I love his insights, humour and perhaps especially… his humility.

So why did he agree to let his his music be used for a whiskey commercial? Answer: because his dad likes whiskey.

Brené Brown, research professor at the University of Houston, in one of her acclaimed TED talks, makes the point that we live in a culture that tells us there is never enough: that we are not good enough, safe enough, perfect enough or extraordinary enough. And so, much of our lives are lived striving to have “enough”. The result of this striving is that an ordinary life has become synonymous with a meaningless life. We miss out on what is truly important because we are on a quest for what is extraordinary; failing to realize that joy is to be found in the ordinary moments of life. It is these same themes that contribute to the power and beauty of Bon Iver’s Grammy nominated song Holocene.

Bon Iver is the band/project of indie master-craftsman Justin Vernon and if you haven’t listened to his latest album, Bon Iver Bon Iver, you should. (Yes, the weird self-titled repetition is intentional). And if there is just one track to listen to on this incredible album it is Holocene. However, be warned. Holocene, like the rest of the album, is meant to be felt rather than simply listened to. Both the music and language is textured, haunting and evocative; poetry rather than prose; expression rather than idea. It is music that hits you in the gut – calling for an emotional rather than simply a cognitive response.

With Holocene the focus of such response is the repeated line from the chorus, “…and at once I knew I was not magnificent”. Just look at some of the online discussion sites and you will find repeated testimony to listeners being reduced to tears. And this too has been my experience when in the midst of the pressures of my ordinary life, feeling overwhelmed, I have turned to this piece of music for some kind of release. Confessing the inevitable failure of my quest for extraordinariness somehow allows me, like Vernon, to “see for miles, miles, miles”. And in doing so, the joy of the ordinary comes back into view.

And this is exactly what we find in the verses of Holocene which surround this confession. Three verses, each highlighting particular moments in time: the aftermath of drinking too much in Milwaukee; a house at third and Lake burning down; and Christmas with his brother during an ice-storm. The term “Holocene” actually refers to the current geological epoch which began around 12,000 years ago. But it is also a bar in Portland, Oregon. It is in the context of a greater reality that these ordinary moments now take on their real significance. As Vernon states in an interview, “Our lives feel like these epochs, but really we are dust in the wind. But I think there’s a significance in that insignificance…”

For Vernon this is where redemption is to be found – realizing in our lack of extraordinariness that we, and the moments of our lives, are nevertheless worth something; that we are both special and not special at the same time. Rather than run from this sense of vulnerability, it is here according to Brené Brown that we not only find joy, but the birthplace of love, belonging, creativity and faith.

And here is the song… (Note: there is one instance of strong language)…

The other motivating factor is that I have been asked to write a regular column in a new community (Mt Eden) news magazine “The Garden”. It’s edited and published by my good friend David Williams who used to be on faculty at Laidlaw College. This new column will give me the chance to “interpret culture in the light of the bigger human themes” – the sort of stuff I have been trying to, and would want to do, here anyways. So now seems an excellent time for a re-boot… and new title “Four Opinion”.  Fourth Opinion is a word play on the term “Fourth Estate” which refers to ”a societal or political force or institution whose influence is not consistently or officially recognized” …and nowadays most commonly the news media. Rather than news this blog is opinion, and its influence is definitely not consistently or officially recognized.

So… here goes. My next post will be my first column for “The Garden”. Watch this space. And as always… feedback, comments and interaction are most welcome.

I found the final main scene amazing. Walt lies on his back on the ground… in the shape of a cross. The camera focuses in on one of his hands and we see blood trickle onto the ground – flowing down his arms from having been shot numerous times in the chest. The way the movie works it seems as if Walt was going to deal with the wrong-doers by simply seeking revenge – the way of eye-for-an-eye justice. But then we are taken by surprise. Instead of revenge, Walt reaches for a lighter in his inside jacket pocket causing the gang members to think he reaching for a gun, and so they shoot him. With many witnesses looking on evil is exposed – brought into full sight, and as a result the gang members are sent to prison.

