, auditioned for Earthsuit, and got the gig. I don’t know what gave me the gall to do it in that audition, but Paul was laughing, and I just did my best.” Since then, King’s black duct tape has been a staple of Mutemath’s live performances.

Mutemath’s musical freedom places them at the forefront of contemporary rock icons in both ability and creativity. For vocalist and frontman Paul Meany, the band’s concoction of electro alt-rock is a summation of years of musical influence.

“People ask how we make music, and I often have to immediately include a warning disclaimer: sometimes it’s best not to know how the bologna is made. My problem is that I like too many different types of music.”

Meany’s infatuation with hip-hop and rap first materialized in the 90s in the form of numerous short-lived rap groups. “I wanted to rap like Mr. Funky from Lords of the Underground and dance like Vanilla Ice, and by God did I ever try.” It was after buying his first sampler (an electronic device that segments samples of songs) that Meany really began to tap into the creativity that would be the heart of Mutemath’s music.

“I would spend hours upon hours just listening to music, searching for isolated instruments and drum breaks, and in that process I had my eyes opened to a whole new world of amazing music. It felt like I had just discovered the earth was actually round.” Before long Meany found himself poking out melodies on his family’s old piano, sampling, modifying, and rerecording tracks from various albums.

“I’ve always been intrigued by a song’s reproductive quality,” Meany said. “There are numerous songs that live inside other ones. When people ask me how I write a song, the only answer I can really give is ‘by listening.’”

Whatever Meany’s technique, one thing is certain: his band is definitely attracting new listeners. With a recent appearance on Craig Ferguson’s The Late Show and a review in Alternative Press Magazine, Mutemath is making great strides in the secular music world. And as a group of Christians, Mutemath sheds some refreshing light on the vague dichotomy between “Christian bands” and “Christians in a band.”

"I don’t want to be in a band that is marked by our faith,” bassist Roy Mitchell-Cardenas said following the concert in Huntsville. For Cardenas, making music as a believer shouldn’t imply performing solely for Christian audiences. “I became a Christian when I was 18. We’re all believers, and our lyrics deal with real things.” Cardenas said the problem with most Christian music today is that it fails to engage the culture that is in greatest need of its message. “I want to be in a band that speaks to a universal audience. But a lot of times we get a bad rap. People think we’re selling out.”

Cardenas joined the band in February of 2005 after playing in a jazz café with vocalist Paul Meany on Bourbon Street. Prior to that time, Cardenas played in a Christian band. “It was very fake most of the time, because you try to sell an image. I want to play with my heart and my passion and not worry about all that crap.” King said his faith plays a similar role in his music.

“I can take no credit for the lyrics…those are entirely Paul’s. But at the same time I am a believer, and I want to honor God through the way I make music. It gives me great joy to lose myself for hours at a time trying to work on a song. It has everything to do with the manner in which I go about doing it…the attitude I have while performing or while setting up, while doing an interview or anything of the sort. It seems like the slightest thing sometimes makes the difference. We are all believers, and I do in fact really want to honor God with my work.”

Regardless of criticism or praise, one thing is certain: Mutemath is attracting attention. If compelling stage presence and a unique sound don’t set Mutemath apart, the band’s unmistakable style does. Regularly donned in tight pants, vintage blazers and skinny ties, Mutemath has mastered the art of thrift store shopping.

“I myself am in need of some new duds,” King remarked backstage after the Huntsville show. Just then guitarist Greg Hill walked to the side of the stage and pointed out a dozen or so dents in his Fender Telecaster. He smirked and gave a proud nod. During the show Hill had taken a percussion mallet to his guitar. “The secret’s in the kid’s section,” he said, sporting tight jeans and a vintage jacket.

King nodded and continued, “Kid’s section if you can pull it off. Mine’s the women’s section.” He locked fingers with a young woman beside him and chuckled. “That’s why it’s so great to have a girlfriend now. She justifies that for me. I can go into the women’s section with her and nobody gives me that creepy look they used to give me.” He laughed again as he and his girlfriend exchanged glances.

