This semester I am teaching an intro to theology course and I decided to use music as a resource to demonstrate concepts and develop discussions.  While I have utilized film clips and other resources for this purpose in the past, this is the first time I decided to bring music into the classroom.  I have a personal passion for music and I thought it would be an interesting method to bring theological concepts to light.  In addition, because the course is required and rarely taken out of interest, I thought it would be a good way to grab attention.  What I found was that the use of music was a major success and created an atmosphere where students were excited to participate and gained a better grasp of the course material.

My course was structured by themes.  I began each new section with a song that conveyed the theological concept we were focusing on.  For instance, when discussing the topic of sin and evil I utilized the follow clip of the video of “Katrina Klap” by Mos Def:

When discussing social justice and personal responsibility I played the song “Dive In” by the Dave Matthews Band:

The discussions that spawned from this tactic were incredibly fruitful.  It created a communal experience for the students increasing dialogue.  Because the students were comfortable with the music being utilized, they were more confident in their own abilities and were empowered to engage critically in discussions.  In addition, because the music utilized was viewed as part of their culture, the students felt ownership of the material and were committed to their learning process.

Towards the end of the course, I welcomed the students to participate in this method by presenting a theological concept through a favorite song as a final project within groups.  Their enthusiasm was incredible as were the projects.  The students were excited to engage in the work and the entire class, myself included, took away a very positive learning experience.   After this course, I will continue to utilize music in the classroom and highly recommend it as a resource.

I am writing to recommend a collection of interviews with rock, jazz and world musicians called Innerviews: Music Without Borders by Anil Prasad.  I love reading and listening to/watching interviews with musicians, especially when the interviewer has done his/her homework and knows what to ask and how to ask it in a way that encourages the musician to reflect deeply.  Anil Prasad is this kind of interviewer.

Bassist Victor Wooten, who wrote the Foreword to the book, explained how Anil Prasad surprised him with his intelligent questions and the way in which he asked them– “The interview got better and better as it went along.  Anil asked insightful questions that allowed me to speak about music and life as I see them.  He listened intently to my answers and seemed to really care about what I was saying.  That made me feel comfortable and allowed me to open up and feel free with my replies.”  Mr. Prasad seems to practice his craft similar to the way a great therapist or spiritual director would—two occupations that require the kind of active listening and true openness to the other that Mr. Wooten describes.

One theme among many that I noticed in several of the interviews is the connection between spirituality and the creative process in music.  Jon Anderson, Bjork, Ani DiFranco, Michael Hedges, and David Sylvian all delve into this relationship when discussing their songwriting with Prasad.  Here’s an excerpt of Prasad’s interview with DiFranco:

Does spirituality play a role in your music?

(Ani DiFranco):  “Sure, but being an atheist, I don’t think in terms of God or higher beings.  Music is my church.  It’s my way of uplifting myself and giving love to others….There are moments when I’m playing when I’m physically transported out of my body in the way other people achieve through meditation and other spiritual practices.”

Here’s an excerpt of his interview with Bjork:

(Bjork): “I don’t think music is a religious thing.  I think it’s generalizing too much to say that.  But I can definitely say that I feel making and listening to music are spiritual experiences for me.”

David Sylvian, from the group Japan, does not use the word “spirituality” but his description of the healing power of music is arresting:

“I think music can potentially give a listener a safe haven to open up to themselves.  Music can be a healing place.  It’s not a physical space, but music can sometimes envelop listeners and allow them to delve into emotions they don’t feel safe to explore elsewhere.  In the embrace of music, they can open up, breathe deeply into these emotions, be they celebratory, sad or melancholy, and just ride with them.  I think music has such a potent, healing capacity.”

What could rock interviews teach us about a spirituality or a theology of the creative process in music?  This is a question that I believe is worth exploring.  Whether or not a musician identifies as belonging to a formal religious congregation, many experience creating music as “spiritual”-or, involving something transcendent.   I once read an interview with Prince where he explained that he did not know how certain of his songs were written—they seemed to have been given to him by someone or something—and he was simply playing the role of recipient and bearer of the song.  I wonder if that higher power is expecting royalties?!

David Nantais

Detroit, MI