I don't want to sound "anti-Christian music." I will confess that I don't listen to Christian radio stations very often - the DJs are often more than I can take!I have some Christian music on my iPhone and know a few Christian musicians. Just this morning I was listening to some "Christian music" while working on a project.
But, I will admit to often asking this question: "If you have to put the adjective 'Christian' in front of something, is it really 'Christian'?" Peter's admonition to always be able to give an answer for the hope that is within you seems to suggest that our actions, words, behaviors, etc., should speak for themselves - without the essential adjective.
Sunday in church we sang Angels From the Realms of Glory, whose writer managed to combine both the Luke and Matthew accounts of the birth of Jesus when he included "shepherds in the fields abiding . . . God with us is now residing." He did that in the same stanza! That required a level of biblical understanding and theological acumen that isn't always seen in more contemporary Christian music.
It isn't that all modern Christian music is bad, but that sometimes some of it sounds like two thousand years of theological thinking about the Jesus story never happened. Do we really think that nothing happened in the past two thousand years that could enhance our understanding of the Gospel?
I recently saw an article in Charisma about the horrors of drinking alcohol. I'm not remotely encouraging anyone to drink alcohol. But the article, written by a pastor and posted by someone who is a "Christian musician" makes a less than astute argument about drinking. Interestingly, the post below this one was for internships where interns could learn "business, finance, communication, music, production and sales" during the summer of 2016!
The post itself contained fifty reasons why one should not drink. For at least half of those "fifty reasons" one could substitute the word "money" for alcohol and come out in exactly the same place. The article assumes that "one drink" is likely to lead to drunkenness. I know that happens and am not suggesting anyone drink. But the relationship between "money" and "greed" is hardly different. For example, "Alcohol causes me to act in ways I normally wouldn't." I don't doubt that for one minute - but couldn't the same be said for greed? As in "Greed causes me to act in way I normally wouldn't."
I haven't done a word count, but I'm pretty sure the New Testament has as much to say about the evils of money and greed as it does the evil of alcohol and drunkenness!
Yet if I go to a "Christian concert" I have to buy pretty pricey tickets and will be enticed to buy pretty pricey merchandise.
That money is going somewhere - and surely a significant portion of it into the hands of the "Christian musicians" like those who promote "internships" where "business, finance, communication, music, production and sales" are the name of the game.
No intention to bash "business" here - but let's be real. If, in the name of "Christian witness" I am going to be really direct about the danger of "one drink" that could lead to drunkenness, shouldn't I be as direct about "one ticket sale" or "one t-shirt sale" that pads the coffers to what could one day be a greedy approach to life?
Here's the point: "business" separated from historic, orthodox theological thinking is fraught with the danger of greed. "Music," separated from historic, orthodox theological thinking is fraught with the danger of less than valid calls for godly living.
Both "business" and "music" need someone with a theological brain occasionally offering a little advice!
