When pop culture goes wild

I am a fan of U2. I like their music. Like all good music, theirs touches something intangible inside me. I'll even go so far as to say that I feel a certain spiritual connection to God because of some of the lyrics that have been penned by Bono, Edge, Adam, and Larry.

Now I'll up the ante by saying that, unlike other pop stars with a cause, Bono doesn't drive me crazy with his zeal to save Africa. I'll even go so far as to say that I'm more of a bleeding heart than ever due to his appeals to care for the poor in a faraway land. I might go further by saying that I admire him. He has used the message of Jesus to point out to the Church where we have failed those that Christ came to save and serve.

But, I am grounded enough to know that there is a time and a place to listen and dance to the music of U2, and church isn't it. I know, I know, I'm old fashioned, but I think that the "U2-charist" being celebrated by Episcopalians in the US and Anglicans in Canada and the UK is... well, inappropriate. I would be more harsh, but I think this word sums it up.

When I first heard of this about a year or so ago, it was being used as a way to "reach out" to non-Christians and others that are disaffected by the church. The problem is that efforts by men to make the Gospel "hip" will always fail. The Gospel isn't hip--it's offensive. It steps on toes. It enters those places in our lives that we would rather leave alone and moves stuff around. Sometimes it asks things of us that we find hard to do. As Jesus told Peter, it will "dress you and lead you where you do not want to go."

This service points in a different direction: toward the "if it's relevant to you, then it's relevant" aesthetic that is slowly but surely beginning to poison the minds even of the redeemed. It's also ironic: the Anglican Church started championing this trend partly to raise awareness of the plight of the poor in Africa--all while this same denomination is currently in danger of fracturing its fellowship with its adherents in Africa due to its toleration in the US over the ordination of at least one openly homosexual bishop.

Don't get me wrong, I have read statements by Bono that indicate a genuine faith in Christ, and I think it's a good thing that churches in the West (the USA in particular) become more aware of the poor among us in this world. I applaud churches such as Willow Creek in Chicago that even gave Bono a forum during their leadership conference last year to talk about this important issue. But that isn't worship. Worship is separate--communion in particular. We don't come to the table to celebrate our love of U2, but to celebrate our Savior and His sacrifice for our sins. As much as I love U2, they and their music pales in comparison to Christ. I think Bono would agree.