The sacred connection with music

Till (2010) recognises the importance of music "as a ritual way of understanding and dealing with complex emotions" (p. 168).  However, the term sacred music to me, and many others, still conjures up memories of church sessions when I was a child listening to the congregation chant indecipherable hymns. Hymns are entrenched in the notion of restricted power and access to the holy and sacred only allowing those who understand the language or who have studied them extensively to access the real message within (Till, 2010).


Increasingly individuals are searching for their own connection and turning to music to do so. People are rejecting the set ways of connecting to the sacred that attempt to control (Till, 2010) with music styles, such as Hip Hop, arising from the need to express what groups are experiencing (Sylvan, 2002). "They are living traditions that move and flow along with or reflecting culture and history" (Till, 2010, p. 173). As such it is the actual music that shares the message and has the potential to bring about change (Sylvan, 2002).

Consider artists such as Mackelmore with his recent music hit Same Love or Pink's profound message in Dear Mr President. Whilst their popular status has not been formed upon religious grounds, they challenge ideas of sacred and profane, of right and wrong, that are culturally relevant to the current social, political and religious scene. These musical artists are challenging the notion that sacred is restricted; sacred is now determined by the audience. What speaks to you, or me, or a group of people, that which conveys a powerful message we can connect to, becomes our sacred text.

Through popular culture, people are now able to explore topics related to religion in a way that connects to them and allows them to maintain control over how they view sacred (Till, 2010).




References

Sylvan, R. 2002. Message: Rap music and hip-hop culture (Chapter 6). In Traces of the Spirit: The Religious Dimensions of Popular Music. New York & London: New York University Press. 182 - 213.

Till, R. 2010. Do you believe in rock and roll (Chapter 9). In Scrambling the Sacred and the Profane. 168 - 192. London & New York: Routledge.


Image Source

Antique Cathedral Chapel [Image]. (2010). Retrieved from http://pixabay.com/en/antique-building-cathedral-chapel-2896/


Video Source

Lewis, R. (2012, October 2). Macklemore & Ryan Lewis - Same Love [Video file]. Video posted to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0

Wilkinson, O. (2010, June 11). Pink - Dear Mr President Official Music Video [Video file]. Video posted to  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmMS9XVIa00

Where do our heroes come from?

Jesus in the media. We all have an image of Jesus in our minds, whether we are religious or not. He is a rugged handsome character with long, slightly curly locks and he is a typical white Anglo-Saxon . Where did this representation come from? I was intrigued to read that the white representation of Jesus was initially constructed to convey his brightness and purity (Harvey, 2010). Due to the racial tension experienced all over the world however, this construct was of course considered to be "racially defined" (Harvey, 2010, p. 407).  In Bruce Almighty we see an alternative way of conveying this 'purity and brightness' with Morgan Freeman, acting as God, dressed in a white suit surrounded by a totally white environment. Are either of these representations better than the other?

Whilst Harvey (2010) recognises that people construct Jesus in their own image (whatever race), a list of features has actually been created to examine whether a film character can be considered a “Christ-figure” (Deacy, 2006). One feature in particular highlighted by Deacy (2006) was that character must have blue eyes. For me, this provokes questions when considering films in which the Christ-figure in question is not human.

Matthew McEver argues that sacred religious identities are now represented by the coaches, animals, teachers and a plethora of other characters that we see on our screens (Deacy, 2006).Take for instance the Chronicles of Narnia. Many of us, as children, simply fall in love with the story but parallels have indeed been drawn between Aslan (the lion) and Jesus such as his selfless sacrifice of his own life, his resurrection and many other aspects of the character’s creation. Why is it important that this figure have blue eyes? More importantly I raise the question: how does such a representation impact our opinion or construction of Jesus, if at all?