Walt lying in the form of the cross, with his blood dripping onto the ground, having given his life for his neighbours totally reminded me of Jesus. I’m not quite sure whether that was intended. But it is a very moving scene: Walt, in the same manner as Jesus, giving his life to expose evil and in doing so gaining victory over evil. Often the death of Jesus is thought of in terms of “paying for our sins” in our place, but there is a strong tradition, with a good biblical basis, which portrays Jesus’ death in terms of “victory over the powers” (Christus Victor). I thought Walt’s death was a great illustration of this kind of purposeful sacrificial death. (By the way, we see a similar kind of sacrificial death exposing evil to have victory over evil in the Robert Redford movie “The Last Castle“.)

I should say that there are important differences between Walt’s death and Jesus death. Perhaps the most significant is that Walt is seeking his own salvation in his sacrificial death. He feels he is somehow gaining his own redemption for some of the things he did during the Korean War. Oh… and the other thing is that Walt does not rise from the dead!

Anyways… well worth the watch.

I had to give 7 main talks and 4 smaller talks. My theme was the Kingdom of God which I presented as God’s revolution in the world.

A quick overview…

The coming of Jesus meant the coming of God’s revolution. Like any revolution there is an “Establishment” which is threatened by the revolution. In Jesus’ particular context the Establishment was, generally speaking,  the religious establishment  represented by the Pharisees and the “teachers of the law.” And Jesus gets into all kinds of trouble because he doesn’t obey the laws of the Establishment. The Establishment are those in power who tells us what is important and what is not important (but not in line with who God is and what he values)…. and this allows judgement – these people are sinners and these people are not (so you cannot hang out with them). This allows for a sense of self-justification – for those who follow the rules. But the rules lead to slavery. Jesus comes and blows away these rules with his message of grace and by showing us what God is really like.

Okay… fine. But what does this mean to around one hundred 15-17 year olds from the west coast of Canada? What is the Establishment in their lives which God’s revolution in Jesus challenges? Who tells them what is important and what is not important? Who tells them how and who to judge? Where do they get their sense of justification from?

Well… I suggested that the Establishment for them was our celebrity-driven consumerist pop culture. And a photo of Paris Hilton was on the video screen as a representative of this Establishment. It is this culture that  tells (or attempts to tell) teenagers what it important and what is  not important, how to judge  – this person is trendy and cool and this person is NOT trendy and cool (so don’t hang out with them). And if you follow the rules of the Establishment you too can feel a sense of self-justification. But ultimately… all this leads to a sense of slavery.

Anyways… that was last week. Today I was kind of taken aback when I read an articles on the BBC website about a girl band who are complaining about not being given air-time on Radio 1. (Full article here)

This should have been a great week for the Dolly Rockers. The “girl band with balls” have just put out their first single, Gold Digger, amidst a flurry of wickedly entertaining TV appearances. But instead of sitting back and watching the cash roll in, the group have called a crisis meeting with their record label.

“Our single didn’t get playlisted on Radio One,” explains 20-year-old Brooke Challinor. “We’re not ashamed to admit it… we’re very nervous.”

It is “crunch time”, admits the band’s blonde Mancunian mouthpiece, and the reason is simple: “It’s because we’re not in the gossip magazines. We’ve made it into the broadsheets because, apparently, we’ve established ourselves as a band with a lot to say. But everything is about celebrity culture now – it doesn’t really matter if you’ve got a valid opinion as long as you’ve got your boobs out.”

Wow…  the Dolly Rockers agree with my take on the establishment!

Their latest single, “Gold Digger” is actually about so-called celebrity culture (the “establishment” of today). Here’s the video with the lyrics below. (Btw, WAG = Wives and Girlfriends of football/soccer players)

Or go to the video here.

