Reflections of a Jazz Theologian

Whatever It Takes: Geoffrey Canada's Quest to Change Harlem and America

What do you do when...

...poverty remains the dividing line between success and failure in this country?

...politicians argue over the causes of poverty--one side blames structures, the other, people?

...the achievement gap between poor and middle-class children is evident before the age of two?

..."by the age, welfare children, have heard 10 million words addressed to them, on average, and [middle-class] children would have heard more than 30 million"

...by the age of three middle class children have heard 500,000 encouragements and 80,000 discourgements, and the ratio is reversed for children of poverty?

What do you do?   You do Whatever It Takes!

"Whatever It Takes:  Geoffrey Canada's Quest to Change Harlem and America," is a must read for anyone who wants understand why's behind poverty and the hope that is being discovered in Harlem.  When Canada asked, "What would it take to change the lives of poor children?" The answer:  The Harlem Children's Zone, a ninety-seven-block area of potential and willingness to do what has never been done on behalf of the poor.

 

Click below to hear what President Obama had to say about the Harlem Children's Zone.

The Book of Eli

If you like the book of Judges (you know, that Old Testament book replete with swords, sexual assault, gore and God) then you'll love the Book of Eli.  Denzel Washington's latest is a journey into the future to a time when the world as we know it has all but ceased.  

This movie works on so many levels:  Plenty of action, the last Bible in the world to be saved, a man trying to be faithful to God's voice and no gratuitous nudity.  Though the latter can't be said when it comes to the language of this rated R movie.  After seeing it, my wife and I tried to figure out how we could take our kids for the message while at the same time shield them from the features that earned the rating (no solution has presented itself as of yet).  The moral is good and the ending was worth the wait--it's basically a Christian movie that Christians should be making more of if we are going to reach our culture but we don't because of reasons mentioned above.

Followers of Jesus have a lot to learn from the Book of Eli when it comes to living in post/pre-Christian America.  One lesson comes from how Denzel's character interacts with people who have never read the book--specifically a young lady named Solara.  We do not live in a day where Bibles are scarce (quite the opposite, they are so plentiful we can give them away for free) but in the lives of many people that we interact with the scriptures might as well be extinct.  Eli, leads with the ministry of prayer rather than the ministry of the word and the result is a desire to be a follower on the part of Solara.  An approach we might consider utilizing more.

Which leads me to my final point.  Given the fact that many today will never crack a Bible we need to figure out ways to plant the seeds of the Gospel in places where people are looking with the hopes of fruit in the future.  Carl Ellis calls this, "Cultural Seeding."  Ellis writes, "What we need is an injection of the Biblical worldview into our culture...Simple, basic, fundamental truth must be planted in our culture before the fruit of the gospel can ripen."  That is exactly what this movie does and what bELIvers need to become competent at in all spheres, be it movie-making or mothering.  Ultimately, this is the task of the jazz theologian as it requires a deep understanding syncopation & improvisation.  This movie will reach people in places that no pastor can go...people will turn back to God because of it.

(click below to see a Denzel Washington speak about the Bible and spirituality in Hollywood)

Jesus on Death Row by Mark Osler

I just read Mark Osler's Jesus on Death Row:  The Trial of Jesus and American Capital Punishment.  It's worth your time for two reasons.  One, anything that reminds us of what our Savior did for our salvation will only serve to draw us nearer to our most merciful God.  Two, seeing Jesus as a death row inmate forces us to ask whether or not we are loving the least of these in our midst.  It is on this latter point that this book provides much fodder for debate.  As Osler writes, "The more we focus on that story of Jesus, the more the idea of capital punishment becomes troubling." (p4)

Osler says that the, "example of Christ is but one of a number of reasons that the death penalty is not compatible with the Christian faith."  He then reminds us of what Jesus did when he was asked about the death penalty in regards to the woman caught in adultery.

In John 8, Jesus was asked to opine on a lawful execution that was about to occur.  There was no suggestion that the defendant was innocent, or that the crime was minor by the standards of the day.  Jesus did not shrug his shoulders, summarily conclude that the death penalty was necessary or approved in the Old Testament, and walk away.

