Bono's renewal of baptismal vows , officiated by an unlikely pastor; Part 1 (thanks to Angela Pancella)

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Having been a  fervent follower of U2 since 1980, upon hearing "I Will Follow" on the amazing WPLR New Haven  (Thanks to St Stoneman) I did (follow)...

And  having been a fervent follower of Jesus since Spring 1983..

..when I  had the chance, just days after signing on to that second followership), to see/hear/experience  U2 at the New Haven Coliseum--a concert that was so historic and Holy Spirited that the leitourgia had no name, and inevitably they later had to literally blow up the arena (watch it here!), as no act  could possibly top U2 (or even their alarming opening act)...

           I decided to follow both Jesus and the band (the worship band formerly known as the Hype) even more heartily..

As one with wholly/holy obsession with said band , and an unrepentant bibliophile, these three books are among my favorites...and I own a few...

                                                                            thousand.

Scot Calhoun, who directs the U2 Conference, has edited and curated these three voluminous (and luminous) volumes.  Academic books about U2, including one on religious impulse?  Order them yesterday.

• Exploring U2: Is This Rock and Roll? (Rowman & Littlefield, 2011)
• U2 Above, Across, and Beyond: Interdisciplinary Assessments (Lexington Press, 2014)
• U2 and the Religious Impulse: Take Me Higher (Bloomsbury, 2018)

Today the spotlight is on Angelia Pancella's chapter in the third volume, "U2 and the Religious Impulse.".  

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Here's what hit me on a recent re-read of this loaded chapter (which  helpfully interacts with my friend Tim Neufeld's seminal  "Crystal Ballroom" Periscope community/communitas  of U2 followers, see pp. 166-168). The chapter is titled  “Like Faith Needs a Doubt”: U2 and the Theist/Nontheist Dialogue.

Oh,  before you go any further, soundtrack this coming conversation  about Angela's observations with  an opening act/prelude: the classic interview  excerpt of Bono on Gay Byrne's  "The Meaning of Life"; you can watch it below. See you after the break. You might even sense the religious impulse to be baptized/renew your baptismal vows after viewing this short clip...which may be precisely the the point.

The  short section I have in mind  starts at 1:55 (though do watch the first section as well, as Bono masterfully adopts/adapts the classic C.S. Lewis trilemma apologetic  ( popularly called the "Liar, Lunatic, or Lord" apologetic).

Wow.. I hear that hushed silence from you after the video ended.

When I show this clip in class, it inevitably happens, even from non U2 fans!

 

That short section has moved me for years, not  just because it is a  humble, diplomatic but direct confession of Christian faith from the singer, but this particular exchange  has often given me the chills and holy hush; it  always felt deeply mystical...even liturgical..in a way I could never quite put my finger on..

Until now, thanks to Angela, who says on p, 162:

A video of an interview of Bono with veteran Irish broadcaster Gay Byrne, from his program "The Meaning of Life," includes an exchange oddly echoing the renewal of baptismal vows that take place in some Christian churches at the Easter:

Bono: I find it hard to accept that all the millions and millions of lives, half the earth, for two thousand years, have been touched, have felt their lives touched and inspired by some nutter. I just —I don't believe it.

Byrne: So therefore it follows that you believe (Jesus] was divine.

Bono: Yes.

Byrne: And therefore it follows that you believe that he rose physically from

Bono: Yes. I've no problem with miracles. (Laughs] I'm livingaround them. I am one.

Byrne: So when you pray, then, you pray to Jesus.

Bono: The risen Jesus.

Byrne: And you believe that he made promises which will come true.

Bono: Yes . I do.

-U2 and the Religious Impulse: Take Me Higher (Bloomsbury Studies in Religion and Popular Music), Scott Calhoun (Editor)

Ah, of course, As the aforementioned Tim once said about me, " Dave, you know what I like about you? You always push toward the unobvious! You are gifted at seeing what others miss."; I now pay that compliment foward to Angela, for helping/empowering me to put language to what I felt. It was so obvious/unobvious . What a gift.

The simple call and response. The rhythmic cadence. The simple but heartfelt "Yes" of Bono's answers the the questions of the host/inquisitive inquisitor/pastor Byrne. And even though the interviewer has been characterized as an agnostic/atheist, Byrne didn't see himself that way. He was more of a struggling Catholic. Someone 

called him "a loyal if questioning Catholic  later in life."

 His genuine interest in Bono's responses are based on decades of friendship . I felt he was even rooting/praying for Bono to confess in a vert Christ-honoring and orthodox way.

At the funeral Mass for the late Gay Byrne on Friday, the principal celebrant, Fr Leonard Maloney SJ said those who knew the broadcaster well knew him as “a man of faith”.

In his homily at St Mary’s Pro Cathedral in Dublin, the Jesuit provincial said Byrne’s faith was not the kind of faith that has all the answers. “It was the kind that asks all the questions. link

Bono's "yes" answers called to mind the many riffs and improvisations on the word I have heard over the years as a pastor officiating baptisms/ renewals. Sometimes it is said tearfully and barely audibly ; sometimes shouted as if from a rooftop. A student of mine's recent response was (video here)

But something about Bono's quiet, confident "yes' resonates with me...and I know it spoke to Gay Byrne like no armtwisting evangelistic sermon could.

"All the promises are yes," as St Paul asserted . . A confession of faith in summative one-word microcosm.

"Let your yes be yes," as Jesus preached.

'Oddly echoing the renewal of baptismal vows," Angela so articulately commented.

Yes, that's what I had felt but had no language for.

Echoes are important.

Here is one version of the renewal of baptism vows:

V. Do you reject Satan?
R. I do.
V. And all his works?
R. I do.
V. And all his empty promises?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in God, the Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary was crucified, died, and was buried, rose from the dead, and is now seated at the right hand of the Father?
R. I do.
V. Do you believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting?
R. I do.
V. God, the all-powerful Father of our Lord Jesus Christ has given us a new birth by water and the Holy Spirit, and forgiven all our sins. May he also keep us faithful to our Lord Jesus Christ for ever and ever.
R. Amen.

link

YES? One can say more; but cannot say less.

Also, don't get me started on the two words in the sample ceremony above; and Bono's last and final answer, where it felt right to "say more" and add only two words: "Yes..I do"

Wedding language. Covenant echoes.

When I heard my parents say to each other "Yes..I do" upon my asking them if they renews their wedding vows on their 50th? Sacramental. Priceless. Spiritual.

They are still going strong as they near their seventieth.

May it be with all who we baptize, marry and speak to.

And interview about the meaning of life.

Amen,

"For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the 'Amen' is spoken by us to the glory of God. (2 Corinthians 1:20)

"In  his interview in ‘The Meaning of Life’  Gay said this to Martin Sheen: ‘Suppose it’s all true, and suppose you get to meet God at the pearly gates. What will you say to Him?’After hardly a pause, the seasoned actor said: ‘Deo gratias. Thanks be to God.’”

“Say no more,” Gay responded. 

“That’s a perfect ending.” link

Bonus :Here is the entire episode with complete Bono interview: