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If you get a chance to see U23D, run, don’t walk, to see it. It is one of the most incredible film or concert experiences I have ever had. I have been 13 rows away from the Blues Brothers, moshed with Flatfoot 56 many times, stood on the bluffs of Memphis in the rain with Switchfoot, and stood shoulder to shoulder with 17,000 other fans to listen Christian rockers Pillar, Third Day, Toby Mac and Family Force Five. They were all seminal experiences on their own, but I think the performance that tops them all is the filmed footage of U2 in 3-D. The reason is because of the perfect trinity of three things I love: film, concerts, and theology.
As a film experience, this is a cutting edge thrill. The technology of 3-D has matured to the digital age, and is a far cry from the sophomoric hucksterism of the fad of yore. Hollywood trots out the 3-D dog-and-pony show every generation, it seems, but this time they are doing it right. The cinematography of U23D is spectacular. It respects the fine performance of the best touring band in the world when it needs to, and shows off its impressive special effects in a way that enhances that performance. You can tell some things were choreographed to provide a movie thrill (at one point Bono reaches out to caress the face of the audience), but otherwise the camera tries to convey the experience of the concert using the tools of 3-D to its advantage. Low angles, crowd shots, and depth of field compression lend an incredible immediacy to the musical performance. The graphics that accompany The Fly astound and amaze as they illustrate the song (words and letters seem to rain down on the stage as well as float right in front of your face).
As a concert performance, I had to keep reminding myself that the raw energy and power emanating from the stage was only four Irish guys playing four instruments. The incredible force of Bono’s singing and personality, The Edge’s inimitable guitar and vocals, Adam Clayton’s subtly thunderous bass, and the taciturn, watchful percussion of Larry Mullen, Jr., is an overwhelming event. These are showmen of the first order, and they created an intimacy between themselves and the thousands of fans of South America that has to be seen to be believed.
I have argued with some friends afterwards (I saw the film twice) that the song playlist is an outline for a mobilizing theology for Christians. It is a call to action and involvement and compassion, as well as a treatise for effectively and actively engaging the world around us in a winsome and meaningful way, and also one of the best sermons I have ever wanted to dance to.
Vertigo—This is the place where Christians should dwell, and indeed in the conversations we are having, actually find ourselves, off-balance and alert with senses heightened and focused. Complacency and affluence are the enemy of Christians called to make a difference in the world. …everything (we) wished (we) didn’t know…should be our rallying point, ignoring the bloated call of the Evil One to plod along in mindless consumerism--All of this / All of this can be yours / Just give me what I want / and no one gets hurt….
Beautiful Day—All the beauty around us extends to the horizon and includes the suffering and injustice. When we say life is good for us and it’s a beautiful day, we are saying it in the irony of living in a fallen world. This song reminds us of reality and points to heaven—not heaven on earth (an impossible idea) but the Kingdom of God.
New Year’s Day—The moments of peace we have are really the quiet moments in between conflict: literal war and spiritual warfare. We are tired of things staying the same and we yearn for a better world. The almost pitiful picture of the chosen few just kind of hanging on until things get better….
Sometimes You Can’t Make it On Your Own¬—The flaw of humanistic individualism is that we were not designed at any level (biologically, spiritually, economically, politically) to stand alone. The force of our choices as individuals resonates throughout the universe of all humanity. We also can’t make it without Jesus, even though that intimate relationship is fraught with the destructive forces of habit and selfishness. Once this premise is satisfied we can segue to the next radical proposition…
Love and Peace (Or Else)--…the proposition that we can and should and must CO-EX-IST, even though our denominational theology may seem to indicate and sometimes even instruct us otherwise. On the foundation of absolute truth there is more we have in common with each other than not. We are indeed all Abraham’s sons.
Sunday Bloody Sunday—I can’t believe the news today…the result of the trenches dug within our heart. How long must we sing this song? We can be as one tonight….
Bullet the Blue Sky—Our country, the United States of America, the wealthiest and most prestigious country on the planet, has a responsibility to solve world problems by some method other than war. This song places the chorus When Johnny comes marching home again into this insidious portrait of the modern war machine.
Miss Sarajevo¬—A beautiful rendition of a 20th Century Ecclesiastes Chapter 3. Do we have time to look our best and adorn ourselves in consumerism, or is it time for something else? What does that make us look like, this painted and primped woman of the world?
Pride—A rallying cry for peace, for more than just laying down weapons and ending battles, but a cry for shalom, a paean to the sacrifices of those who were saying the right things, and how our pride in the name of love is both a destructive and healing force. It’s what kills us, kills each other, and what can save us.