Deacy (2006) questions what purpose making links between religion and film even serves. In answering this question I feel we must return to the idea I have mentioned previously of personal meaning. In doing so I concur with Deacy (2006) that simply finding a Christ-figure in a movie is of no purpose unless it prompts discussion and challenges viewers to develop a more in-depth understanding of religion and values. If I have no interest whatsoever in Christian beliefs I should still be able to enjoy the Chronicles of Narnia simply as a story. In turn I could also watch the same movie and take some life values (not necessarily religious) away from it. However if it does build on my connection and understanding of religion then why shouldn’t it?


Harvey (2010) argues that in allowing Jesus to be constructed in whatever way one wishes to diminishes Jesus to the equivalent of a personal friend. In modern times Jesus is not only "a Saviour" but "is all things to all people, who is infinitely adaptable, pliable, and merchandisable" (Harvey, 2010, p. 394). In Harvey's view Jesus, the Saviour, is no longer sacred but manipulable into someone likable and just like us. Whatever your view on Jesus being represented through film and TV it cannot be denied that such representations continuously influence the way we see and think about Jesus, God and religion.

References

Deacy, C. 2006. Reflections on the Uncritical Appropriation of Cinematic Christ-Figures: Holy Other or Wholly Inadequate? Journal of Religion and Popular Culture, 13, Summer.

Harvey, P. 2011. Jesus in American Culture. In D. Burkett (Ed.) The Blackwell Companion to Jesus. Sussex, UK: John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Image Source

African Lion [Image]. (2010). Retrieved from http://pixabay.com/en/africa-african-animal-carnivore-2605/

Fog mist [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from http://pixabay.com/en/fog-mist-golden-sunrise-lake-79456/

Video Source

Movieclips. (2011, May 30). Bruce meet God (2003) [Video file]. Video posted to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bjAM2J_D4UY

The journey of 'If Pain Persists'

From the darkness to the light

Using resources, never in spite

Religion, personal stories and pop culture too

Do you hear them speak to you

I see the pain and I see the joy

The playfulness of the little boy

Expressions of defeat cannot be surpassed

I wonder if she ever felt masked

Can you put a worth on inspiration

Your personal meaningful fascination

Ideas of love, ideas of loss

Ideas of desperation and hope seem to cross

Journeys of discovery exposed for all to see

Meanings made will be different between you and me

The journey of If Pain Persists by Linde Ivimey

from the darkness to the light...

Image Source

Ivimey, L. (2013). Ebrius [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.uq.edu.au/news/index.html?article=25374

 Ivimey, L. (2013). St Claver [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.uq.edu.au/news/index.html?article=25374 http://www.uq.edu.au/news/index.html?article=25374

Spirituality in Art

According to Morgan (2007) popular culture has developed a kind of “common language of leisure” which overrides the idea of artistic forms being “true culture” or “profane”. The idea that is referred to by Morgan (2007) of Kandinsky elevating the art of children (considered as marginalised) to an “avant garde” status speaks to me when I consider the art work in Linde Ivimey's If pain persists exhibition. Far from the concept of art moving beyond the human condition and “elevating national taste”, I felt connected to Linde’s art work precisely because it examined the human condition – deceit, despair, love and longing (the list really does go on).

A Self Portrait

If I had the experience of visiting the art gallery by myself, and simply observing the artworks, the meaning, depth and significance of each display would have escaped me. I required some knowledge of Linde’s life – an understanding that her marriage broke down, that she struggled with the fact she could not have children, that her nickname as a child was bunny. These insights into the artist’s life allowed me to build much deeper, richer and rounded meaning of each of the pieces. 

Despite this prior knowledge being almost a necessity for me to be able to interpret the art work I am positive that I took a completely different message away from each piece then the person who looked at it before me did. As Morgan (2007) identifies “meaning is a restless, forever unfinished thing” and as such the meaning and creativity that went into making each work and organising the pieces differed greatly to the response that I had, my peers had and indeed what we would take away from the artwork at a different point in time.

