Christian Rock

“In light of the wide exposure that the mass media have given, and continues to give, to rock ’n’ roll, together with the ever-present phenomenon of secularization, it seemed inevitable that rock music would someday invade Christian circles — and it did.  It’s users call it ‘Christian Rock.’  Often it is also called ‘contemporary Christian music.' . . . Some Christian rock songs have religious titles or themes while others focus only on love and romance.  In regard to the latter, there often is little or no difference in the lyrics of these songs from those of non-Christian rock music.  Even selections that have religious titles or themes often reflect a theology that indirectly praises humans rather than God.  For example, one song (‘Cartoons’ by Chris Rice) says it is great to sing ‘praise in a whole new way.’

“Some of the Christian rock music, like secular rock, also plays notes of rebellion.  A few years ago Undercover, a Christian punk rock group, took the well-known Christian hymn ‘Holy, Holy, Holy’ and recorded it in speed rock form, greatly diminishing its sacred qualities.  By altering this widely sung hymn, the Undercover group displayed a form of rebellion.  Still other Christian rock music sometimes faults (at times rightly) the institutional church of today for having forgotten the poor and downtrodden.  Such music is probably more accurately seen as a social critique than an example of rebellion, especially if we remember the early church’s deep commitment to charity and compassion. . . 

“Even Christian rock that is not rebellious — and much of it is not — still leaves much to be desired in terms of good Christian theology.  Often little or nothing is said about the nature of God other than the fact that he loves people.  But that God is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit is rarely heard, if at all, in Christian rock music.  Many recordings speak about God’s grace, but they do not say how man receives this grace.  That God’s grace in Christ comes through faith as heard from his Word is typically missing.  Also, far too many selections accent people’s subjective spiritual feelings, as singers note how they feel about God rather than how he felt about them as sinful beings whom he had to redeem through the death and resurrection of his Son, Jesus Christ.

“Finally, in considering Christian rock, one must ask whether its performers and those who listen to it are not conforming to the world, contrary to Romans 12:2, where St. Paul reminds Christians, ‘Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.  Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing and perfect will.’  The following indicate that conforming to the world is definitely a part of many so-called Christian rock selections, for they sometimes present a worldly or even blasphemous picture of God.  Here are some examples.  Robert Sweet of the now defunct Stryker band used to display the words ‘JESUS CHRIST ROCKS’ on the back of his drummer chair.  The Messiah Prophet Band has called Jesus Christ ‘the Master of Metal’; the Petra Band has said that God is ‘the God of Rock and Roll,’ and Daniel Band plays a song called ‘Party in Heaven’ that says, ‘There’s a party in heaven/The bread is unleaven/The tree of life is growin’ fine/It’s past eleven/My number is seven/The Lamb and I are drinkin’ new wine.’

“For centuries both sacred and secular music in Western society, much of it written by Christians or by musicians influenced by Christianity, had a highly edifying effect on people.  But with the continued growth of secularization and relativism, there has been a steep and rapid decline in the wholesomeness and beauty of music.  Hence, one wonders what the future holds, especially since much current rock music, including heavy metal and rap music, not only has assumed a major role but is preempting and displacing wholesome music of the past.  It is not an exaggeration to say that as far as the East is from the West, so far have hard rock musicians and their music moved from the goal that music should be performed ‘to the glory of God and the recreation of the mind.’  Christian rock, although different than hard rock in some respects, also appears to be contributing to this displacement.

Western music attained its greatness because its composers, such as Ambrose, Bach, Handel, Mozart, Mendelssohn, Stravinsky, and Vaughan Williams, were inspired by Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.  Unlike the God-denying and morally defiant writers of hard rock music, who see human life as meaningless and absurd, musicians in the past knew that God existed and guided their lives.  They believed that God willed their existence and that they were not biological flukes.  Their lives had meaning, and their music resonated those convictions.  That is why Bach, for instance, felt that all music, even his secular music, was ‘an expression of divinity.’  In a great deal of rock music, especially hard rock, this noble conviction is not only totally absent but is often rebelled against as well.

“From Christianity’s earliest years and for centuries thereafter, Christian musicians gave beauty and majesty to Western music, even to secular pieces.  They reflected the influence of Jesus Christ.  As Donald Grout has said, ‘The history of Western art music properly begins with the music of the Christian Church.’  Once the Christian influence no longer plays a significant role in the music of Western society, which is increasingly becoming the case, it will continue to deteriorate and sink to even baser levels.  One is reminded of the Greek philosopher Plato who said, ‘Give me the songs of the nation and it matters not who writes its laws.’”

Alvin J. Schmidt, Under the Influence: How Christianity Transformed Civilization, p.340-342