The truth about Christian music that no one wants to say out loud

In Adrian Plass’s hilarious first book, The Sacred Diary of Adrian Plass aged 37¾, Adrian’s fictitious teenage son Gerald starts a Christian band called ‘Bad News for the Devil’. Their first song goes like this:

“Peace will come

Peace will come

Peace will come

Peace will come

Peace will come

Peace will come

What will come?

Peace will come.”

Well, you’ve got to give them credit for singing about an actual aspect of Christian life rather than simply ‘I love Jesus, Jesus loves me’ (what one satirical website calls ‘Jesus is my boyfriend’ songs), but it certainly nails the simplistic and repetitive nature of much of what passes for ‘Christian’ music. Admittedly, that was 40 years ago, and, though I’ve never kept in touch with contemporary Christian music, I’m willing to believe that things have progressed somewhat. Nevertheless, when I saw the editor’s question for this month – Is ‘Christian’ music superior to secular music? – my immediate reaction was: “No, most of it is definitely worse!”. Of course there are the outstanding exceptions: Graham Kendrick, John L Bell, Amy Grant, Bruce Cockburn, Martyn Joseph – but they are by the nature of exceptions, few and far between. 

It’s worth noting, too, that when we try to think of great Christian musicians, our mind goes mainly to those who write for worship. Where are the Christian Beatles, the Christian Bowie? (Yes, Mumford and Sons had Christian roots, and there is always the outstanding U2, but how rare they are.) You may deduce from my selection that my tastes incline more to rock than to pop, but I’d rejoice at a Christian Abba, the apotheosis of pop, as well.

Do we need the labels?  

A lot depends, of course, on what you consider ‘Christian’ music. Does Bach’s St Matthew Passion count? Handel’s Messiah? Mendelssohn’s Elijah? Elgar’s The Dream of Gerontius? (You may further deduce from this that my taste in classical music runs mostly to the choral.) 

There are many, some perhaps even reading this magazine, who listen to contemporary Christian music for relaxation or uplift. What worries me about this, however, is that it further blurs the already disappearing distinction between worship and entertainment, so that people begin to go to church expecting entertainment. Also, ‘worship’ gets reduced to ‘music’, meaning 20 minutes of singing largely contentless songs at the beginning constitutes the whole of what is classed as ‘worship’, before moving into ‘teaching’. What – no liturgy? No ritual or solemn ceremony?

Never mind the other elements of worship, what about using ‘secular’ music to enhance our meeting together? The Greenbelt Festival and others have long experimented with running ‘U2 services’. Since most members of U2 are Christians, and their work often makes explicit or implicit reference to God, their output lends itself very easily to this use. But it doesn’t have to be specifically Christian music. I have used that great prog rock anthem, ‘Hold your head up’ by Argent, to open an Advent sermon (see Luke 21:28: “When these things begin to take place, stand up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near”). I’ve also structured intercessions around the deeply moving ‘Kyrie eleison’* from the soundtrack of the film Easy Rider. The passion in such music expresses an aspect of our faith that doesn’t often get expressed in our gatherings.

What about using ‘secular’ music to enhance our meeting together?

Inevitably there will be people in your congregation who don’t like loud rock music. But there will also be those like me who don’t like ‘easy listening’ elevator music, or who are so-so about upbeat gospel. 1 Corinthians 14:26 suggests that: “When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” In other words, if our worship is to be truly multi-voiced, we should make it possible for each to contribute what speaks to them most – and, in my case, that’s a really gutsy piece of guitar-led rock or blues (though I do love me a bit of plainchant too…).

Music reaches the parts of us that other arts don’t, and what we habitually sing or listen to will influence our minds and our outlook on the world. I guess that’s why some people feel it is ‘safer’ to listen only to Christian-approved songs. Given the violent or misogynistic lyrics (if you can manage to hear them) of much rap and hip-hop, those people may have a case. But there are also Christian musicians wanting to buck that trend who make wholesome rap and hip-hop – and never forget that ultra-rapper Stormzy is a Christian and knelt to say the Lord’s Prayer on stage at Glastonbury. God is everywhere and can be in ‘secular’ music too. 

*A foundational Christian prayer used in liturgies across Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican and Protestant traditions, meaning ‘Lord, have mercy’.