Theology, Culture and U2: The Course Begins

Well, I'm four weeks into the new semester and long overdue for the report I promised on my course "Theology, Culture and U2." I'll stick to some of the general details in this post; soon I'll be writing more posts about specific class sessions.

Overall, the class has been wonderful. There are a dozen undergrad students very engaged in the content. We meet once a week for an hour and 45 minutes. It is not nearly enough time, but all I get for a two-unit course.

Here is a summary of the syllabus and course content. Required texts are Michka Assayas' Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas, and Christian Scharen's One Step Closer: Why U2 Matters to Those Seeking God. There are so many other good books to use; it was very tough to decide! Here are some of the other fine texts I considered and use regularly as recommended resources: Whiteley and Maynard's Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalog, Steve Stockman's Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2, and Robert Vagacs' Religious Nuts, Political Fanatics: U2 in Theological Perspective.

It goes without saying that this course will require students to do much more than read. Another important required resource is Jann S. Wenner's interviews with Bono for Rolling Stone magazine. I am having students listen to the actual interviews rather than read the article because they are much more extensive (almost four hours) and they are Bono's uninterpreted words. I believe it is important for students to hear the passion in Bono's voice for themselves. I also have them reading and researching on the internet, spending at least an hour a week on Beth Maynard's site, U2 Sermons.

Other assignments include: viewing various concert videos and other documentaries regarding the band; writing a comparative paper on the Rattle and Hum and Vertigo concerts; writing a paper based on either the most significant spiritually themed songs from their own experience or from interviewing others; and a final paper and presentation in which they have the choice of researching a theme, an album, or a biblical genre, integrating the themes of theology, culture and U2. I am also looking for students who will collaborate with me on three separate presentations I will give this semester on our campus. Click here for the complete syllabus in pdf format (includes course reading and listening schedule).

The official class description:

The rock band U2 has delivered a consistent message of Christian faith and social justice since its 1980 debut album. The band members, heavily influenced in their early years by living in war-torn Ireland and belonging to a Christian community called Shalom, fill their music with rich biblical imagery. Lead singer Bono has become a political activist addressing global issues of poverty, inequity, fair trade, AIDS, and debt relief. In this course students will explore how U2's message and theology interact with culture to create a unique expression of Christian faith. The course will critically examine the works of U2 and will challenge students to think theologically about current cultural issues.

Finally, a big thanks to Beth at U2 Sermons and to all the readers that responded to questions we asked this summer (#1, #2, #3, #4). I hope that you will find some of your ideas floating around in the material and in my reflections; your words really pushed me to think through numerous issues in developing this course (especially how to arrange the content!). Please come back often and leave comments. I value all responses! Thanks also goes to the students of the course who have so ably made the classroom a true "learning space."

Love and Peace or Else, Tim

Comments

[dave]

PS:i love having pastors read articles about U2 in "secular" sources and ask "Having read this, What can the church learn from U2"..
like this piece
in WIRED magazine:

http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/13.08/u2.html?pg=1&topic=u2&topic_set=

[dave]

Tim, sure.

a lot of similarities in our syllabus..but here may be a few differences..

Since my class is in the context of tecahing pastors, missionaries, leaders in "practical ministry skills," I often show clips of, say, the Boston version of "Streets" (which was shown as halftaime of NBA playoffs), Super Bowl version of "Streets", and now of course the Superdome Medley and look at ways the band connectsand communicates
spiritually with a congregation where not all are Christian...how does Bono pastor, prophesy, evangelize, lead worship.

I spend a lot of time comparing the 90s style and mode..which Bono dressing up as McPhisto/deveil is a model for what the catholics often called "holy fool", using irony,self-deprecation, theatre, radical honesty("Jesus help me...a f&6%$## ed up world it is"), folling teh theme of doubt "Like faith needs a doubt", "uncertainty can be a guiding light"("Jesus help me...a f&6%$## ed up world it is")etc vs the 2000s version of U2..more upfront about faith but not cheesy or sloganeering...(as in the new version of "First Time" in which the ending was changed..

spend a lot of time smashing the sacred/secular distinction, sexual/spiritual etc

U2 canon compared to Psalms, Song of Sol, Ecclesiastes and other bib lit

i look at the band as a model of family/friendshipBody...somreal messy early drafts
re: theology of death in "Bomb", and theology of prayer a la Elevation are at www.davestuff.blogspot.com

[Adam P. Newton]

All apologies Dana. I didn't mean to offend, come off as being flippant, piss people off, or confuse other readers. I know that Bono isn't a stage name; I guess I was trying to be a little bit over-the-top in using the birth name.

Thanks for the polite reprimand. It is appreciated.

[Dana]

Responding to the comment from Adam Newton. Just an FYI, Bono has stated that he dislikes being called Paul. Bono is not a stage name it is a name bestowed on him by friends and that he has embraced completely. He commented recently that about the only person left that didn't call him Bono was his father and that was probably just to piss him off. In addition to that, people who are not hardcore fans will probably be confused because they will not know who you are talking about when you call him Paul.

[Adam P. Newton]

"It goes without saying that this course will require students to do much more than read. Another important required resource is Jann S. Wenner's interviews with Bono for Rolling Stone magazine. I am having students listen to the actual interviews rather than read the article because they are much more extensive (almost four hours) and they are Bono's uninterpreted words. I believe it is important for students to hear the passion in Bono's voice for themselves. I also have them reading and researching on the internet, spending at least an hour a week on Beth Maynard's site, U2 Sermons."

I just wanted to say that this section of your syllabus has to be what stands out to me most distinctly, for two reasons: 1) Hearing Paul's own words when talking to Jann makes all the difference when analyzing how the band themselves processed through the creation of, recording, and performing each and every album. The kind of insight he provides is invaluable to the class that you're conducting (not to mention hilarious when Paul talks about Bob, Bruce, The Stones, & others); & 2) Providing them with access to all of the work that Beth regularly does to collect the best (& often worst) of cultural commentary upon U2 is like handing your students FREE research material. If they come here, they can just chase her Blogroll around (not to mention the book itself) for a wealth of information.

I'm excited to see how things are going in your class; I just wish I could be there myself.

Love & Peace Or Else Indeed....

Adam

[Tim]

Hey, Dave. Thanks for offering your time and being interested in the class. I will definitely give your name to my students if they are looking for interviewees. When I think of the historic crowd, I think of you, Dave Kleschold, Larry Dunn, Greg Stobbe, DJ Janzen, etc. Now we're all taking our kids to U2 concerts!
Since you've been teaching about U2, can you give some key differences between your approach and mine? That might open the door for some other people to respond as well! Keep in touch.
Wanna join us for Hula Pie at Duke's Canoe Club? Aloha!

[dave wainscott]

Tim

Great stuff.

Let me know any way i can help. i think you know i teach u2 and culture for leaders in our network of churches.

i love the inteviews the students will be doing, feel free to give them my contact info..i've been moved spiritually by U2 since...well, the year i met Jesus..and you...1982!!

Taking Blodge to hawaii, huh?

[Tim]

Beth, I would have been disappointed if you didn't put up a bit of a protest regarding use of genres. I promise I'll be careful: no prooftexting (of songs or scriptures) and plenty of respect for each song as a whole artistic unit. I'm also trying not to play the "now what does this song mean?" game, but will try to understand (is that possible with a U2 song?) how a song contributes to a larger theme. Thanks again.

[Beth]

Thanks for all the plugs ;-)

Those are some smart darn assignments you've come up with there. Great options for ways to wrestle with the work. And I love the final way your organization came out (tho I still balk at the "Scriptural genres" thing, can't help it). Have linked you on the book blog.