The representation of religion within Linde’s artworks was very different to anything I have come into contact with. These symbols may well be what Elizondo (2005) refers to as the religion of the people. It is not occuring within a church or a structured religious ceremony however the connections and feelings that I developed with the pieces of artwork went far beyond simply admiring the creativity of Linde Ivimey to a much deeper connection with what it means to be alive in today's world. Morgan (2007) argues that religion is not a "fixed essence" within cultural objects and I agree with this view that issues of religion are only intertwined with art when deeper knowledge is held however can occur in any time and any place.   

The four horsemen
Religious identities or playful youngsters?

References

Elizondo, V. 2005. The virgin of Guadalupe as cultural icon. In C. H. Badaracco (Ed.), Quoting God. How Media Shape Ideas about Religion and Culture. 201 - 208. Waco, TX: Baylor University Press.

Morgan, D. 2007. Studying religion and pop culture. In G. Lynch, Ed., Between Sacred and Profane: Researching Religion and Popular Culture. London & New York: I.B. Taurus & Co.


Image Source

Ivimey, L. (2013). The Four Horsemen [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.uq.edu.au/news/index.html?article=25374

Ivimey, L. (2013). Thumper [Image]. Retrieved from http://www.uq.edu.au/news/index.html?article=25374

Mediatization

The subtle (or not so subtle) messages presented by the media influence all those who watch. Viewers simply cannot wait to buy the latest and greatest, and they must have it now. It is not hard to recognise this happening, yet often people allow themselves to give in.

Have you ever thought about the way the media is influencing our cultural practices and beliefs? Hjarvard (2008) identifies that the "mediatization of religion" is part of the "process in which the media have taken over many of the social functions" (p. 10). Would you be as passive if you knew that even our methods of mourning were being influenced by the media?

In fact, Hjarvard (2008) recognises that the media are not only covering religious issues but, through the coverage of different religious topics and organizations, are indeed altering peoples' perceptions of what religion is. When thinking about my own interaction with religion in the media I can recognise the impact that the media has had on my views of particular religious organisations, just the same way as the media can be accused of influencing views of different racial groups.



Meyer (2012) states however that media has always been entwined with religion. When considering sensational forms, Meyer (2012) highlights that different media forms (such as text, visual, auditory - The Bible is one example) are used by different religious groups to evoke a connection to the transcendental and that such sensation forms have been adapted in the past.


Meyer (2012) continues this by stating that "the adoption of modern media allows for the reformation and reactivation of religion in our time" (p. 165). This view is supported by Hjarvard (2008) who recognises that popular culture has a large influence on religion. With internet access readily available, religious topics and views can easily be shared, discussed and debated (Hjarvard, 2008). This global, consumer oriented environment opens the doors for symbols and messages to be transported to an increasingly diverse audience leading to the formation of new religious movements (NRM) (Hjarvard, 2008).

NRM are becoming increasingly common with such movements oriented towards the consumer (Hjarvard, 2008). As such, NRM become a "source of identity and meaningfulness" in a world where individuals are searching for a purpose in life (Hjarvard, 2008). This need comes about as a "shared religious style" offers a stable platform on which to view the world and participate in society (Meyer, 2012). These NRM are considered by Hjarvard (2008) to be Banal religious representations where "both individual faith and collective religious imagination are created and maintained by a series of experiences and representations" (pg. 15). This allows for religious meaning to be made outside of institutionalised religious representations and may just allow for the re-enchantment of the modern world (Hjarvard, 2008).


The mediatization of religion has brought about many changes to religious practices. From facilitating easier access to sacred texts, to influencing our perceptions of what it means to be religious, to promoting NRM the reflect our popular culture (Hjarvard, 2008). The effects of mediatization are occurring continuously and will continue to shift our understandings of religion (Meyer, 2012).



References

Hjarvard, S. 2008. The mediatization of religion: A theory of the media as agents of religious change. Northern Lights, 6(1).

