Like most people who love music and art, we understand them as a “voice” or expression of our soul. Art can express and reflect our values. Sometimes, worship music or Christian movies are thought of as separate from other types of art. Is that helpful? And what about Christian media for progressive and LGBTQ people? We address a listener question from our Tumblr on just that topic in today’s episode.

We also queer this week’s text from Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35 which ties beautiful. Psalms were songs, what might they teach us about “worship music” today? We explore the intersection of worship music and protest songs? Songs that empower us and allow us to continue the fight.  This is going to be a very lovely, yet thought-provoking episode which we know you all will love. So stay tuned.

In this episode, we talk about:

• Brian’s life and language learning update [0:35]
• Fr. Shay’s life and church work update [1:59]
• Shoutout to Caryn Saxon who is a long-time supporter and was a guest on the podcast [3:53]
• Tumblr listener question on Christian music and movies [4:22] 
• Warning: Fr. Shay has strong feelings about this topic [5:00]
• Have you heard of a Christian knock-off of the High School Musical? [5:29]
• Art and Christianity: the effects on spirituality [6:40]
• Dixie Chicks’ music and Brian [7:50]
• We queer a text from Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35 [8:53]
• Perhaps a different type of Christian music? [10:55]
• What if hymns were protest songs? [12:40]
• The power of marginalized folks’ voices [13:30]
• “Die Cis Scum” and how it affected Brian [14:54]
• A Broadway musical lyric to bring us home! [16:12]

Name that tune: Contemporary Christian Music Edition

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Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35

Let God rise up;
let his enemies scatter;
let those who hate him
run scared before him!
Like smoke is driven away,
drive them away!
Like wax melting before fire,
let the wicked perish before God!
But let the righteous be glad
and celebrate before God.
Let them rejoice with gladness!
Sing to God! Sing praises to his name!
Exalt the one who rides the clouds!
The Lord is his name.
Celebrate before him!

Father of orphans and defender of widows
is God in his holy habitation.
God settles the lonely in their homes;
he sets prisoners free with happiness,
but the rebellious dwell in a parched land.

When you went forth before your people, God,
when you marched through the wasteland, Selah
the earth shook!
Yes, heaven poured down
before God, the one from Sinai—
before God, the God of Israel!
You showered down abundant rain, God;
when your inheritance grew weary,
you restored it yourself,
and your creatures settled in it.
In your goodness, God,
you provided for the poor.
Sing to God, all kingdoms of the earth!
Sing praises to my Lord. Selah
Sing to the one who rides through heaven,
the most ancient heaven.
Look! God sends forth his voice,
his mighty voice.
Recognize how strong God is!
His majesty extends over Israel;
his strength is in the clouds.
You are awesome, God, in your sanctuaries—
the God of Israel who gives strength and power to his people!

Bless God!

Photo by Jason Rosewell