Occasio

Car accidents, vertigo and U2

One of the fun things I get to do is write for the website @U2. It's a topnotch fan and news site that follows the music, work and influence of the band. I recently wrote an article there about the car accident my family was in and how it relates to U2's "Vertigo." Here's an excerpt.

Spinning. Slipping. Colliding. These are the moments in life when all hell breaks loose, overwhelming us with the chaos and fear of loneliness, uncertainty, doubt and a host of other staggering emotions. This post-9/11 world only adds to feelings of isolation and insecurity. The culture that so quickly engulfs our souls (especially in Western nations) has left us distrustful of politics, unsure of the economy, cynical of science and skeptical of religion. There are moments in life, for many of us, when nothing seems permanent or stable anymore. These are the moments that challenge our assumptions about what is important.
 
U2's "Vertigo" is a song that I've come back to again and again since it showed up in 2004 on the How To Dismantle An Atomic Bomb album. As a musical piece, the song was enthusiastically received by fans and critics, often recognized as a modern reinvention of the band's post-punk roots. The grinding guitar and driving rhythm work well to support the emotion of the song. In the official music video, the band members spiral up and down, trying to hold their ground on wildly undulating rings of an enormous bullseye, while being blasted by a gale-force wind in a featureless desert. On the recent 360 tour, images of U2 playing live spun increasingly faster around the gargantuan circular screen until they were a blur of speeding faces. As the lead track on Bomb, "Vertigo" sets a tone for the album and reminds us of the tenuousness of life through both music and lyric.
 
I can identify with Bono's acknowledgment, "I'm at a place called vertigo," and also with Edge's response, "Donde esta?" (loosely meaning, "Where are you?"). The song offers both confession and question. I especially like the Jacknife Lee mix in which Bono sings an alternate lyric in the fourth line:
 
Lights go down
It's dark, the jungle is
Your head can't rule your heart
And fear is taking over every thought
Your eyes are wide
And though your soul, it can't be bought
Your mind can wander
 
Fear. We fear all kinds of things. I'm finally coming to terms with my greatest anxiety: the fear of uncertainty. This gets particularly complicated in a world that never seems to stop spinning, a world that was once predictable but is now so uncertain. My mind wanders.
 
Bono has said "Vertigo" is a commentary on the culture we live in. He talks about the song in U2 By U2.
 
"In the case of 'Vertigo,' I was thinking about this awful nightclub we've all been to. You're supposed to be having a great time and everything's extraordinary around you and the drinks are the price of buying a bar in a Third World country. You're there and you're doing it and you're having it and you sort of don't want to be there. And it felt like the way a lot of people were feeling at that moment, as you turn on the telly or you're just looking around and you see big, fat Capitalism at the top of its mountain, just about to topple. It's that woozy, sick feeling of realizing that here we are, drinking, eating, polluting, robbing ourselves to death. And in the middle of the club, there's this girl. She has crimson nails. I don't even know if she's beautiful, it doesn't matter but she has a cross around her neck, and the character in this stares at the cross just to steady himself."
 
In a 2005 interview with Rolling Stone, Bono suggested that, in the midst of all the turmoil and chaos of life, there are images -- in this case the image of a crucifix -- that can capture our attention so completely that they ground us. It is somehow in these moments, and through these images, that we find hope and meaning. We are finally able to make sense of the insensible. And it is in these moments that love breaks through, teaching us, molding us, grounding us.

For the rest of the article, and more about our car accident, on the @U2 website, click here.

 

Aung San Suu Kyi: "Walk On"

This is a repost from my original post at @U2's blog

This past weekend, Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), an opposition party to the ruling junta in Burma (officially known as Myanmar by the government there) won an astonishing 43 out of 45 seats up for grabs in a general election. Suu Kyi herself will now sit in one of the parliamentary seats.

Burmese activists remain hopeful but cautious as the votes still need to be verified by the military-run government. If the Burmese people continue to support the democratic vision of the NLD, Suu Kyi and her party have the potential to gain a majority of seats in parliament in the 2015 election.

U2 have long been supporters of the pro-democracy leader, likening her to Martin Luther King. During the recent 360 tour they honored Suu Kyi by dedicating several songs to her. On their first swing through America, the band offered a prayer by singing “MLK” – “sleep, sleep tonight / and may your dreams be realized” – and then blazing into “Walk On,” a song written about her for the album All That You Can’t Leave Behind.

But an amazing thing happened just before U2 returned to the States for the final leg of their tour (beginning with the fourth leg). Suu Kyi was released from nearly 22 years of captivity and house arrest. U2’s petition became a prayer of thanksgiving by substituting “MLK” with “Scarlet.” Only one word was needed: “Rejoice!” The anthem “Walk On” then became a celebration of peace and justice over and against the military oppression of the Burmese government.

