Bono and the Christian Worldview
With all of the back-and-forth on whether or not U2's lead singer, Bono, is or is not an authentic Christian (a judgment that seems none of us are rightly equipped to make), Jeffrey Overstreet posts an interesting excerpt from Bono in Conversation where the mega-star sounds quite a bit like a Christian apologist.
HT: World Mag
Labels: David C. Price
posted by DAVID C. PRICE at 7/11/2005 03:40:00 PM
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10 Comments:
There was an essay by Bono on the Psalm in an edition of Modern Reformation magazine.
http://www.modernreformation.org/mrtoc0105.htm
The blurb says 'An Essay on the Psalms by BONO of U2
It's not every issue in which we publish a world premier rock star's thoughts on a book of the Bible. But we think you just might enjoy this piece. (Available in Print Edition only).'
Just thought you might like to know.
Mike
Thanks, Mike!
What can I say; people have tried and tried and tried to bring Bono to each side. One moment he's a Christian and the next he's not. It seems to me that Bono is a simple Irishman trying to walk and journey with Jesus the best way he knows how. Isn't that what we are all doing? I know for myself that when I was in a time of crisis it was worship inspired by the music of U2 that brought me back to where my relationship with Christ was once before. God can use anyone He see's fit to use. Whether you're fundamentalist or charismatic or maybe you're just a simple person. If you want to be used, He will use you. Thanks David for steering us in this direction to read this article. I pray for you as you are at Southern studying. Thanks.
Thorny <><
As an admitted U2 fanatic for over 20 years, I must tell you the book quoted is excellent.
I got it from the library last week and am enjoying his insight and admissions.
His insight into Scripture and religion is continuously thought provoking for me. I have to say, I think of him as not just a rock singer. He is smart enough and well enough spoken that he could have easily been a college professor, politician or preacher if he had chosen another road.
With Bono I never make a judgement about his faith, except for myself privately. However, he is a man that has been a source of Spritual growth and mentoring (long distance) for me, much like Lewis, Schaeffer and St. Francis.
Thanks for the article.
A word of caution here, not so much a coment on the nature of Bono's Christian understanding specifically, but rather on the issue of judgment/discernment which so many Christians appear not to understand very clearly.
While none of us is indeed equipped to judge someone's actual spiritual state (salvation) we are equipped, and called to, discern and judge all other things including whether we or others are confessing and living the 'Christian' life. NOTE: I say 'equipped' not that we are to go around pursuing these issues! These are two quite different things.
It is actually plain that we make such 'judgments' every single day - and rightly so. If we did not how on earth would we know that some need evangelising (not appearing to be saved), some need better teaching, some are are not living the Christian life as they claim? How would we be able to administer the biblically-required criteria at the Lord's Supper?
The issue here then becomes this: does what the person who professes to be a'Christian' not only confess it - according to the pattern laid down in Scriputre, and not their own private version - and live out the pattern of faith that is, again, set down in the Scriptures.
My point is that we all need to be much more biblically-minded in threse things. No making up private 'easier-going' doctrines. Though we should indeed shy away from passing judgment on someone's 'salvation' state (that is a matter for God), we are certainly not exempted from judging/discerning all other else, including whether someone (perhaps even a close friend) may, through their words and actions, actually be living the Christian life or not. We would do well to start with ourselves first, of course! (Note: I am not suggesting becoing a nosey-parker here! Merely that we are biblically-equipped to help others via this judgment/discernment process)
For instance, if someone calls themselves 'Christian' and lives an entirely 'un-Christian' life, surely it is plain hypocrisy, in the body of the church, to refuse to countenance it and perhaps say so privately at first, then publicly)? By living openly in sin are not some bringing shame on Christ and the church? Are we then to remain quiet and say nothing?
I have always put it this way. We are not to 'judge' as in 'condemn' concenring salvation, but in all other ways (inlcuding whether we or someone is living the Christian life) we are indeed called to 'judge' or 'discern all things'. Indeed NOT to do so is actually to be 'unspiritual' in biblical terms (1 Cor. 2:15).
