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Religious Art

2025-09-04T10:27:06-07:00

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.

Is That Jah Way?: Exploring Christian Reggae

Last updated on: September 4, 2025 at 10:27 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

I have been delving into my old musicological roots recently. I had the opportunity to interview some up-and-coming reggae artists, which brought me back to a style I often overlook in my musical history. I took up the question, “Where are the Christian reggae artists?” Knowing the popularity of this genre, I knew there had to be some. My mind went to the few I already knew, which was enough to encourage a deeper investigation of this style and its... Read more

General Christian

Evangelical

2025-08-05T14:22:35-07:00

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.

A Paradox of Faith and Hip Hop in the Work of the Rapper DMX

Last updated on: August 5, 2025 at 2:22 pm By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

The rapper DMX, also known as Earl Simmons, had a controversial Hip-Hop career. Riddled with drug abuse, financial troubles, and violence, DMX continued to seek out grace, forgiveness, and fellowship with the Lord. This attention was met by the two camps in which his music was situated: secular, global Hip Hop, and Christian Hip Hop communities. Along the same lines as Pastor Greg Laurie noted Johnny Cash as being an “Accessible Saint,” DMX can be found in this same perspective.... Read more

General Christian

Evangelical

2025-09-02T04:22:55-07:00

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.

Faith Pops: The Influence of Faith In Today’s Pop Music

Last updated on: September 2, 2025 at 4:22 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

When you see a tagline like this, you know there’s going to be a response coming. “Conservatism is rising. Just look at the music. Tradpop is dominating the charts and reflecting the conservatism of society” (Devika Rao, The Week US, August 21). The article argues for the prominent return of conservative values, based on the inclusion of Christian-centered, Christian-inspired works charting in the Top 40/Top 50 throughout the 2025 summer. Justifying this inclusion in the rise of the current administration, the... Read more

General Christian

Evangelical

music criticism

christian music

christian music critique

2025-07-28T04:28:03-07:00

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.

Silence In The Dark: Exploring the Faith of Ozzy Osborne

Last updated on: July 28, 2025 at 4:28 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

Based on the news from today, Tuesday, July 22, the passing of the legend Ozzy Osborne, I’m going in a different direction with this article. “That statement, attributed to his wife, Sharon Osbourne, and his children Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis, reads, “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love. We ask everyone to... Read more

General Christian

Evangelical

2025-07-21T03:25:33-07:00

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.

Gospel Rap from the Rez: Lil’ Mike and Funny Bone

Last updated on: July 21, 2025 at 3:25 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

The Native American Music Awards (NAMMY) released the list of the 2025 winners. The list illustrated some known artists and others who are up and coming. Native American Music Awards Honors 2025 Winners “The 2025 Native American Music Awards (NAMMAs) took place yesterday, in Niagara Falls, NY, celebrating the best in Native music this year and showcasing a range of Indigenous artists across traditional and contemporary genres” (Native News Online, July 16). One group that stood out is the brother... Read more

General Christian

Evangelical

2025-07-14T00:44:25-07:00

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.

Preaching to the Choir: Coolio’s “Gangster’s Paradise”

Last updated on: July 14, 2025 at 12:44 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

Reviewing the abundance of articles written about the 1995 classic, Gangster’s Paradise by Coolio, there is more attention given to the production, the sample, the history and evolution of Coolio’s career, and the reference to gangster rap. With the opening lyrics quoting Psalm 23:4, it would be an obvious turn to critique the work from a theomusicological perspective. Yet, there is little written with this attention. Following the theomusicological work of Jon Michael Spencer, I propose to offer what... Read more

General Christian

Evangelical

2025-07-04T00:39:02-07:00

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.

Movements for the People: 100 Hoodz and The Whosoevers

Last updated on: July 4, 2025 at 12:39 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

There has been a surge of youth involvement in various ways to articulate a contemporary relationship with the gospel. Two movements happening simultaneously are Sevin’s HOG MOB ministry 100 Hoodz movement and The Whosoever Movement, founded by Ryan Reis and Sonny Sandoval. Taking their evangelistic style to the street and youth, HOG MOB ministry used Christian Hip Hop to articulate their movement, while the Whosoever Movement involves current youth cultural signifiers (ie, alternative rock music and skateboard culture), providing a... Read more

General Christian

Evangelical

contemporary ministry

evangelism

faith based culture

2025-06-23T07:58:42-07:00

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.

The importance of Theomusicology, a Juneteenth Special

Last updated on: June 23, 2025 at 7:58 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

Theomusicology is the musicological study of religious music, including orthodox religious music study, history, and analysis, hymnology study, history, and analysis, and the composition of gospel music. The discipline was set in motion by the dedication of the critical musicologist Jon Michael Spencer. Binding gospel study, analysis, and the application in orthodox, contemporary, revival, and reformist liturgical settings, Jon Michael Spenser addresses how music is used to express gospel truth, its absorption by church audiences, and how pop culture expressions... Read more

General Christian

Evangelical

2025-06-23T07:58:24-07:00

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.

Court of Hip Hop Opinion: Gospel Rap vs. Christian Hip Hop

Last updated on: June 23, 2025 at 7:58 am By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

I took up the thought experiment on the differences in how Christian Hip Hop artists define their work. Progressing down this unexpected rabbit hole, varying labels began to surface. I was aware there would be some separation on how artists working in this subgenre appropriate the term “rap” and the category “Hip Hop.” What research unfolded was the identity formation, ownership of terms, and an undercurrent position of authority in the subgenre. Taking the step to analyze the terminology of... Read more

General Christian

Evangelical

2025-06-02T17:13:56-07:00

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.

Christian Comic Reviewed: Analyzing Themes, Art, and Impact

Last updated on: June 2, 2025 at 5:13 pm By Alan Lechusza Aquallo

Comics. What could be more innocent? Who has not taken a delve into some fantastic world? But can these theatres of the imagination be used to share scripture? What would those look like? How could this medium express the depth and subtlety which scripture deems to communicate? These and similar questions have been taken up by numerous artists who have crafted a wonderland of images founded on telling the stories of the bible. “[U]sing these cartoons to present the Gospel... Read more

General Christian

Evangelical

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