It’s uncertain as to whether the junta will honor the election (they haven’t in the past), but the eyes of the world are now on Burma, and the pressure to become a democratic nation is expansive. In speaking of this “new era,” Suu Kyi reminded her supporters, "What is important is not how many seats we may have won, but that . . . the people participated in the democratic process. We invite all parties who wish to bring peace and prosperity to our country [to work together]."

Past comments on Aung San Suu Kyi from Bono

From 2007
I have a little bit of a relationship with Aung San Suu Kyi. I've met her family and corresponded with her. U2 actually wrote a song - Walk On - for her. I've always followed her progress and that of the Burmese people. She is a study in grace and they are a study in patience.

From 2004
It's hard not to become a monster when you are trying to defeat one. Aung San Suu Kyi is the moral leader of Myanmar, the country more correctly known as Burma. She has been, in effect, under house arrest since 1989.

Suu Kyi is a real hero in an age of phony phone-in celebrity, which hands out that title freely to the most spoiled and under qualified. Her quiet voice of reason makes the world look noisy, mad; it is a low mantra of grace in an age of terror, a reminder of everything we take for granted and just what it can take to get it. Thinking of her, you can't help but use anachronistic language of duty and personal sacrifice.

Here is a clip of "MLK" and "Walk On" from October 25, 2009 in Pasadena, California.

 

 

Here is a clip of "Scarlet" and "Walk On" from July 26, 2011 (after Suu Kyi's release) in Pittsburgh.

 

 

 

Teaching "Theology, Culture and U2" at North Fresno Church

This fall I’ll be teaching the Sunday school class “Theology, Culture and U2” at North Fresno Church. This will be an adaptation of the college class I teach at Fresno Pacific University. I'm looking forward to seeing how the material translates to and is received by people in the congregation (we're even having the high school students join!).

The rock band U2 has delivered a consistent message of biblical 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 songs with rich biblical imagery and address global issues of poverty, inequity, fair trade, AIDS, debt relief and more. In this class we’ll explore how U2’s music, message and theology interact with culture to create a unique yet sometimes controversial expression of Christian faith.

What is theology? What are the pressing issues facing this planet on which we live? How should the church respond to these issues? What could a rock band from Ireland have to teach us about all of this?

If you’re curious and live in the Fresno area, join us every Sunday, starting September 25, 10:00 AM on the third floor at North Fresno Church (5724 N. Fresno St.). Contact me if you have more questions.

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“God is in the slums, in the cardboard boxes where the poor play house… God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both of their lives… God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war…” -Bono

“Who knew that some Irish guys who sing about sex, drugs and rock-n-roll would turn out to be some of my favorite theologians?” -Jessica, former student

 

Teaching U2: The Classroom as Theological Learning Space

I'm finally getting around to posting this. Back in October of 2009 I attended and presented a paper at the first-ever academic conference on U2, The Hype And The Feedback. The paper was published last year in Pacific Journal, a publication of Fresno Pacific University. Jessica Mast, a former student of mine at FPU, helped write the piece by giving the perspective of a sharp 20-something woman who's learned to love the work of U2. I'm grateful that she gave input and was also able to attend the conference with me.

"Teaching U2: The Classroom as Theological Learning Space" highlights some of the outcomes from a very unique class I teach at FPU, "Theology, Culture and U2." To my knowledge, it's the only semester-long course of it's kind.

In the paper I suggest that students' perceptions of theology can be radically shifted by investigating U2's approach to scripture, global activism and artistry. The band's biblical background certainly influences their engagement with the world.

Hear for yourself what students discovered by studying U2:

"Before taking this class my idea of theology would have been the systematic study of the Bible and all of its principles. I would have described theology as taking each passage of scripture in the Bible and defining the clear, distinct truth or command God is expressing to his followers. If you were to ask me how one can better understand theology I would have told you to start a Bible study, listen to a sermon, or talk with a Bible scholar. U2 has changed all of that. Through studying the music of U2 I have been faced with a new reality: theology isn’t knowledge, its practice!"   -Kyle

"Before taking this class, I thought theology was simply the study of God. I can understand now that theology is yes, based on orthodoxy, but also orthopraxy. The music of U2 has freed my soul in a way. Ha, I’m now more annoying to others—telling them what Jesus is doing in the world and throwing a few U2 facts and lyrics in as well. But more than just learning to “act out” my faith more, or even speak up more… things and life and faith become more primal. More sensory-oriented. Let’s taste our faith, feel our faith, smell it, hear it, let’s touch it. But together, please."   -Karen

You can find the whole paper here. Please leave a comment and let me know what you think.

The spirit/wind/breath of God's creation

Psalm 104 is a beautiful poetic recounting of God's marvelous act of creation. In this 3000-year-old poem the author praises Yahweh for his creativity and his sustenance of the cosmos. The psalmist mirrors the Genesis story by recalling God's creation of the heavens and earth, the plant and animal kingdoms and human beings. Yahweh is to be praised as the divine author and sustainer of his magnificent creation.

