Facing the Music

Last updated on: November 24, 2014 at 9:48 am by Andrew Marin

Facing the Music 2014-11-24T09:48:51-06:00 Andrew Marin

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Our friend Jennifer Knapp, who put on a special Living in the Tension concert for us back in 2012, has been working on a book, and it’s been out for not-quite 2 months. If you’ve ever been a Knapp fan, you ought to try to pick up a copy of the book when you get the chance. If you need more motivation, here’s this review:

In 1998 I had just discovered I liked to write. I spent hours alone in my room at night writing some of the worst poetry ever committed against the English language, but it was a necessary stage. Much of my creative excitement came from listening to music, just as it does now, except that back then that music was mostly Christian. I gravitated toward the more introspective end of the Christian rock scene, soaking in the moody-but-safe lyrics of Jars of Clay, Sixpence None the Richer, Sarah Masen and others. It was around this time that my CD club (remember CD clubs?) sent me the debut album from a singer-songwriter named Jennifer Knapp.

That first album was titled Kansas, and had a rootsy folk sound with surprisingly honest lyrics for a young female Christian artist at the time. CCM wanted its young women to smile, be very pretty, and be very happy all of the time. Knapp wore grungy clothes and growled out the lyrics on her more aggressive songs. She wrote about doubt and sin and failure, and while pretty, she made no real attempt to match the American church’s image of femininity. I liked her.

“The Bible does well to illuminate and honor the selflessness and forgiveness required to keep love in motion, yet, at times, seems to suggest that God’s love is reserved for only a chosen few. It’s difficult to manage the idea that God only rewards those who do a certain amount of ‘right.’ It’s mystifyingly complicated and alluring to me all the same. Before I became a Christian, and even now, I find myself readily angry that religion is rife with judgments born from facile assessments of good versus evil, but I cannot deny that if it were not for stumbling into this world, I might not be alive today.” – from Facing the Music, page 71

Knapp soared in popularity, headlining her own tours and even temporarily mentoring a brand new Christian artist being groomed for success by her record label – Katy Hudson (Hudson never really made it in CCM, but she changed her name to Katy Perry and did alright for herself elsewhere. Heard of her?). Knapp put out several more albums and then, as quickly as she’d arrived, completely disappeared from the scene in late 2002. Gone. Poof.

Read the rest of the review here, and if you want to go ahead and purchase your own copy (and Christmas gift copies, while you’re at it), click here to support the work of The Marin Foundation with your Amazon purchases.

Much love.

Book Reviews

Faith

Previous Post

November 21, 2014

Transgender Awareness Week

Next Post

November 28, 2014 Living in the Tension Gathering - 12/1/14

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Book Reviews Bridging Opposing Worldviews Culture Don't Drink and Drive Faith Guest Posts I'm Sorry Campaign Interviews Language Laura Statesir LGBT Living in the Tension Living in the Tension Gatherings Love Is an Orientation Love Is an Orientation Blog Love Is an Orientation Book Love Is an Orientation DVD Melinda Guerra Memory My One Sentence Bible Newsletter Our Last Option Parents & Families Politics Quick Quotes Quotes ReEngaging Civility Sexuality Speaking The Marin Foundation Theology Uncategorized Us Versus Us Videos Warren Perry Youth and Campus Ministry

Select a Month June 2016 May 2016 December 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz