It has been a little while since I posted to the Rock and Theology blog because I have been working hard to finish a book I am writing on the theology of suffering. Alas, I still have one chapter to finish, but I needed to interrupt my book writing to share with the R/T readers (who may already know this) that Leonard Cohen has announced another world tour for his new album Old Ideas. 2012 summer dates are scheduled for Europe and available at http://www.leonardcohen.com/us/news/leonard-cohen-announces-“old-ideas-world-tour-2012. North American dates for fall 2012 will be released soon. I really cannot express how much you should see Leonard perform, if it is at all possible for you to do so. The experience is entirely edifying.

In writing on the theology of suffering, I became inspired to read the biblical prophets in the original Hebrew. I picked up the language study again and have a gracious and generous orthodox rabbi as my teacher. He not only teaches Hebrew but delves into theology and Judaism at regular intervals. In one class, Rabbi Adler explained the significance of the Hebrew word “e-ved” (Ayin, Bet, Dalet). The word means “slave” but it also means “servant.” Rabbi explained that being a servant of the Lord was the highest goal and driving purpose of Jewish life. During my class, I could not help thinking of track three of Cohen’s Old Ideas, a song called “Show Me the Place.” Here, Cohen refers to himself as slave, singing, “Show me the place where you want your slave to go/Show me the place, I’ve forgotten, I don’t know/Show me the place for my head is bending low/Show me the place where you want your slave to go.” This song suggests to me that Cohen is describing the experience of being an “e-ved” of G-d, of his music, of whatever it is that calls and keeps on calling him. There is something merciful and even liberating in Cohen’s statement of surrender to God, which is a persistent theme in the record. And, I mean this quite seriously, you will see him perform this “servanthood” before your eyes if you go to his show. It’s a ways off, but something to look forward to…

Until then, may it be a blessed Passover and Easter to those who celebrate and a time of deliverance and new life for us all!

-Natalie Weaver