As I read this inspiring psalm recently, I was struck by the psalmist's testimony of what he perceives God to be doing, not just in the past, but in the present activity of everyday life. He reminds his soul to rejoice in the ongoing work of creation which is evident in the continual blessings and benefits God bestows on his handiwork. God continues to be at work as humans do all the normal things of daily life and activity, as animals hunt for and gather food, as plants spring to life then wither and die and as streams and rivers swell and recede in their normal seasonal patterns.

Verses 29-30 are particularly thought-provoking. Speaking of the living world, the psalmist asserts,

When you hide your face,
   they are terrified;
when you take away their breath,
   they die and return to the dust.
When you send your Spirit,
   they are created,
   and you renew the face of the earth. (NIV)

Essential to understanding these two verses is the use of the Hebrew word ruach. It's an amazing word representing a broad and important concept. Ruach can be translated in several different ways, most commonly as spirit, wind, and breath. Verse 29 literally says, "when you take away their spirit/wind/breath, they die...." In a similar way, verse 30 says, "When you send your spirit/wind/breath, they are created...." God's ruach is his ever-present ongoing spirit-of-life/wind-of-life/breath-of-life which enables the act of creation.

Though ruach is used in Psalm 104, it has a much older history. We find the first use of ruach in the first book of the bible. Genesis 1:1-2 records, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters" (NIV).

The NRSV translates the last line as “a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.” The general sense is that God was actively beginning the process of creation through his spirit/wind/breath. Furthermore, ruach is clearly a feminine noun. Ruach hovers and broods over the nest of creation, and as it germinates and begins to take shape she guides and nurtures the process.

As we step into the New Testament we are quickly confronted with “spirit” language. In one of the bible’s most famous stories we find a Pharisee named Nicodemus coming to Jesus with questions about God (John 3:1-21). Jesus responds, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again” (NIV). Rather than “born again,” a more accurate translation is “born from above.” Either way the emphasis is on new life through a birth other than that of a human nature.

When Nicodemus asks Jesus how this is possible, Jesus responds with,

Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit. (NIV)

Every time the word “spirit” or “wind” is used in Jesus’ response, it is the Greek word pneuma. This word is the equivalent to the Hebrew ruach in the Old Testament. In answering Nicodemus’s question about how to enter the kingdom of God, Jesus draws upon the creation story of Genesis, as well as the long tradition of ruach as a creative motherly process. Eugene Peterson’s translation from John 3:5-6 of The Message is helpful and enlightening:

Jesus said, "You're not listening. Let me say it again. Unless a person submits to this original creation—the 'wind-hovering-over-the-water' creation, the invisible moving the visible, a baptism into a new life—it's not possible to enter God's kingdom. When you look at a baby, it's just that: a body you can look at and touch. But the person who takes shape within is formed by something you can't see and touch—the Spirit—and becomes a living spirit.

The same creative, life-giving spirit/wind/breath of Genesis is present and active in the salvation process. Thus, God continues his ongoing creative work through the very spirit and act of creation.

It’s not by coincidence then that Jesus appears to the disciples after his resurrection with a similar message. John 20:21-22 records the scene for us: “Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’ And with that he breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” In a final act with his disciples, Jesus breathes on them and grants them an equal portion, an in-filling, of God’s pneuma. The ruach of the Old Testament now hovers and broods over and in them to continue the powerful process of creation.

Psalm 104 took me on a journey through Old and New Testaments this week. I was reminded again to praise God with my whole being for his ongoing creative work in this world. The spirit continues to blow and breathe a fresh wind of life, restoration and salvation. And I, as a vessel of this nurturing, life-giving, brooding spirit, am called to join in the ongoing work of creation. When God sends his spirit, we should expect improbable and generative acts of creation -- the kinds of acts that most of us wouldn’t dare to imagine or dream about.

But let’s keep imagining and dreaming. To do anything less might mean quenching the spirit and impeding the creative work of the kingdom at hand.

 

I know a girl who's like a sea
I watch her changing every day for me

One day she's still, the next she swells
You can hear the universe in her sea shells

No line on the horizon

 

U2 and the failed rapture - such a disappointment

The rapture has come and gone. Harold Camping and his Family Radio franchise predicted a massive earthquake that would roll across the planet corresponding to exactly 6:00 PM in every time zone on May 21. At the same time Christians were to be raptured up into the air, finally being delivered from the evils of the world and ushered into the presence of God in heaven.

Such a disappointment.

Not that the rapture didn’t happen—that’s not the disappointment. The disillusionment comes from watching the whole farcical, tragic mess unfold. The heartbreaking reality is that Christians, fueled by a media that almost solely looks for sensationalism in a story, often miss the meaning and purpose of the church and God’s kingdom for this not-so-late-great-planet Earth.

As a kid I lived through the 1970s and was influenced by the hysteria of end times doctrine. I read Hal Lindsey, Tim LaHaye and other popular authors who created a new genre of Christian horror/sci-fi/fantasy. I went to a camp where the speaker explained all of the mystical peoples, signs and places of the Bible by careful isolating and then linking individual verses, with the end result of teaching us who Gog and Magog were, what the antichrist and the beast would do and other concepts like tribulation, millennium and rapture. I saw my share of scare-the-hell-out-of-you plays, skits and movies. All of us Evangelicals thought the end was at hand.

