I am, despite its long overdue-ness, writing Broken Hallelujah, a book on faith and pop culture. I actually think it is going to be pretty good, better than I thought (that's usually the case since I have fairly active self-doubt as part of my personality). Well, if you'd like a peak, I'm giving bits along the way to Valparaiso University's journal of literature, arts and culture, The Cresset. Check here for the latest installment, a piece of chapter 3 (title: Why God Loves the Blues). I'm writing chapter 4 now (title: Cries) on a wisdom interpretation of Scripture that attends to cries as its core feature. If you bump over to The Cresset to read the excerpt, let me know what you think of it here. I'd guess you'll see how the cries of the blues chapter set up the discussion of cries in scripture in the chapter I'm working on now. It begins with Exodus, taking off from Walter Bruggemann's quip in a lecture at Luther last year, "It took a cry to get God into the book of Exodus." There's a comment for advent. We cry, Maranatha!
Anon, and +advent peace,
Chris
Great article on Billie Holiday, Chris. I learned a lot through it and it sparked some thoughts on Exodus and liberation. I'm musing on the conundrum of a liberation theology for Palestinians that is based on the story of the exodus of the Israelites. NB mentioning the relatedness isn't always welcomed.
Posted by: Jeni Grangaard | December 18, 2009 at 06:03 AM
Enjoyed the article on Billie Holiday. Do you have any thoughts on how the spirituals sung as work songs may have evolved in blues? I was thinking of that being a shift of sorts from communal laments to something more personal. (Although 'Strange Fruit' is certainly a strong communal lament.)
I also enjoyed your essay on Leonard Cohen. Looking forward to the book!
Posted by: jeff r. | December 18, 2009 at 10:57 AM