So there is a WAG in every mag that you all know
Thinks shes got everything but she ain’t got nothing
Well she was real plain, had no brain and had no dough
But now she can roll in it and watch her boobs grow

All the boys will pay whooa ooow
When shes out for prey if theyre straight or gay
She wont end up alone
All the boys stand still Whooa ooow
If looks could kill they probably will

Chorus
Theres a brand new girl thats going round
turning the boys upside down, Gold Digger
Shes an only child thats been away,
now shes back no-ones safe, Gold Digger

Its all very well if you kiss n tell to get ahead
Fit blokes dont count for much unless they got money
They pay for the glitz and the refurb tits
And turned up nose
Maxes their credit card and then its heave ho

All the boys will pay Waoo-o-o
When shes out for prey if theyre straight or gay
She wont end up alone
All the boys stand still Waoo-o-o
If looks could kill they probably will

Chorus
Theres a brand new girl thats going round
turning the boys upside down, Gold Digger
Shes an only child thats been away,
now shes back no-ones safe, Gold Digger

Stick on nails & plastic hair
Gucci bags and Prada shoes
Girl goes clubbing every night
Get a fright when light comes on

Dj …. Gold Digger

In referred to Copploa’s new movie “Tetro” Michael Posner says the following…

(Coppola is) also interested in the gap that separates artistic and intellectual achievement from human compassion. “I’ve learned that in my life,” he says. “Great genius does not always translate into generosity and bigness of spirit. Picaso, for example. Mean to his kids.” Other examples abound, from Jean-Jaques Rousseau to Bertolt Brecht, from Richard Wagner to Ernest Hemmingway – all, at the human level, monsters of a kind. Culture, he says, cannot save you.

One of my chats was with Dave Wells who teaches courses on youth ministry. Later that day he was teaching and class and sent me a link to video he was going to play at the beginning of the class “ for no reason other than I just found it and I think it is genius.”

I think it’s genius as well!!! It’s by John Bulter.

The weekend before we left Canada Ruth and I (plus our two daughters) “attended” two fairly popular “cultural” events which made me think about the latent need for communal ritual and connection which still resides within our post-Christian culture.

The first event was the Vancouver Folk Festival. This was the less significant of the two events. But nevertheless it was a very “social” gathering that brought together a thousands of people who otherwise wouldn’t have spent much time together. To be honest, we didn’t actually attend the Festival. We just sat on the Jericho beach and enjoyed the sun go down over the Vancouver mountains. From this position just outside the festival perimeter fence we were still able to hear the bands that played – most especially The Proclaimers.

The second event was the next night. A friend of ours was house-sitting in Yaletown(yuppie downtown Vancouver). She invited us over for a picnic dinner and mentioned that there seemed to be something going on in the park opposite her apartment. So we went downtown and had our picnic in the park. When we arrived there was probably 200-300 there – most of them seated on the ground on picnic blankets of chairs. And there was a huge outdoor cinema screen. It was about 7.15pm and we found out that a movie was going to be shown at 9.30pm. What kind of movie would attracted so many people hours before the start time. Surprisingly it was to be “Ghostbusters“. By 9.25pm there was probably around 1000 people. I couldn’t believe it! What would bring so many people out to watch a 20 year old movie that people could easy watch on their DVD players at home? And what would make people turn up 2 hours before the start? What would bring this diversity of of people – ages, ethnic groups, etc together? Was there some yearning for some kind of communal experience which drew all these people together? A shared emotional experience which is more than the sum of a series of individual experiences?  

Years ago I guess “church” would have meet this need – diverse people coming together to experience something beyond themselves in the context of our shared humanity. But now, instead of going to church done this happens at a public park in downtown Vancouver on a Saturday night while watching “Ghostbuster”! I find this totally amazing!

At the end of the “service” the credits give us time to reflect and pause on what we have just seen/experienced. It gives us a a pause before we rush back into “normal” everyday life.

From another angle, it also gives us a chance to honour all the people who have helped in putting the movie together. From this point of view, to sit through the credits and acknowledge the names is an act of respect.

Usually there a couple of songs that play during the credits and these songs can play an important role in the experience of “benediction” – often summing up the “feeling” of the movie or sending the people who a specific sense of what has just been experienced.

So… just as no-one at church would thinking about walking out the middle of the benediction, it seems strange to walk out of a movie while the credits are still rolling. It’s not just something tagged on at the end – it’s part of the “whole” experience. But yet, in our consumer driven culture, there is little time for rest and reflection and there is so much peer pressure to leave after the main “consumable” action has been consumed.

Anyways… all of this came to mind at the end of the credits for “Away We Go” (see my previous post). Perhaps only six out of a congregation of 100 stayed for the benediction… but it was well worth holding out.

