Welcome! You have accidentally reached the blog of a heteroclite follower of Jesus: dave wainscott. I'm
"pushing toward the unobvious" as I post thinkings/linkings
re: Scripture, church and culture. Hot topics include: temple tantrums, time travel, sexuality/spirituality, U2kklesia, role of the pastor, God-haunted music/art..and subversive videos like these.
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)...
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.
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.
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 very 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.
'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.
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"
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.’”
Ah, thank you! What a gift to know that something Scott Calhoun graciously provided me the opportunity to write is still something that is resonating with people many years later!
It occurs to me that there's another pop culture baptismal vow/covenant moment I would put this one in dialogue with: the conversation Anderson Cooper has with Stephen Colbert about grief. You probably know it. 13 minutes in: https://youtu.be/YB46h1koicQ?si=0kMBbB9b0Lfh5nfc&t=780
Cooper reads a quote Colbert gave to another interviewer back to him: "You have learned to, in your words, 'love the thing that I most wish had not happened.'" And then he pauses a long time, because this conversation takes place very soon after Cooper lost his mother, and he's struggling to keep his composure.
Colbert tries to rescue him by saying "I remember saying that."
Cooper has recovered just enough and talks over him: "You went on to say, 'What punishments of God are not gifts?'", his voice breaking. He looks up at Colbert and asks, "You really believe that?"
The camera goes to Colbert. It's his turn to pause. He doesn't look at Cooper at first, but away and down. It doesn't seem like he's mulling over the question, it doesn't seem like he doesn't know the answer, it seems more like he knows his friend is grieving and he wants to tread softly.
He starts to smile the gentlest of smiles, says "yes." in the gentlest way, and only then meets Cooper's gaze. Only after another long pause does he start in with an explanation.
Ah, thank you! What a gift to know that something Scott Calhoun graciously provided me the opportunity to write is still something that is resonating with people many years later!
ReplyDeleteIt occurs to me that there's another pop culture baptismal vow/covenant moment I would put this one in dialogue with: the conversation Anderson Cooper has with Stephen Colbert about grief. You probably know it. 13 minutes in: https://youtu.be/YB46h1koicQ?si=0kMBbB9b0Lfh5nfc&t=780
Cooper reads a quote Colbert gave to another interviewer back to him: "You have learned to, in your words, 'love the thing that I most wish had not happened.'" And then he pauses a long time, because this conversation takes place very soon after Cooper lost his mother, and he's struggling to keep his composure.
Colbert tries to rescue him by saying "I remember saying that."
Cooper has recovered just enough and talks over him: "You went on to say, 'What punishments of God are not gifts?'", his voice breaking. He looks up at Colbert and asks, "You really believe that?"
The camera goes to Colbert. It's his turn to pause. He doesn't look at Cooper at first, but away and down. It doesn't seem like he's mulling over the question, it doesn't seem like he doesn't know the answer, it seems more like he knows his friend is grieving and he wants to tread softly.
He starts to smile the gentlest of smiles, says "yes." in the gentlest way, and only then meets Cooper's gaze. Only after another long pause does he start in with an explanation.