God bless
That's a good word of caution, Peter, and I agree completely with your base point that we do (and must!) use that discernment every day, especially as ministers, in order to determine whether or not an individual "has it right" (as best as we, in our fallibility, can tell!) regarding biblical teaching, proper training, etc. and, to some extent, salvation. (How was that for a long sentence!)
My concern is when we go to the level of claiming that someone such as Bono and any number of other people could not possibly be saved because of their actions (which clearly you have not done here...I am addressing what I have heard too many times from many sources).
When I have heard some of the things that come out of Bono's mouth, I have I often found myself somewhat troubled, but I am more troubled by those who hear a man claim faith in Christ yet feel equipped to say, "He can't be saved...really." At that point, we are in dangerous territory.
For example, I was witness to such a "debate" over Bono's soul (?!) while in a class at Southern when a young guy said, "Why are we so anxious to get Bono 'in the camp'?" Huh? What does that even mean? I know he's saying that he thinks people keep trying to make this cool guy "one of ours" at any cost, but I think it misses the point. The condition or maturity level of someone's faith is often evident to us as we listen to them and watch their actions (i.e. knowing them by their fruits), but sometimes I fear I am guilty of missing out on what the actual and most "self-defining" fruits in someone's life are.
In Bono's case, I might miss the fruits altogether if I focus on something such as his language choices while not looking at the motivation behind his passionate drive to wipe out disease and famine in impoverished countries. Which is more important; more Christ-like, the fact that he drops the f-bomb or that he cares for the poor? Jesus' criteria for discerning the sheep from the goats had nothing to do with language and really, stepping on my own toes hard here, perfect theology, and everything to do with caring for the sick and dying, the imprisoned and the hungry.
Truth be known, it's probably those of us who are greatly concerned with right doctrine and good theology who must be the most cautious that we not end up like the pharisees of old, missing the real emphasis in Christ's teaching. I must remind myself constantly that Jesus chose rough-around-the-edge fishermen who probably "cussed like sailors" (remember Peter around the fire after Jesus' arrest?), tax-collecting "sinners", and self-centered brothers as His closest disciples. I think a guy like Bono might have fit in pretty well with that group of disciples.
I am not arguing that those men remained as they were with no "refinement" (I don't really know), only that they were chosen and set apart by Christ in spite of that. We certainly all have room for being shaped by the Holy Spirit to look more like Christ.
What scares me is to think of which group I would have best fit in, the disciples or the pharisees, and am often completely humbled and broken before the Lord.
By the way, Peter, why do you keep misspelling evangelizing?
Great story and thread. thanks
Great story and thread. thanks
After spending time around Christians in a non-Southern environment, like you David, I have come to much of the same conclusion to look more at motivation and fruit, as opposed to the typical outward signs I used to focus on, such as drinking a bit of Guinness or having a slaty Irish tongue.
When looking at a Bono, or any other European, I must take into account the differences in emphasis within their church environment, just like I had to in Boston, which I must say makes me more gracious when it relates to language and alcohol.
Being Irish and having many Irish Christian cousins and friends, I have learned to understand these differences (we would hate to see C.S. Lewis interviewed in a present day publication).
I do not know if it makes as much sense to anyone that has not served in such a different spot (such as David and Alex)
Good thoughts, Rick. Though we are to constantly be striving towards holiness, which includes bridling the tongue and not letting "unwholesome" language out of our mouths, the kinds of things we are talking about do not equate an absense of salvation. There must be room for grace.
We can certainly encourage each other in godliness and hold each other accountable when we fall, but standing in judgment of another's faith when they don't meet up to our standards is a dangerous thing.
There are times, I think, when even people who claim faith in Christ are clearly mistaken in what that means (i.e. times when there is NO fruit evident). These are the times when it is important for us to help them come to a clearer understanding of what faith in Christ means and entails (which I believe is what my friend, Peter, is talking about). Short of that, we must be very prudent in our judgments.
We can begin to push our understanding of "godly living" on another which are often, as Rick rightly points out, personal convictions and not biblical ones at all, and it is identifying the biblical imperatives which is of utmost importance.
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