The music/score was such a key part of the movie. There was a mixture between some classic well known songs (from the likes of George Harrison, The Stranglers, The Velvet Underground and Bob Dylan) and songs from Alexi Murdoch – a London-born, Scottish bred, indie-acoustic musician who has made huge ways with his music but has refused to sign with a majot music label. His music has been used on countless mainstream American TV shows.

As the credits role we were treated to another two “soft warm blanket” Alexi Murdoch tunes. And it was totally benedictory. As I sat there, with all the emotion (laughter and tears) from this movie about this idealistic couple searching for “home” without any real idea of what they were looking for, I heard ”Orange Sky” – a song sung from the perspective of someone returning “home” realizing that their “salvation” lies in receiving the love of the family members who they have somehow turned their backs on – kind of like the Prodigal in the story of the Prodigal son who returns home to experience the embrace of his Father.

The lines of the repeated chorus were particularly poignant and as I heard them I heard the confession of the Christian…

My salvation is in your love.

What an amazing benediction – and all those who had left didn’t get the chance to savour it. As for me, once again I was in tears.

Here’s the song with the full words below. Listen for all the “Prodigal Son” references. Enjoy.

Well I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
Yes I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
With my brother standing by
With my brother standing by
I said brother, you know you know
It’s a long road we’ve been walking on
Brother you know it is, you know it is
Such a long road we’ve been walking on

And I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
With my sister standing by
With my sister standing by
I said sister, here is what I know now
Here is what I know now
Goes like this
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, in your love, in your love

But sister you know I’m so weary
And you know sister
My hearts been broken
Sometimes, sometimes
My mind is too strong to carry on
Too strong to carry on

When I am alone
When I’ve thrown off the weight of this crazy stone
When I’ve lost all care for the things I own
That’s when I miss you, that’s when I miss you, that’s when I miss you
You who are my home
You who are my home
And here is what I know now
Here is what I know now
Goes like this
In your love, my salvation lies
In your love, my salvation lies (etc)
In your love, in your love, in your love

Well I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
Yes I had a dream
I stood beneath an orange sky
With my brother and my sister standing by

The night before (Saturday) Karis and Alana, our two daughters were on a sleepover, so Ruth and I had the chance to have a date night. So we went to the movies and saw “Away We Go”.

Here’s how I opened my sermon…

“Away We Go a movie about a couple (Burt and Verona) traveling across the US in search of the best place to raise their family. And… on their journey they meet a variety of sad, tragic and embarrassing friends and family.

It’s a movie that has got a lot of mixed reviews, but… I have to say we really liked it. I don’t think I have literally cried so much and laughed so much during one movie. The crying was partly because there was something that resonated in me… watching this idealistic couple journey together through life and wondering where they should call home.

 And in the movie we find that both of Verona’s parents died when she was 22… and this was obviously a huge loss for her. In fact, she refuses to marry Burt, because she will not be able to have her parents at the wedding. We also find that this loss is very hard for her to talk about. And in a conversation with here sister we find that they still haven’t sold their parents home. It’s something in the past that she doesn’t want to face, but… but it obviously affects how she lives in the present.

 And one of the things tjat is really neat about the movie is that… in the end, Burt and Verona decide that they should return to Verona’s parents place and settle there. And so at the end of the movie Verona finds that in order to find a sense of home, she actually has to return home… even though it will be a very painful process and and will mean she will have to deal with grief which she has kept beneath the surface.

 And so as I came away from the movie I thought about Jacob, and his returning home. And an event in his life which means he must face up to the past, and deal, not so much with his hurt and grief, but the hurt and grief that he has caused others through his scheming and manipulating. Returning home for many of us is a difficult thing… but it’s often something we need to do in order to find ourselves and enter into the difficult work of our own growth.”

Ultimately, the “home” that we need to return to is the embrace of God the Father. That is the place that we find ourselves “wandering” to find even though we might not know it. But there is so much that we keep us from returning home. Mainly, I think, the pain it causes us to face up to who we really are, our failures, our sin, our need, our hurts, our inner lostness. And even when we take steps towards home, most of us take these steps tentatively…. unsure… perhaps a bit afraid of what will happen. Like Adam and Eve, most of prefer to remain in hiding than return home.