Rather, he challenged the gathered crowd:  A person without sin should cast the first stone of the stoning.  Famously no one did.  They did not have the moral authority to execute another person even when human law called for it.  Could his teaching be anymore clearer?  Jesus came upon the death penalty, about to be conducted and stopped it.  Imagine if he had come upon an abortion about to be committed and condemned it--I don't doubt that many would take that as an unambiguous moral statement.  (pp4-5)

Whether we support the death penalty or not, I believe we have to wrestle with concepts presented in this book if we are going to seek justice AND mercy in our world.  On the one had we have to take into account the rights of victims while living in a nation that now has a track record of sentencing innocent people to death row.

You can interact with Professor Osler at his blog Osler's Razor.

Some Parts are Not for Sharing--An essential little book

As parents we are always looking for little ways to teach big lessons.  Julie Federico has provided such a tool. Some Parts are Not for Sharing, is a simple little book to teach children about boundaries with their bodies.  I showed it our kids a few months ago and then just left it laying around the house. Each of our children, in their own way, have spent time with its important message.  Some read it as part of their school homework and others just for fun.  If you have children this book is worth having.  I know Julie personally...she wrote this book out of a sense of call to protect our children.

Some Parts are not for Sharing...check it out!

Freddie Hubbard dead at 70--RIP

Freddie Hubbard died today...

The Faith of Barack Obama

Book Review of Stephen Mansfield's The Faith Of Barack Obama--written for UrbanFaith.com

I started reading Stephen Mansfield’s The Faith of Barack Obama mostly out of curiosity. I knew Mansfield had previously written The Faith of George W. Bush, a sympathetic religious biography of the 43^rd president, so I wasn’t sure what his approach would be to a political figure who lands decidedly on the other end of the ideological spectrum. However, I must confess, though I started the book out of curiosity, I continued with it out of necessity. As he did with Bush, Mansfield offers a genuinely objective overview of Obama’s faith journey and how it might give clues about the way he will govern. But what largely drew my interest were the insights the book reveals about embracing Christianity in today’s society. For anyone who wants to wrestle with the issues of faith in a postmodern context, this book is a must-read.  

Mansfield writes:

Religiously, the majority of America’s young are postmodern, which means they do faith like jazz—informal, eclectic, and often without theme.

Thelonious Monk--Live at the It Club

I'm really enjoying listening to Thelonious Monk's Live at the "IT" Club.  Recorded in 1964 at the once famous LA club it features Monk on piano, Charlie Rouse on Tenor Sax, Larry Gales plays bass and Ben Riley on drums.  While I've listened to Monk occasionally this is the first time that I've spent significant time taking in his talent.  I love live albums because you get to hear the interaction of the crowd, clanking glasses and the mistakes as well.  This is a two disc set and well worth the time and money.  If your building your jazz music library, this is a keeper.

Remember that I (and you can) make album suggestions by clicking on the "Building your jazz music collection" page in the right hand column under "Info. Pages."

Quantum of Solace

Hmmm...at first I didn't like the new James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.  After all, where were all the gadgets.  But then I thought about the title.

Quantum:  the smallest amount.

Solace:  Peace

Isn't that what the world is searching for?  Why can't 007 try and find it as well? 

E.S.T...R.I.P.

The Esbjorn Svensson Trio, E.S.T., recently released their latest and last album.  Sadly, pianist Esbjorn Svensson, died earlier this year in a diving accident.

E.S.T. has been on the cutting edge of jazz since their breakthrough in the late 90's.  Their sound was unique and they were mesmerizing to watch.  Who would have thought that a trio from Sweden would sell out rock venues playing jazz to throngs of fans?

I'm currently listening to Leucocyte, the last recording of the trio together.  It is vintage E.S.T. full of energy and space, frenzy and peace.  If you're and E.S.T lover it's worth having just because it's their last album.  If you've not familiar with them, Leucocyte, is a good place to start even though it is the end.

(Update to this post:   I was driving with some of my kids in the car listening to one of the songs on Leucocyte, when one of my daughters yelled out, "Dad, what's wrong with the radio?  It sounds like it is broken!"  It was then that I realized that I needed to update this post.  If you're into E.S.T then you'll want to get their latest release.  In part because you like their music but mostly for sentimental reasons.  If you've never listened to this group then you'll want to get one of their earlier albums first, before you work your way up to this one.  Now that I've listened to it all the way through a few times I'm realizing that it's a bit ethereal.)