Where the Streets Have No Name—Bono the modern David, this song is a psalm that cries out for heaven and deliverance from the human attempts to perpetuate God’s love. It stands as a metaphor for erasing denominational lines, streets with names….
One—Line for line this is a scathing indictment of how we treat each other, but the first two lines are the most haunting for the modern church--Is it getting better, or do you feel the same?/Will it make it easier on you, now you got someone to blame? What difference do we make with what we call love, love that condemns others? The heart of the message of Corinthians 13 is the admonition to love without expectation of concern and without reference to self. We are one, one….
The Fly—This is the most obtuse song on the playlist for me, but it is illuminated by the splendid graphics that are projected to the South American audiences and hang like lucid billboards for the 3-D audience. It’s all about words and recognizing their power. Words are not to be hoarded like knowledge; they are to be dispensed like wisdom and charity, to rain down like the special effects alphabet on the stage. We know who we are, we know how we have to act. In the words of a philosopher, it’s what we can’t not know….
With or Without You—The ultimate psalm expressing the dichotomy of knowing God, of loving and serving Jesus, and having to live in the world of the flesh. With or without you / I can’t live with or without you…I can’t love perfectly in the flesh (the agony of Paul) and I can’t escape the flesh to love fully in the Spirit. Life is not full outside of God’s love, but trying to love with the perfect love of Christ exposes the shortcomings of physical efforts. The Holy Spirit is the missing link, the very presence in us of…
Yahweh—The very unspeakable name of God spoken on lips of flesh; a ragged soul stranded in some skin and bones, turning faces to God and being filled with His love and purpose. Oh, the glory and the tragedy of it.
While there are those who would disagree, the theater I was in became a sanctuary, and I worshiped God in this quirky temple with my funny-looking glasses and my bucket of popcorn. I have heard hardly a better sermon and certainly not been brought to the Throne through contemplation and song any better than going to see this film. Amen and amen again.
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Things to see before you die:
Pyramids of Geza Yosemite Radihead and U2 live and in person.
You're right.
I've stood 15 ft away from U2 live, yet this film was in many ways 'Even Better Than the Real Thing'.
What a powerful social/political/spiritual/emotional experience it was.
Only complaint...they should have turned up the sound at the theater I was at.
i will, however, take you to task for even mentioning so many christian-ghetto bands. tsk-tsk!
I've seen them in person more than once, prior to my conversion to Christianity, and I was only half impressed with what I saw then--just a whole lot of flash and silly emotionalism! A few okay songs I'll admit (I have a cd around my house somewhere). My impression of them now is even less than it was then because I've exchanged the corruptible with the incorruptible, the best of man's silly causes pale in comparison to the glory of the creator God. The most absurd thing about them now is their so-called "Christian message", which is essentially the same ol' silly emotionalism that now flies under an (emergent) "Christian" banner, which relies so heavily on such emotionalism because there is little else to it. But, I guess it makes sense that emergers look for, and think they find, theology through the lyrics of a guy like Bono. I mean, when you don't have solid theology, or when truth is abandoned, why not take lyrics from a pop band and make them equal to scripture (its all the same isn't it?). I guess this is the beauty of postmodernism: dig up anything and sanctify it around one's own subjective defintions, values, emotions, and rationale. Just don't call it theology, and especially not "concise theology," because it is neither.
Thanks for your honest response. U2 has always had a Christian message, albeit a progressive one, a message that has always challenged what it means to call yourself a Christian. They have questioned themselves and the doctrines of their faith along an incredible journey as pop stars and entertainment moguls. Many people ask how there could be a God if there is so much that is wrong with the world. U2 asks, more emphatically in recent albums, why there is so much wrong with the world if there are Christians that love the God who is there. It is ironic to me, rather than silly, that they create the emotionalism you describe. The point of pop music is to create an emotion through song. It flows from hearts that are trying to apply faith to a broken world, much like the psalmists. Adam Clayton for many years was an agnostic (might still be, I am not a fan enough to know). But through their friendship and skill as band members they present, maybe not a theology, maybe rather a generous orthopraxy—a way to engage the world through action and compassion. To me they exemplify a joyous expression of god-ward thinking in song.
