Andrew J. Pottenger
5th May 2006, 07:26 PM (19:26)
The latest issue of Holiness Today breezed into my mailbox as a breath of badly needed fresh air. It deals with faith, media and pop culture. I'm pleased to see that rather than condemn the culture, many Christian authors and thinkers are seeking to engage in dialogue with it.
This is a book which does exactly that. U2 are to Generation X what the Rolling Stones and the Beatles were to our parents' generation. Whether you're a fan or not, U2 remains a huge subject in pop culture, ESPECIALLY where faith is concerned. They've changed the musical landscape in both secular AND Christian industries, and despite each bandmember being well past their fiery youth, they remain a heavy influence artistically, politically and spiritually.
Originally written as the author's M.A. thesis, this book "Religious Nuts, Political Fanatics: U2 in Theological Perspective" goes beyond anything written about U2 and its faith. Brian Walsh, in the foreword, writes these important words for understanding both U2 and Vagacs' book:
"Vagacs isn't imposing a theological agenda on a secular band. Rather, he is taking up the theological invitation, indeed the theological challenge, inherent in the artistic vision of U2. This book isn't so much a theological exposition of the meaning of U2's lyrics as it is an entering into a conversation with the band because there are important matters that need to be discussed, places of darkness that need some light. U2 initiated this conversation; Vagacs has simply decided to enter in. And he invites us along for the ride .... Rob Vagacs does not come to worship at the shrine of U2. That would be a blasphemy to his own faith and a terrible disservice to the band. Rather this book opens our eyes to light that is shining in the darkness of a postmodern world. U2 is not the light of the world. Jesus is. Rob Vagacs joins U2 in following that light, helps that light to shine brighter through his theological engagement with their music, and invites us to walk in that light."
-- from the foreword by Brian Walsh, University of Toronto
This is a book which does exactly that. U2 are to Generation X what the Rolling Stones and the Beatles were to our parents' generation. Whether you're a fan or not, U2 remains a huge subject in pop culture, ESPECIALLY where faith is concerned. They've changed the musical landscape in both secular AND Christian industries, and despite each bandmember being well past their fiery youth, they remain a heavy influence artistically, politically and spiritually.
Originally written as the author's M.A. thesis, this book "Religious Nuts, Political Fanatics: U2 in Theological Perspective" goes beyond anything written about U2 and its faith. Brian Walsh, in the foreword, writes these important words for understanding both U2 and Vagacs' book:
"Vagacs isn't imposing a theological agenda on a secular band. Rather, he is taking up the theological invitation, indeed the theological challenge, inherent in the artistic vision of U2. This book isn't so much a theological exposition of the meaning of U2's lyrics as it is an entering into a conversation with the band because there are important matters that need to be discussed, places of darkness that need some light. U2 initiated this conversation; Vagacs has simply decided to enter in. And he invites us along for the ride .... Rob Vagacs does not come to worship at the shrine of U2. That would be a blasphemy to his own faith and a terrible disservice to the band. Rather this book opens our eyes to light that is shining in the darkness of a postmodern world. U2 is not the light of the world. Jesus is. Rob Vagacs joins U2 in following that light, helps that light to shine brighter through his theological engagement with their music, and invites us to walk in that light."
-- from the foreword by Brian Walsh, University of Toronto