And then, a few years later I realized that this whole convoluted scheme for understanding Christ’s return was actually less than 200 years old. It was only introduced and then popularized by people like John Darby (considered the father of dispensationalism) in the mid-nineteenth century and C.I. Scofield (author of the Scofield Reference Bible which emphasized dispensationalism) in the early twentieth century. This type of systematic teaching was further formalized by Lewis Chafer, the founder of Dallas Theological Seminary, in the mid-twentieth century, and teachings on the rapture and the millennium gained wild popularity in the seventies through Lindsey’s and LaHaye’s writings (even though the terms are never even found in the Bible). None of this was even thought of for the first 1800 years of the Christian Church.

Such a disappointment.

Because of our modern focus on leaving Earth (yes, I said “our” focus), Evangelicals have missed out on one of the greatest truths of scripture: the Kingdom of God is among us. It’s not here or there, Jesus said, it’s in your midst and it continues to come. The “eternal life” of John 3:16 is something that starts in the here-and-now. He prayed, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Jesus illustrated the kingdom with metaphors of a tiny seed growing into a huge tree and yeast that permeates the rising dough. When he left this world his disciples were deeply concerned about knowing when he would return. His answer? “That’s none of your business, you belong here so get busy doing the work of my kingdom.” In seeking to evacuate this planet we forget that the church is a beautiful sign, testimony and witness of God’s great kingdom. Well... it's supposed to be.

Such a disappointment.

May 21, 2011 was not just an epic fail for the rapture, it also marked the return of U2 to the United States. Those who follow the theological threads of U2’s work know that one of the more consistent themes found in their songs is that of eschatology, or in other words, a theology of end times (see "My U2 Rapture Playlist" here).  
 
As a quick illustration, check out the title and album cover for their most recent project No Line on the Horizon. Undoubtedly, the title represents a view of the kingdom suggested by Jesus’ prayer, “on earth as it is in heaven.” The cover art is a beautiful black and white photo of the ocean meeting sky with the horizon running perfectly through the middle. Superimposed on the clear wrapper of the CD is an equal sign arranged in such a way that one bar of the sign straddles heaven and the other rests on earth. It's a beautiful representation of a holistic biblical concept of heaven and earth. One is not evil and the other good; both are avenues through which God brings his kingdom.

During the concert (remember, it’s the night of the supposed rapture), the band played the song “Until the End of the World,” a marvelous apocalyptic tune in which they retell Judas’s story of betrayal and ask the hypothetical question of whether God’s love and grace are big enough to redeem Judas (their answer is unequivocally, “Yes!”). But, on this night, Bono had a variety of comments to make about the hype and hysteria of the day. Here are some of his remarks.

In the intro to the song Bono announces, “This is for the reverend Harold Camping” and then a bit later, “Such a disappointment.”

Such a disappointment.

Why? Because the rapture didn’t happen? No, that’s not the reason. The disappointment lies in that so many have misunderstood what the kingdom of God is and have been shifting the focus to some kind of earth-equals-hell-and-I’m-outta-here plan. The disappointment is that we have, all of us, including the non-Christian media outlets, turned a beautiful truth into a horror story. The disappointment comes from being unable to recognize that God is at work in his wonderful creation and that we have the opportunity (the responsibility?) to join him.

In the middle of the instrumental bridge of UTEOTW Bono brings it home. “God is in the house,” he says/admits/admonishes. He is here! He has come, he is coming and he will continue to come!

During the grand chaotic cacophony of the song’s final few strains, Bono screams with the conviction of a man that knows heaven is not just some distant ethereal place, “Somewhere! Somewhere! It is… it’s heaven!” And then in a beautiful poignant act of symbolism he reaches down, picks up some roses and one-by-one throws them to the impassioned crowd, shouting, “We bring peace! We bring peace!” The peace that Bono references is not some kind of fleeting 70s-style flower power, nor is it the forceful coercion of law and order, or even the absence of violence. It is the shalom of God’s kingdom, the entire story of the gospel including salvation, rescue, redemption, righteousness, justice, freedom and restoration. This is the stuff of heaven!

But the drama isn't over, and in a twist of irony so common at a U2 concert the band leave us with one more image. In the last moment of the song, in a scene played out on two bridges above the screaming crowd, Bono stretches across the chasm between he and The Edge and offers his fellow band member a rose. The trusses they stand on move closer and closer together but just inches away and unable to reach far enough, Bono drops the flower to the audience below. Is the peace of God's kingdom at hand? Yes. Is it here in its perfect and fullest form? Not yet. There will be days when we will recognize God's kingdom and reign over his beautiful creation and we will celebrate. But there will be other days when we acknowledge its incompleteness and continue to run, crawl, scale, climb and search for any glimpse of its glory. That is the tension in which we live.

