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Rich Mullins
The Bible is not a book for the faint of heart — it is a book full of all the greed and glory and violence and tenderness and sex and betrayal that benefits mankind. It is not the collection of pretty little anecdotes mouthed by pious little church mice — it does not so much nibble at our shoe leathers as it cuts to the heart and splits the marrow from the bone. It does not give us answers fitted to our small-minded questions, but truth that goes beyond what we even know to ask.
- Rich Mullins
I’m not a big fan of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). I was a fan, back in highschool and college. I was CCM when CCM wasn’t cool (to paraphrase Barbara Mandrell). I was into Petra, Whiteheart, Geoff Moore and the Distance, etc. Sometime in college I finally listened to Rich Mullins.
Comments
I like Rich Mullins. I like his unsanitized lyrics. However, I think I have to argue with one of the lines from Jacob and 2 Women. "Well its right there in the Bible, so it must not be a sin." Surely Rich didn't actually believe that sentence to be true. Right? So why's it there?
So, if you were CCM when CCM wasn't cool, what changed? It surely wasn't the music or lyrical quality. It was bad then, it's bad now (for the most part), but it's better than it was.
Yeah, Heather asked about that line as well. I think it's tongue-in-cheek. Some of his lyrics are from sort of wide-eyed kid's perspective (e.g., "Boy Like Me/Man Like You" and "You Gotta Get Up"), so it could be that. Because it's art and not a math problem, I think this freedom is allowed.
However, even if he had believed that, I would just disagree. There are things C.S. Lewis said that I would not agree with. Actually, most theologians have said things I would not agree with...
For your other question. I think most of what I've heard in under the label of "Christian Music" has been the product of the same type of people that produce Nashville Country Music and Top 40 music. Sure it's memorable, but it's lost authenticity. Completely saccharin. Also, because it's under the banner of Christian Music, a lot of songs that should fit within a Christian worldview would never be allowed. There was a Vigilantes of Love album that was banned from Christian book stores because of one of the songs, "Love Cocoon." It spoke of the joys of marital relations. OK, so some of it's metaphors might have been racy. Though nothing more than the Song of Solomon said.
And really this distaste is not just for CCM. It's also for Nashville Country and most other pop/alternative/top-40 music.
I'm not sure which "C" is the problem in CCM, whether it be the first C because it means the music is not artistically driven, or the second C, because of the way we are persuaded to define it.
I know my favorite bands are independant. Some of my favorite songs are offensive.
I agree that most music that is marketted as CCM is just cotton candy with a Jesus wrapper. However, there are notable exceptions. Rich was one. Todd Agnew, in my opinion, is another. You might like to check him out. Just like Rich Mullins, Todd doesn't wear shoes much. At a concert I attended last year, he sang a song called "My Jesus." It essentially asserts that the real Jesus would not be welcomed in most churches today, because he would get blood on the carpet. He's supposed to release a new album at the end of the summer. I hope that song's on there.
Excellent post, Steven. You wrapped up my sentiments exactly.
Great quote, man. Those are the kind of thoughts that get my blood flowing.
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