Meyer, B. 2012. Religious sensations: Media, aesthetics, and the study of contemporary religion. In Lynch G. and J. Mitchell with A. Strahan (Eds.), Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader. 159 - 170. London and New York: Routledge.



Image Source

Account card [Image]. (2010). Retrieved from http://pixabay.com/en/account-bank-business-buy-card-1778/

Book [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from http://pixabay.com/en/book-historically-antiquarian-old-92571/

System Network [Image]. (2012). Retrieved from http://pixabay.com/en/system-network-news-personal-71228/

Religion, Spirituality, Media and Me

If my 20 years living in society have taught me anything it is that all humans need to believe in something. There is always a way of thinking that people define themselves by - whether it be because of a fear of the unknown, a sense or experience of something one cannot explain, a way of distancing oneself from such notions, or simply as a way of life. For many years now I have questioned how a spiritual encounter can ultimately lead to once unknown books and rituals becoming law for one person or indeed a group of people.

I have subscribed in part to the idea that each of these choices, the dedication of oneself to a belief, was for a reason. That there was something in the culture of that belief that spoke to the individual and that made the individual have hope that they could develop into a better person. Whilst I have always held on to the hope that belief systems were operated primarily on this basis of improving people’s lives and providing a purpose for doing good, my critical self always questions how something that is so personal can, in a way, be massed produced.


The article Culture Industry Reconsidered by Adorno and Rabinbach (1975) identifies the concept of the “culture industry” which has, for a long time, made me question the interaction between the media and structured religious groups. The “culture industry”, as termed by Adorno and Rabinbach (1975), is the idea that products are in fact “tailored for consumption by masses” (p. 12). Adorno and Rabinbach (1975) recognises the role that the culture industry has in the “development of the consciousness” however questions the quality and intentions behind the social phenomenon of which consumers are considered to be passively engaged (McDannell, 2012). This notion raises concern for me when considering the relationship between media and religion as it indicates that the spiritual importance of religion could easily be overlooked in preference of profit. For me I see this in the Easter and Christmas celebrations each year. There is very little mention of deep religious issues found in media coverage yet chocolate eggs or Santa hats have become a necessity and very much part of the popular culture.

In his chapter, Scrambling the sacred and profane, McDannell (2012) raises the idea that if we look at what religious members do, the culture they engage in everyday, we can see a lessening in the distance between the sacred and profane.  In addition to the idea of Easter eggs this can also be seen in the media coverage of the Pope. Whilst the Pope is still considered sacred, the media positions us to become not so interested in his holy status but in the "red" shoes that he wears. However, is this distorting religion and carefully compiling the story to maximise consumption or is it indeed that we are becoming more interested with the material forms of religious rituals?

Both McDannell (2012) and Adorno and Rabinbach (1975) consider the notion that people want an element of deceit or enchantment that provides an escape from day to day drudgery and highlight that people are more and more turning to popular culture to do this. However, McDannell (2012) turns away from the idea that mass culture is passively consumed to the idea that it is a “contested terrain” that allows “small groups of people to create their own cultural lifestyle” (p. 143). This gives me hope that, whilst the media may twist stories of religion, or in fact choose to exclude them, individuals and societies are not blindly consuming them but they indeed give us the platform to question “the world as it is constructed” (Adorno & Rabinbach, 1975, p. 18).


References

Adorno T and AG Rabinbach. 1975. The Culture Industry Reconsidered. New German Critique. 6, Autumn, 12-19. http://orgnets.cn/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/21-adorno-culture-industry.pdf

McDannell C. 2012. Scrambling the Sacred and the Profane. In Lynch G. and J. Mitchell with A. Strhan. Eds. Religion, Media and Culture: A Reader. 135-146. London & New York: Routledge.


Image Source

Bible [Image]. (2013). Retrieved from http://pixabay.com/en/bible-christianity-holy-book-pages-85815/


Video Source

Geobeats. (2013, February 28). How will Pope's attire change now? [Video file]. Video posted to  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j6yUnweND5c