The whole scene during UTEOTW is a cathartic, moving, grace-filled corrective to the escapist mentality of a rapture-centric American population. The kingdom of God is here, but not yet. It is now, but still to come. It is among us, but not completed. And U2, once again, masterfully and artistically have reminded us so.

Check out a couple of videos of "Until the End of the World" from the May 21 show.

Here is the whole song from a distance.

 

Here is a close-up of the stage. The footage of Bono is very impactful, particularly starting at 3:40. Highly recommended viewing!

 

Lyrics to the song here at the @U2 website.

(Here is another postI did on Bono's use of C.S. Lewis in which I mention the song "Until the End of the World.")

 

My U2 Rapture Playlist

U2 have written a pile of apocalyptic songs over the last three decades, though the band seem to go through phases. The last two albums, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb and No Line on the Horizon, are clearly grounded in the here-and-now, the themes and topics are on the streets and usually offer a challenge to make a change. But other albums are more end-of-the-world focused. All That You Can’t Leave Behind reminds the listener of intangible relationships, rewards and desires that aren’t of this world. POP, Zooropa and Achtung Baby, almost seem to be conversations with the “other side,” often filled with dark and ominous characters who sometimes espouse half-lies and half-truths in an attempt to persuade the listener through irony and satire; at other times these albums bluntly and painfully reflect the failures and sufferings of this physical existence. The Joshua Tree and The Unforgettable Fire remind the listener that some longings and desires are constantly in conflict with human nature; the songs speak of reunions, relationships, departures and arrivals, and all the stuff of dreams yet to be realized. The early works, War, October and Boy, lay the groundwork for some pretty serious thought on the coming apocalypse, be it political, cultural or theological – we can almost hear the band counting down the “Seconds.”

Having given such a brief and woefully inadequate overview of U2’s foray into the apocalyptic genre, I offer the following: My U2 Rapture Playlist. I could have easily picked twenty tunes, or even whole albums, but here are ten songs that get me thinking and moving. And if the rapture doesn’t happen on May 21, 2011, it’s at least a good track list for a decent motorcycle ride! Feel free to leave your own list in the comments section. "On earth as it is in heaven..." -Tim

TOP TEN RAPTURE PLAYLIST

10. “Tomorrow,” October (1981)

Won't you come back tomorrow / Won't you be back tomorrow
Will you be back tomorrow / Can I sleep tonight

Open up, open up to the love of God / To the love of He who made the blind to see
He's coming back / He's coming back
I believe Him / Jesus is coming / I'm gonna be there

9. “Stateless,” The Million Dollar Hotel (2000)

I've got no home in this world / Just gravity, luck, and time
I've got no home in this world / Just you and you are not mine

Stateless / Weightless / Stateless

8. “A Sort of Homecoming,” The Unforgettable Fire (1984)

And you know it's time to go / Through the sleet and driving snow
Across the fields of mourning / To a light that's in the distance

And you hunger for the time / Time to heal, desire, time
And your earth moves beneath / Your own dream landscape

7. “Last Night on Earth,” POP (1997)

She feels the ground is giving way / But she thinks we're better off that way
The more you take the less you feel / The less you know the more you believe
The more you have, the more it takes today

You got to give it away / You got to give it away
Well, she don't care what it's worth
She's living like it's the last night on earth

6. “Gone,” POP (1997)

You get to feel so guilty got so much for so little
Then you find that feeling just won't go away
You're holding on to every little thing so tightly
Till there's nothing left for you anyay

Goodbye, you can keep this suit of lights
I'm be up with the sun / I'm not coming down

5. “I’ll Go Crazy if I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight,” No Line on the Horizon (2009) (Live U2360 Remix of course!)

It's not a hill, it's a mountain / As you start out the climb
Listen for me, I'll be shouting / We're gonna make it all the way to the light
But you now I'll go crazy if I don't go crazy tonight

4. “Where the Streets Have No Name,” Joshua Tree (1987)

Where the streets have no name / Where the streets have no name
We're still building, then burning down love / Burning down love
And when I go there I go there with you / It's all I can do

3. “Walk On,” All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000)

You're packing a suitcase for a place none of us has been
A place that has to be believed to be seen

Leave it behind

2. “Until the End of the World,” Achtung Baby (1991)

Waves of regret and waves of joy / I reached out for the one I tried to destroy
You, you said you'd wait / 'Til the end of the world

1. “Elevation,” All That You Can’t Leave Behind (2000)

You elevate my soul / I've lost all self-control
Been living like a mole / Now, going down, excavation
I and I into the sky / You make me feel like I can fly so high
Elevation

 

John Piper, C.S. Lewis and Bono

On February 27 John Piper preached a sermon entitled “No One Ever Spoke Like This Man!” His text was John 7:40-52 and the sermon title is a direct quote of Jerusalem temple guards in reference to the controversy surrounding Jesus’ teaching. Piper then proceeded to enumerate eight “spectacular claims” of Jesus that clearly marked Jesus as God’s son.