I guess you can say they have "always had a Christian message" if anything and everything someone wishes to call Christian becomes such. I guess this is what you mean by progressive: ambiguous, carnal, humanistic, and essentially horizontal in all matters pertaining to the creator God of the universe and their relationship to Him, not vertical (i.e. praising, honoring, submitting to, adhering to, loving believing...you know, the stuff thay makes emergents cringe). As for the overused word "progressive," thats a catch phrase for anything liberal, irreverent, and seemingly intelligent (but such a facade of intelligence is really just nothing more than arrogant pride). Oh, they question doctrine alright, but this actually translates into a questioning of a Holy God by small, created men. It is absolutely absurd really that they, or the ECM for that matter, put God on trial and demand that He answer to them for His sovereignty and for what happens in the world He created. Even more ridiculous, and sad, is the fact that whilst such individuals believe that so long as God is on trial, they feel justified in all of their rebellion towards Him and His Holiness until they conclude God's interrogation is satisfied to their liking. You mean the atheists (fools) question God's existence on the grounds that pain and suffering exist in the world? To this question you say U2 asks (which is really a manifestation of prideful arrogance and disbelief on their part i9f they indeed ask it), if they actually are asking such an absurd question, it is a question that reflects no understanding of Biblical Truth whatsoever; I've heard a number of pagans ask the same question. The answer: SIN and/or the SINful nature of men combined with the spirit of this age causes pain and suffering and evil...which will not be resolved until Christ's return and He establishes His Kingdom then (EC wake up call: we are not in the kingdom as many ECer's believe). I say the emotionalism is silly only when a band, a song, an artist is taken as seriously as people (like yourself?) take a band like U2--attempting to make it something far more than it actually is; furthermore, it is devastating to see so-called Christians worship a group of fallen men and their simple-minded lyrics (in comparison to the Glory, timelessness, and profound wisdom of scripture). I understand the point of pop music using emotionalism to sell records; it makes even more sense that unregenerate, fallen men and women find such depth in such emotionalism if they do not have Christ nor the depth of the Truths in scripture to fill them. But, why on earth would those who profess to know Christ exchange the incorruptible for the corruptible? Why wouldn't professing followers of Christ wish to "apply" the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ--which they claim to believe--directly, honestly, and unashamedly to the "broken" world you mention rather than hiding what they claim to believe behind silly pop bands or other forms of humanism (calling it "missional" of course)? Your comparsion does not hold I'm afraid; this is not like the Psalmist, as he first honored the authority of God in humble submission to His Sovereignty; this is clear throughout all of the Psalms--not arrogant rebellion (which is U2 and the ECM). BTW: is "god-ward thinking" the latest EC buzz word? I especially like the lower-case, letter "g" (is this a way of making sure God knows His place in the council of U2 and the ECM?)
I would post a long comment about this, but I think Steve hit a home run with his posts.
I stand in agreement with you that the songs of U2 do not represent doctrine, nor is pop music the substance upon which to build a faith, but I still insist that the songs mentioned above stand on the shoulders of the Biblical revelation to reveal a God who is there, and a theology of compassion. Tony Jones says this in his new book, The New Christians: “Theology…speaks directly of God. And anytime human beings talk of God, they’re necessarily going to talk about their own experience of God. So…theology is talk about the nexus of divine and human action. In other words, it’s how we talk about the points of intersection between God and us, the places where God’s activity meets our activity.” It is very clear that the songs in this film, indeed the experience of the film itself, are such a nexus, a touchpioint between God and man facilitated by a great concert performance.
Steve, no offense but why are you here? It is made clear when you sign up that this is a website of emerging thinkers. If you are going to come here and be a critic, how are you advancing the kingdom of God? Sure, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Wouldn't it make more sense to go live out the commands of Jesus rather than strike up arguments on websites? Your attitude is not going to be used to bring anyone closer to God. In fact, you are doing the exact opposite. I speak from experience as someone who was exposed to legalism for most of my life. Those people with your ideals became a valley between me and Jesus. I strongly suggest that you not be that 'stumbling block' for other people.
I agree with the sentiments of this article. I know that I found particularly the 'how to dismantle an atomic bomb' and 'all that you cant leave behind' albums to be beautiful poetic expressions of the questions & longings of a flawed Christian in a messy & hurting world that is often a difficult journey. I have found many of their songs help in worship and certainly bring me to prayer & contemplation.
People will scoff but we owe a debt of thanks to pioneers like U2 who can lead us into expressions of our faith in art etc that are not as cheesy & irrelevant as much of the church today. I suspect their music will be being played long after a lot of the words of their critics. God bless them & all who are so honest.
Never heard of most of Christian rockers Pillar, Third Day, Toby Mac and Family Force Five, but I have seen U2 twice, in 1986 close enough to touch Bonos boot- which I did. Not into moshing these days now that I'm older, but this concert was great, and a lot cheaper than seeing the real thing. I`ll probably go again.
