The Passion. The Gibson film. We have a DVD for review. By someone who is happy to do it if we get it to them by the weekend and they do the review by Monday. Any takers?
Cheers,
Stephen
Stephen Webb wrote:
Greg Crawford wrote:
Like many others I saw the coverage of Peter Costello's appearance at a HillsongConference recently. What I found interesting was the analysis by David Millikanof the sociology of the religion exemplified by Hillsong. It was of a religionthat endorses the materialism and capitalism of an upwardly mobile youngermiddle class, and has little to say about issues of social justice.
Leaving aside the issue of politicians trying to exploit religion for their ownpurposes, I wonder, does Hillsong typify the Christianity of the youngergenerations in Australia? That is, lots of contemporary music, but theology asdeep as a rock pool at low tide and everything you wanted to make you feelcomfortable about being materialistic and remaining silent on issues of socialjustice.
Hillsong is, I believe, a branch of the Christian City Church - a Pentecostaldenomination that believes that being a Christian is of necessity a two-stageprocess where one first becomes a believer and then later has a second, decisiveexperience of the Holy Spirit, necessarily indicated by speaking in tongues.Most churches of this denomination hide their denominational identity by"trading under" some other name. It's all very much North American-stylePentecostalism. Hillsong has been a prolific supplier of contemporary Christianmusic, but most of it in my experience is even shallower than the proverbialrock pool.
What worries me more is the possibility that this is not just the thinking of anisolated sect, but a general characterisation of the majority of youngergeneration Christians. Is it so? And have I done Hillsong an injustice above?
I did not see the program myself (I rarely watch TV) but had an incident today that has a bearing on it. I was in my local Post Office and the lady behind the counter -- about 50, not a church-goer, though the Uniting Church is the one she stays away from -- said to me, "Did you see that thing on TV about Hillsong?" and we began to discuss it briefly.
Her comment was that it frightened her. When I asked why she said something along the lines that "all those young people being sucked in [that was her _expression_] and, when you look at them, they all have toothpaste smiles and starry eyes like they were hypnotisded or something! What is happening to our young people?"
I find myself feeling ambivalent about this. It is certainly true that the prosperity "gospel" seems to appeal to (apparently) huge numbers of young people and that is worrying. But this lady in the PO is indicative to me of another huge number of people, possibly the majority of non-church-going Australians, who have a well-developed ability to smell a phoney.
Over the years a number of red-hot American Gospel bashers have come and gone through Australia, from Moody back in the middle of the last century right through the son of Billy Graham (whose first name I have forgotten, or perhaps repressed). They create quite a stir amongst a certain type of religious people in Australia and perhaps get a few column inches in the media. But when they have gone the good old laconic Aussie attitude just soldiers on in the same old way, largely unruffled. It is a feature of this country that really appeals to me. I must admit to occasional twinges of fear when instances like Hillsong arise, but basically I feel optimistic about the ability of my fellow country men and women to reject phoneys!
-- Tom.
--Stephen Webb Media Officer Communications Unit NSW Synod, Uniting Church in Australia Box A2178, Sydney South, NSW 1235, Australia email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: +61 2 8267 4308; Mobile: 0423 259 945; Fax: 9267 4716; Web: nsw.uca.org.au/cu/ & insights.uca.org.au/ ------------------ The Communications Unit publishes the monthly magazine Insights, conducts public relations for the NSW Synod of the Uniting Church, and provides a variety of communications services. These include writing, editing, web consultation and development, desktop publishing and graphic design, public relations and advertising. For a consultation or free estimate on your project call the Communications Unit at (02) 8267 4307.
-- Stephen Webb Media Officer Communications Unit NSW Synod, Uniting Church in Australia Box A2178, Sydney South, NSW 1235, Australia email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Phone: +61 2 8267 4308; Mobile: 0423 259 945; Fax: 9267 4716; Web: nsw.uca.org.au/cu/ & insights.uca.org.au/ ------------------ The Communications Unit publishes the monthly magazine Insights, conducts public relations for the NSW Synod of the Uniting Church, and provides a variety of communications services. These include writing, editing, web consultation and development, desktop publishing and graphic design, public relations and advertising. For a consultation or free estimate on your project call the Communications Unit at (02) 8267 4307.