In concluding his sermon, and in an effort to drive home his thesis that Christ is different than any other teacher who has walked the Earth, Piper used two supporting voices—one conventional and one atypical. While it might have sounded odd to Piper’s congregation, for those of us who are familiar with the work of U2 it is no surprise that someone would link a traditional Christian author like C.S. Lewis with the contemporary rocker Bono.

For decades Bono has been playing with themes found in the writings of Lewis, specifically focusing on The Screwtape Letters. In this classic work, Lewis creates a fictional narrative in which a head demon, Screwtape, instructs and mentors a younger demon, his nephew, Wormwood. Screwtape’s task is to teach Wormwood how to distract and tempt the human that has been assigned to him. The senior demon consistently counsels the younger to twist the truth in slight, almost imperceptible ways. This, he says, will lead to the greatest chance of success against the enemy (in this case, God).

There are things for humans to do all day long without His minding in the least—sleeping, washing, eating, drinking, making love, playing, praying, working. Everything has to be twisted before it's any use to us. -Screwtape

Bono has played with this idea and has in the past become the Devil’s advocate in at least two significant ways. First, in U2's song "The Fly," Bono actually personifies the character he calls The Fly. Bono said that this early 90s hit was like a phone call from hell in which he, the senior demon, was letting loose the secrets of his trade. The Fly sings, "They say a secret is something you tell one other person, so I'm telling you, child." And later in the song,

It's no secret that the stars are falling from the sky
The universe exploded 'cause of one man's lie
Look, I gotta go, yeah I'm running outta change
There's a lot of things, if I could I'd rearrange.

But even more than the lyrics of the song, it's the live presentation that crystallizes the message of The Fly. In 1994 on the Zoo TV tour the band flashed brazen graphics across state-of-the-art larger-than-life video screens. With messages like “Everything you know is wrong,” “Reject your weakness,” and “Watch more TV,” The Fly spewed half-truths and half-lies. Interspersed amongst the cacophony of aphorisms were messages that required the viewer’s judgment as to how true or how false the statements were. In one case the message that read “It’s your world you can change it” morphed into one a bit more cynical of a consumerist culture: “It’s your world you can charge it.”

“The Fly” found new life on the Vertigo tour in 2005 as the diabolical messenger shifted the theme away from media, technology and materialism toward selfishness and individualism. Cast onto a screen several stories high, the word “YOU” was repeatedly flashed at The Fly’s hearers (see video I took here at the final concert on the Vertigo tour in Hawaii). “You are the difference,” “The secret is your self!” “Sell your soul,” and “Reclaim your space, it belongs to you” were some of the messages, all partially true and partially false. The listener must decide where the dividing line is and how the truth has been twisted. The film U23D took the barrage of messages one step further by cascading letters, words and sentences in front of the band and nearly on top of the theater audience. The presentation was wholly engaging. The Fly, as the deceiver, was at the top of his game. (For a thorough treatment of “The Fly” see Beth Maynard’s outstanding three-part commentary here: #1, #2, #3.)

A second way that Bono has personified the devil’s advocate of Lewis’s Screwtape Letters is through the MacPhisto character, also from the 90s-era Zoo TV tour. This persona was a greasy-haired, red-horned, decrepit has-been rock star who clearly voiced an ironic and evil agenda. MacPhisto assured his clamoring devotees that “Daddy’s Gonna Pay for Your Crashed Car” and then showered the delighted audience with fake paper money. He followed that with a discourse to his adoring followers and offered them everything they ever wanted. Example: “People of the former Soviet Union, I've given you capitalism, so now you can all dream of being as wealthy and glamorous as me.” Of course, the underlying message in all of this was: be careful what you wish for, it may be your undoing.

The washed-up and washed-out demon, obviously reeling from many regrets, closed the concert a few minutes later by singing a haunting lament/love song, “Love Is Blindness.”

Love is drowning / In a deep well
All the secrets / And no one to tell
Take the money / Honey / It's blindness

Love is blindness / I don't want to see
Won't you wrap the night / Around me
Take my heart / Blindness

It’s no surprise to see the ongoing ways that Bono brings the world of C.S. Lewis to the live performances of U2’s songs. On a more recent tour Bono continued to demonstrate the influence of Lewis with another persona often identified as evil.  As Edge’s guitar wails in siren like fashion, Bono confesses, “Jesus, this is Judas” and then launches into the apocalyptic song “Until the End of the Word,” an imaginative conversation in which Judas comes to Christ seeking love, reconciliation and forgiveness. The unfaithful disciple sings, "Waves of regret and waves of joy. I reached out to the one I tried to destroy. You, you said you'd wait 'til the end of the world." The song is dramatized as Bono takes on the character of Judas and Edge loosely plays the role of Christ. It is a brilliant piece of music, theater and art, the story of betrayal and redemption acted out on a concert stage. Lewis, I think, would be pleased.