This comment is directed to "Steve" or the guy who thinks he is the Pope: You are the reason why people dont even give Christianinty or the Holy Bible a shred of a chance, you think you are so darn holy it makes me sick to my stomach, heck I dont blame people for being atheist when theres people like you around!! The devil is called the accuser of the bretheren who acusses before the Lord constantly day and night,(REV 12:10) and it seems to me that you learned too may things from him rather than the Lord!! One thing I know for a fact is that U2 including "Satans right hand man Bono" ( only in Steves and other crazy peoples thoughts of course), Have been chosen by God to ignite the saving of so many Human beings, and have been called to much higher purpose than Steve who goes postal on U2 in little message forums as this one.
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(3)
Things to see before you die:
Pyramids of Geza Yosemite Radihead and U2 live and in person.
Posted by Drew | Posted at 03/30/2008 5:25 AMYou're right.
I've stood 15 ft away from U2 live, yet this film was in many ways 'Even Better Than the Real Thing'.
What a powerful social/political/spiritual/emotional experience it was.
Only complaint...they should have turned up the sound at the theater I was at.
Posted by joey aszterbaum | Posted at 03/30/2008 10:34 PMi will, however, take you to task for even mentioning so many christian-ghetto bands. tsk-tsk! Posted by joey aszterbaum | Posted at 03/30/2008 10:35 PM
I've seen them in person more than once, prior to my conversion to Christianity, and I was only half impressed with what I saw then--just a whole lot of flash and silly emotionalism! A few okay songs I'll admit (I have a cd around my house somewhere). My impression of them now is even less than it was then because I've exchanged the corruptible with the incorruptible, the best of man's silly causes pale in comparison to the glory of the creator God. The most absurd thing about them now is their so-called "Christian message", which is essentially the same ol' silly emotionalism that now flies under an (emergent) "Christian" banner, which relies so heavily on such emotionalism because there is little else to it. But, I guess it makes sense that emergers look for, and think they find, theology through the lyrics of a guy like Bono. I mean, when you don't have solid theology, or when truth is abandoned, why not take lyrics from a pop band and make them equal to scripture (its all the same isn't it?). I guess this is the beauty of postmodernism: dig up anything and sanctify it around one's own subjective defintions, values, emotions, and rationale. Just don't call it theology, and especially not "concise theology," because it is neither. Posted by Steve | Posted at 04/01/2008 7:09 PM
Thanks for your honest response. U2 has always had a Christian message, albeit a progressive one, a message that has always challenged what it means to call yourself a Christian. They have questioned themselves and the doctrines of their faith along an incredible journey as pop stars and entertainment moguls. Many people ask how there could be a God if there is so much that is wrong with the world. U2 asks, more emphatically in recent albums, why there is so much wrong with the world if there are Christians that love the God who is there. It is ironic to me, rather than silly, that they create the emotionalism you describe. The point of pop music is to create an emotion through song. It flows from hearts that are trying to apply faith to a broken world, much like the psalmists. Adam Clayton for many years was an agnostic (might still be, I am not a fan enough to know). But through their friendship and skill as band members they present, maybe not a theology, maybe rather a generous orthopraxy—a way to engage the world through action and compassion. To me they exemplify a joyous expression of god-ward thinking in song. Posted by Darrell | Posted at 04/02/2008 7:45 AM
I guess you can say they have "always had a Christian message" if anything and everything someone wishes to call Christian becomes such. I guess this is what you mean by progressive: ambiguous, carnal, humanistic, and essentially horizontal in all matters pertaining to the creator God of the universe and their relationship to Him, not vertical (i.e. praising, honoring, submitting to, adhering to, loving believing...you know, the stuff thay makes emergents cringe). As for the overused word "progressive," thats a catch phrase for anything liberal, irreverent, and seemingly intelligent (but such a facade of intelligence is really just nothing more than arrogant pride). Oh, they question doctrine alright, but this actually translates into a questioning of a Holy God by small, created men. It is absolutely absurd really that they, or the ECM for that matter, put God on trial and demand that He answer to them for His sovereignty and for what happens in the world He created. Even more ridiculous, and sad, is the fact that whilst such individuals believe that so long as God is on trial, they feel justified in all of their rebellion towards Him and His Holiness until they conclude God's interrogation is satisfied to their liking. You mean the atheists (fools) question God's existence on the grounds that pain and suffering exist in the world? To this question you say U2 asks (which is really a manifestation of prideful arrogance and disbelief on their part i9f they indeed ask it), if they actually are asking such an absurd question, it is a question that reflects no understanding of Biblical Truth whatsoever; I've heard a number of pagans ask the same question. The answer: SIN