Contemporary Christian music

Contemporary Christian Music (or CCM) is a somewhat outdated term originally used in the 1970s to describe a new form of pop/rock music that was lyrically based in the Christian faith. This music had its roots in "Jesus Music", which sprung from the hippie Jesus Movement of the early 70s. Artists such as 2nd Chapter of Acts, Love Song, Barry McGuire, and Larry Norman were making folky pop music about their faith in Jesus Christ.

Views

There are several different attitudes regarding the subject of Christians in popular music, but these can be generalized into four groups: the separatist, purist, spiritually reflective, and incidental positions. http://www.surefish.co.uk/culture/features/141004_xian_music_fair_question.htm

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The Separatist Position

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This position states that Christians should not be listening to or making pop/rock music at all. Many that embrace this argument trace rock's roots to Satanism, and claim that any association with it is wrong. Jimmy Swaggart, a famous televangelist and CCM oppositionist, summed up this view when he said that "so-called Christian rock... is a diabolical force undermining Christianity from within... I turn on my television set. I see a young lady who goes under the guise of being a Christian, known all over the nation, dressed in skin-tight leather pants, shaking and wiggling her hips to the beat and rhythm of the music as the strobe lights beat their patterns across the stage and the band plays the contemporary rock sound which cannot be differentiated from songs by the Grateful Dead, the Beatles, or anyone else. And you may try to tell me this is of God and that it is leading people to Christ, but I know better." http://www.videonics.com/articles/TV-QUOTES.html

Related Topics:
Rock's - Satanism - Jimmy Swaggart

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In this view, Christians should use music as a tool of spreading the gospel of Christ to others. Steve Camp, a CCM musician and advocate of this view, states that "Those of us who are privileged to represent our Lord Jesus Christ in the arts should be galvanized by mission, not by ambition; by mandate, not by accolades; by love for the Master, not by the allurements of this world. Is there justified concern that Contemporary Christian Music has abandoned its original calling from the Lord, left the Biblical standard for ministry and has failed to remain accountable to the local church? I believe it so." http://a1m.org/page.php?page=template7.php&pageid=88ded2e3b8bddb9235de87f641e12322 Those in this group may also point to the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther who said "I am not of the opinion that all arts are to be cast down and destroyed on account of the Gospel, as some fanatics protest. On the other hand, I would gladly see all arts, especially music, in the service of Him who has given and created them. Why should the devil have all the good music?" http://chi.gospelcom.net/GLIMPSEF/Glimpses/glmps154.shtml

Related Topics:
Steve Camp - Martin Luther

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The Spiritually Reflective Position

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This position states that Christians should embrace pop and rock music more as an art form than a preaching tool.

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Journalist Lev Eakins explains that artists in this camp "sometimes produce songs that have no anchor in anything vaguely spiritual, and instead create their art simply because they are artists and that's what they are compelled to do. What separates these artists from the incidental definition is that their own spirituality acts as the main (but not exclusive) engine for their work, fuelling their desire to continue expressing themselves." http://www.surefish.co.uk/culture/features/141004_xian_music_fair_question.htm T-Bone Burnett, a Christian musician and producer, summed up this view well when he said that "You can sing about the Light, or you can sing about what you see because of the Light. I prefer the latter"

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http://www.jesusjournal.com/jj_culture/music/music_burnett.html. Many artists who hold this view experience frustrations with the CCM industry for a lack of originality, creativity, and depth; in fact, some have cut ties with the industry altogether (e.g. Sam (Leslie) Phillips), questioning the need for a separate Christian music "ghetto".

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The Incidental Position

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This position holds that the artists' intent is irrelevant. In other words, Christians can find beauty and truth in certain music, regardless of the author's intent or spiritual stance. An example of this is Jeff Buckley's cover version of "Hallelujah" (originally written and recorded by Jewish singer Leonard Cohen), a song that resonates with many Christians but was sung by an artist not normally associated with the CCM industry. Eakins explains that music of this sort "is allied to no spiritual or Christian tradition and may form its inspiration from any source. Where as the purist or spiritually reflective positions have inspiration in God, any Christian music produced from the incidental position is precisely that, incidentally created." http://www.surefish.co.uk/culture/features/141004_xian_music_fair_question.htm

Related Topics:
Jeff Buckley - Cover version - Jewish - Leonard Cohen

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