So, though he was somewhat ambivalent about his new-found discovery, Piper was correct to associate U2’s Bono with C.S. Lewis. The influence of the latter upon the former is probably far deeper than Piper could imagine. In fact, Piper’s treatment of Bono is fairly cursory and even a bit suspect. The preacher pinches a passage from the book Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas to support a classic notion of Lewis that Jesus must be either “Liar, Lunatic or Lord” (from Mere Christianity). Piper quotes Bono:

Look, the secular response to the Christ story always goes like this: he was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy, had a lot to say along the lines of other great prophets, be they Elijah, Muhammad, Buddha, or Confucius. But actually Christ doesn't allow you that. He doesn't let you off that hook. Christ says:

No. I'm not saying I'm a teacher, don't call me teacher. I'm not saying I'm a prophet. I'm saying: "I'm the Messiah." I'm saying: "I am God incarnate." And people say: No, no, please, just be a prophet. A prophet, we can take. You're a bit eccentric. We've had John the Baptist eating locusts and wild honey, we can handle that. But don't mention the "M" word! Because, you know, we're gonna have to crucify you.

And he goes: No, no. I know you're expecting me to come back with an army, and set you free from these creeps, but actually I am the Messiah. At this point, everyone starts staring at their shoes, and says: Oh, my God, he's gonna keep saying this. So what you're left with is: either Christ was who He said He was, the Messiah or a complete nutcase. I mean, we're talking nutcase on the level of Charles Manson. . . . I'm not joking here. The idea that the entire course of civilization for over half of the globe could have its fate changed and turned upside-down by a nutcase, for me, that's farfetched. (p. 227).

Piper also asks in his sermon, “Is Bono born again?” and then answers himself, “I don’t know.” That’s almost a bit surprising since Piper has been getting pretty good at identifying who’s “in” and who’s “out” lately. But nonetheless, it’s obvious that he is not really familiar with Bono or U2 (nor has he read the full Assayas book) and finds the quote a convenient contemporary anecdote for his homily. (I’m guessing he simply read this Wikipedia article in which Bono is referenced.)

Do C.S. Lewis and Bono belong in the same sermon together? Yes, it’s easy to imagine. Lewis’s influence on U2 is easily detected and chronicled far above and beyond the examples I discuss in this post. But while John Piper makes a good linkage between the two, his use of Bono is lacking. It’s a utilitarian move at best. The themes and nuances of the Oxford author as they appear in the work of U2 are plentiful, sometimes subtle, other times not so much. It’s a joy to really investigate these and to hear the voice of Lewis rise up with depth and focus in U2. Simply using a quote from Bono to make the linkage leaves a lot to yet be desired and discovered.

 

Where was God at Panda Express?

I was on my way to a rather unique event. Last night a small group of us from the seminary community gathered at Dr. Mark Baker’s home for an evening discussion. Our topic? Songs from the U2 catalog. On my way I stopped for a quick fast-food-fix at Panda Express. But what I experienced in the parking lot left me asking questions of God in a way the Psalmist (and Bono) might have – “How long, oh Lord, how long?”

Strolling through the dark parking lot I saw a man and a woman shouting and arguing as they stood next to their vehicle. The woman was holding a car seat with a tiny infant in it. The man came over and grabbed the car seat from the woman, who in turn tried to steal the carrier back into her possession. Adrenaline surged through my system as I watched the angry couple literally use the car seat as a kind of rope in this inhumane tug-of-war. My only hope was that the carrier might actually be empty. Nope—the helpless child started crying as the man finally wresteled away the car seat and threw it in the back of the vehicle.

I kept my distance and had my phone handy in case the situation turned even more violent. “Please be careful, don’t hurt the baby,” I shouted two or three times. I went unnoticed as the couple continued fighting. Several people walked in and out of the restaurant barely aware of what was transpiring. I turned my eyes away briefly to scan the scene. Was I on one of those reality shows? Was John Quinones going to jump out of the bushes and explain this was just a set-up for a news program? Not this time.

The man tried to leave without the woman, but after several more minutes of shouting and another attempt on the woman’s part to take the child from the car, they all (including the woman) got into the car and sped away.

Though I didn’t have much of an appetite anymore, I ordered some orange chicken and sat down to reflect. Full of both sadness and anger I quickly pulled out my bible and turned to a Psalm I had read a couple of mornings ago.

Psalm 94
1 The LORD is a God who avenges.
   O God who avenges, shine forth.
2 Rise up, Judge of the earth;
   pay back to the proud what they deserve.
3 How long, LORD, will the wicked,
   how long will the wicked be jubilant?
 4 They pour out arrogant words;
   all the evildoers are full of boasting.
5 They crush your people, LORD;
   they oppress your inheritance.
6 They slay the widow and the foreigner;
   they murder the fatherless.

21 The wicked band together against the righteous
   and condemn the innocent to death.
22 But the LORD has become my fortress,
   and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.
23 He will repay them for their sins
   and destroy them for their wickedness;
   the LORD our God will destroy them.

