The last few posts have been about books that we care about, and wish were better known within the circle of those who follow religious publishing. Those that know us hopefully know that we invite our friends to buy and discuss these books because we believe deeply that the Bible teaches that we must care about the world and it’s problems. Whether these particular books get it all perfectly—they may not—they are current and inspiring and thoughtful. We commend them sincerely and hope they help you live more faithfully in these times.
So, while on this roll, a good friend forwarded me a link to Think Christian, a fine website that shares our concerns about evangelical cultural engagement. Here, they offer the nine minute youtube clip of rock star Bono getting an award from the NAACP. It includes a great tribute, but then he comes to the podium. He tells of how the vision that poured forth from black pulpits about racial unity during the civil rights struggles inspired him as a teen-ager in the violent and religiously-segregated Ireland. Anyone that knows anything about the Irish troubles, or the rise of u2, can see how that very white Irish punk was changed by an understanding of the black experience in America, and the music and preaching that gripped his soul and shaped his politics.
Let this clip load well because you won’t want it to stall on ya. By the end, you will be on your feet, or maybe on your knees. And maybe— I say this with all seriousness and righteous hope—you will buy more books on the great issues of our time, pass them around, review them, form book clubs, give them to preachers and teachers. That is, you know, how McLaren starts his Everything Must Change, wondering what the world’s biggest problems are, and what Jesus might say about them. Bono gives us a way into that question, and calls us to action, finding God among the poor and abused, and learning to love in a global way. His stirring speech reminds us of some very important things…