“You don’t want to go thrift store shopping with same sex friends. There’s competition at that point. You want to go with someone of drastically different proportions.” King raised an index finger and nodded. “I’m really giving you the keys to the kingdom here now.”

Whatever the secret, whatever the style, Mutemath is making waves in the music world. With challenging lyrics and inspiring creativity, their fresh approach to faith and music is painting a future that seems as bright as… a red keytar.

To check out Mutemath’s music and tour dates, visit www.mutemath.com or www.myspace.com/mutemath.

ART & CULTURE

ART and culture interact
by Shannon Flynt

I constantly remind art history students that art is not created in a vacuum. This is not an original or maybe even monumental statement but it is an essential concept to understand for anyone who hopes to appreciate the role of art in the world. Art has always enjoyed a constant give-and-take relationship with culture, and the dominant ideals of a given time, place or group of people influence the use and appearance of art. The physical objects that surround people affect how they think about the world around them. This relationship between art and culture perhaps is most visible when the art under consideration is controversial. Consider a few brief examples.

When the French Impressionist Edouard Manet first displayed his painting The Luncheon on the Grass, featuring a naked woman casually relaxing in a park, Parisian viewers were scandalized. Even though the female nude had a long established history in art, a contemporary audience could not forgive the fact that this nude woman appeared in a picnic setting, with two fully dressed gentlemen. There were cries of outrage in 1863, while today’s women’s magazines regularly offer more frank considerations of the naked female body.

In 1913, at the New York Armory Show, the American public experienced its first large-scale exposure to French Expressionist art. The subjects on display were in no way unusual or provocative; it was the color used to represent them that stupefied viewers. There were landscapes with blue trees and portraits of women with green noses. Some art students who saw the show were so horrified by these visions that they burned effigies of the artists and imitations of their paintings. Their view of the world had been threatened by works of art that today you probably would not give more than a passing glance.

One of today’s most respected American monuments was originally received in a manner similar to these paintings. After winning the commission to create the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Maya Lin designed a black granite wall inscribed with the names of almost sixty thousand dead and missing soldiers. This Minimalist construction was greeted with heavy public criticism, strongest among some veterans’ groups. Expecting a more traditional monument that standardly would have included some sculpted human figures, they were offended by this stark, plain, “black gash” across the landscape. Now, the monument has become so familiar that it is known simply as the “Wall.”

In the 21^st century, large segments of the population seem to spend less time with the more traditional art forms of painting and sculpture, and more time with a strictly modern form of artistic display: the movie. A much-anticipated convergence of art and culture will appear in such a form later this spring when the film version of Dan Brown’s book The Da Vinci Code makes its debut. Once again, viewers will have the chance to observe the complex relationship between life and art. At the heart of the story lies one of the most well known paintings in the world: Leonardo da Vinci’s Last Supper. Leonardo, the quintessential Renaissance man, created a vision of that last meal that accorded well with the expectations of his time, even if he did experiment with the materials that he used. In the painting, Jesus sits at a long table, surrounded by his disciples in a room carefully created to showcase the use of linear perspective, a newly developed illusory device.

In spite of its traditional appearance, Leonardo’s Last Supper lies at the heart of much of the controversy surrounding Brown’s book. However, this time it’s not what the art looks like, but what it means that is the issue. Brown created a story of intertwined fact and fiction around the idea that Jesus and Mary Magdalene were married and had a child together. Imagine: just changing Leonardo’s scene slightly, turning the figure at Jesus’ right hand from a beardless Saint John into a demure bride, alters the work’s significance completely – challenging some of the most fundamental ideas of Christianity. Readers of the book may have rushed to view images of the painting, as one of Western art’s most familiar scenes suddenly became strange and mysterious. Once again, audiences are confronted by what has been deemed radical artistic expression, and viewers will have to decide both individually and collectively whether or not such expressions are acceptable.

Throughout history, art has played this central role in reflecting and communicating the ideas of a world faced with such anxiety and rapid-fire change that people sometimes can hardly keep pace. Societies and cultures never fail to leave some record of their most deeply held beliefs, and it is those beliefs and the struggles that surround them that find their most tangible expression in art.