There are times when I want God to do the thing that his very nature calls him to do but he chooses not to do for reasons that at times like these make no sense. How long, oh Lord? When will you judge those who are evil and oppress the helpless? When will you repay them for them for their selfish acts of violence and wickedness?

At the Baker’s house we reflected on theology, liturgy, politics, history and more as we listened to music from U2. Each person brought a selection to listen and think through. It’s pretty hard to talk about U2’s extensive collection of songs without talking about lament. Matthew brought us one that became timeless for me in that moment. “Mothers of the Disappeared,” from The Joshua Tree, tells the story of women who lost their husbands and sons under the brutal dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in Chile. For fifteen years (1974-1990) the US-backed ruler suppressed political opposition by arresting and torturing dissidents and their families. These agitators were often taken in the middle of the night and became known as “the disappeared.”  In an awe inspiring moment, the band played the song in Santiago, Chile, in 1998, at which time the actual Mothers came on stage and called out the names and held up the pictures of their missing loved ones.

Midnight, our sons and daughters
Were cut down and taken from us
Hear their heartbeat
We hear their heartbeat

In the wind we hear their laughter
In the rain we see their tears
Hear their heartbeat
We hear their heartbeat

Night hangs like a prisoner
Stretched over black and blue
Hear their heartbeat
We hear their heartbeat

In the trees our sons stand naked
Through the walls our daughters cry
See their tears in the rainfall

The infant in the car seat was no less important to me that night than those who had suffered under the violence of Pinochet. And my angst for one small human being was an attempt to validate a life that, according to all statistical analyses, will encounter great difficulties and never amount to much. “We hear their heartbeat.”

As I sat in the Panda Express wondering where God was in all of this, I nibbled at my food and decided to take most of it home for another meal. Walking through the exit door and returning to the chilly air of the parking lot, I was immediately approached by two small boys, about 10 years old, on bikes. “Mister, do you have any change? My brother and me are hungry.” Really? The same parking lot? Two more neglected children? I sat them down at an outside table, gave them my leftovers, got them some drinks and napkins and talked with them for a few minutes. It’s all I could do. I was completely spent. I got in my pickup and headed out of the parking lot, winding my way to the corner street light. And there the two boys were, already back on their bikes heading down one of the busiest streets in Fresno, covered by the black and blue of a dark night.

We hear their heartbeat.

 

 

"I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For"

Remember that little Golden Rule you were taught as a child? "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Jesus says we should treat others with compassion and grace because God has done the same for us. As a good parent he lavishes good things on us when we ask. But there is a problem here. I'm not sure I always believe this is the way God works. On many occasions I have asked God for something and he has remained silent, or even worse, he has given me something I didn't ask for or didn't want.

Where is God when we hurt? Why does he remain distant and silent at times? Is it okay to doubt God or be angry with him? These are tough questions and I don't pretend to know the answers (be cautious of those who say they do!), but on Sunday, November 14, I preached on Matthew 7:7-12, and I tried to acknowledge that it's alright to ask such questions.

Jesus says we should ask, seek and knock. Proverbs instructs us to call, cry, look and search to find God. David doubts and complains: "How long, Lord, how long?" U2 reminds us to run, crawl and "scale these city walls" and asks if we'll ever find what we're looking for. If you are interested in these themes you can read my sermon here.

Here are a few excerpts:

• Why should we live out the Golden Rule and treat others with goodness and compassion? Because we are to show the same grace and mercy that our Father God has shown to his children. Go ahead and treat others the way you want to be treated, but ultimately, treat them the way God has treated you.
• Our job as God‘s children, both individually and corporately, is to use every means possible to find God. And when we do, we are promised by our Father that we will not be ignored. In essence, this is the struggle—and the joy—of each believer‘s life: to ask and to receive, to search and to find, to knock and to have another door opened.
• David was not afraid to ask the hard questions of God. He was not afraid to simply be human before the divine. David kicks at God and accuses God. "Where are you, God? Why have you deserted me? Where did you go to? How long will you ignore me? How long will you cause my suffering? How long, Lord, how long?" David gives us permission, by his example, to yell, scream, and even cuss at God.
• As David demonstrates, the temple, the sanctuary, the church community is the absolute best place to go to ask questions of God. There is no better environment than being with brothers and sisters to do the heartfelt, gut-wrenching, soul-searching work of asking, seeking and knocking.
• Go ahead and shout at God. He can take it. Go ahead and question God. He is big enough. But, please, never, ever stop talking to him. He would rather have you yelling and doubting, like David, than not talking at all.
• Some critique U2 and say, "See, we knew they weren‘t Christians; they just said so. They haven‘t found God yet." But I say that‘s exactly the kind of Christian God calls us to be—always searching, always looking, always running.

Here is the U2 clip I showed in my sermon.

Here is the sermon.

Here is the MP3 (see "Second Service, November 14), but unlike Bono, I don't "like the sound of my own voice."