and/or the SINful nature of men combined with the spirit of this age causes pain and suffering and evil...which will not be resolved until Christ's return and He establishes His Kingdom then (EC wake up call: we are not in the kingdom as many ECer's believe). I say the emotionalism is silly only when a band, a song, an artist is taken as seriously as people (like yourself?) take a band like U2--attempting to make it something far more than it actually is; furthermore, it is devastating to see so-called Christians worship a group of fallen men and their simple-minded lyrics (in comparison to the Glory, timelessness, and profound wisdom of scripture). I understand the point of pop music using emotionalism to sell records; it makes even more sense that unregenerate, fallen men and women find such depth in such emotionalism if they do not have Christ nor the depth of the Truths in scripture to fill them. But, why on earth would those who profess to know Christ exchange the incorruptible for the corruptible? Why wouldn't professing followers of Christ wish to "apply" the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ--which they claim to believe--directly, honestly, and unashamedly to the "broken" world you mention rather than hiding what they claim to believe behind silly pop bands or other forms of humanism (calling it "missional" of course)? Your comparsion does not hold I'm afraid; this is not like the Psalmist, as he first honored the authority of God in humble submission to His Sovereignty; this is clear throughout all of the Psalms--not arrogant rebellion (which is U2 and the ECM). BTW: is "god-ward thinking" the latest EC buzz word? I especially like the lower-case, letter "g" (is this a way of making sure God knows His place in the council of U2 and the ECM?) Posted by Steve | Posted at 04/02/2008 7:54 PM
I would post a long comment about this, but I think Steve hit a home run with his posts. Posted by Shannon | Posted at 04/03/2008 10:32 AM
I stand in agreement with you that the songs of U2 do not represent doctrine, nor is pop music the substance upon which to build a faith, but I still insist that the songs mentioned above stand on the shoulders of the Biblical revelation to reveal a God who is there, and a theology of compassion. Tony Jones says this in his new book, The New Christians: “Theology…speaks directly of God. And anytime human beings talk of God, they’re necessarily going to talk about their own experience of God. So…theology is talk about the nexus of divine and human action. In other words, it’s how we talk about the points of intersection between God and us, the places where God’s activity meets our activity.” It is very clear that the songs in this film, indeed the experience of the film itself, are such a nexus, a touchpioint between God and man facilitated by a great concert performance. Posted by Darrell | Posted at 04/13/2008 4:30 AM
Steve, no offense but why are you here? It is made clear when you sign up that this is a website of emerging thinkers. If you are going to come here and be a critic, how are you advancing the kingdom of God? Sure, everyone is entitled to their opinion. Wouldn't it make more sense to go live out the commands of Jesus rather than strike up arguments on websites? Your attitude is not going to be used to bring anyone closer to God. In fact, you are doing the exact opposite. I speak from experience as someone who was exposed to legalism for most of my life. Those people with your ideals became a valley between me and Jesus. I strongly suggest that you not be that 'stumbling block' for other people. Posted by Jason | Posted at 04/14/2008 1:12 PM
I agree with the sentiments of this article. I know that I found particularly the 'how to dismantle an atomic bomb' and 'all that you cant leave behind' albums to be beautiful poetic expressions of the questions & longings of a flawed Christian in a messy & hurting world that is often a difficult journey. I have found many of their songs help in worship and certainly bring me to prayer & contemplation.
People will scoff but we owe a debt of thanks to pioneers like U2 who can lead us into expressions of our faith in art etc that are not as cheesy & irrelevant as much of the church today. I suspect their music will be being played long after a lot of the words of their critics. God bless them & all who are so honest.
Posted by Loffers | Posted at 04/18/2008 11:53 AMNever heard of most of Christian rockers Pillar, Third Day, Toby Mac and Family Force Five, but I have seen U2 twice, in 1986 close enough to touch Bonos boot- which I did. Not into moshing these days now that I'm older, but this concert was great, and a lot cheaper than seeing the real thing. I`ll probably go again. Posted by dave | Posted at 05/03/2008 6:09 AM
This comment is directed to "Steve" or the guy who thinks he is the Pope: You are the reason why people dont even give Christianinty or the Holy Bible a shred of a chance, you think you are so darn holy it makes me sick to my stomach, heck I dont blame people for being atheist when theres people like you around!! The devil is called the accuser of the bretheren who acusses before the Lord constantly day and night,(REV 12:10) and it seems to me that you learned too may things from him rather than the Lord!! One thing I know for a fact is that U2 including "Satans right hand man Bono" ( only in Steves and other crazy peoples thoughts of course), Have been chosen by God to ignite the saving of so many Human beings, and have been called to much higher purpose than Steve who goes postal on U2 in little message forums as this one. Posted by Howie | Posted at 08/25/2008 4:56 AM