Cubist Christ and The Ice Queen

Hey, it's Sean,

I read an interview with Bjork in Spin Magazine a while back.
I'm not a Bjork fan, I've never really heard much of her work,
but I usually read magazines cover to cover even if I don't know
much about the subject of each article.
(I've read some really useless things in my life.)
However, despite being pretty much Bjork-ignorant
I still took something away from this interview which has
stuck with me
for about two years now.

In response to a question asking about her
least favorite trend in music, she answered,
"I'm not crazy about rock,"
and then followed it with
the comment that has remained with me,
"It's a white, male thing for me. It's square-shaped and Christian.
It's very much about not having mystery."
While this isn't a direct statement about Christianity,
it is a statement nonetheless.
Bjork lumps faith in Christ with something that she views as
white, male, square-shaped and without mystery.

Now, one thing that I do know is that Bjork is a bit of an iconoclast.
This is the girl who wore a swan dress
to the 2001Oscars, mind you.
But as an artist who represents the Kingdom of God to the world,
I'm disheartened.
Not because she said it,
but because when I look at Christianity as portrayed by modern Christians,
I can't say that I disagree with her.

I don't think that many of the presumed Powers-That-Be
in the American Church ™ would disagree with her either,
but I also don't think that they'd be as sad about it as I am.
Square-shaped and without mystery is easy to believe.
Easy to teach.
Easy to control.
You can get a degree in square-shaped and without mystery.
Plus, it satisfies our post-enlightenment arrogance,
as well as our longings for"something beyond".
Perfect. I'll take one.
Can you gift wrap that for me?

But that ain't the Kingdom of God.
There's something fluid and alive about
this Kingdom that Jesus taught.
The character of God is unchanging, immutable.
That is true.
But His means and His methods?
They change.
They suit the situation. They're always of his character,
but the show up in different clothes almost always.

There are those who will shudder and
think that I am espousing Relativism.
I am not.
However, regarding methods, I will say that God spoke
to one man through a burning yet unconsumed bush.
He spoke to another through a animal.
To others through a messenger known only as
"The Word of the LORD"
And to others through dreams.

Regarding his means, I will quote only this:
"The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."
You can't become what you already are
and to become something you must change.
If that is not enough for you, that's fine.
You may have your square-shaped and without mystery.
I won't begrudge you, nor will I debate you.
Blessings to you as you go on your way.

But for those who are on the outside of this Kingdom
- and even to those who are on the inside and don't see it yet-
it is my hope, my dream and in fact, my calling
to tell you about this incredible, mysterious Kingdom
that far exceeds white, male and square-shaped.

I haven't found it's boundaries yet, nor do I think I ever will.
I can't map it or nail it down.
But I've got some pencil scribblings
(so I can erase when I invariably goof)
that I'd love to share with you.
Some of them might be
DEEP and THEOLOGICAL,
but some of them are just
fun, pretty stuff because
The Kingdom
doesn't stop at the church walls.
It's everywhere.
And it's quite amazing.

Since I don't have Bjork in my circle of influence, I may never
have the chance to introduce her to
the Kingdom from which that bastardized version
of Christianity mutated. But I'm thankful to her
for speaking her mind.
It helped me understand something outside myself.
Bless you, Bjork.

And bless you, too, my reader.

Later,
sean