The Master Musician - John Michael Talbot

Our life in God illustrated through the crafting and playing of an instrument

The Master Musician: Meditations on Jesus

Author: John Michael Talbot

Publisher: InterVarsity Press (Originally published by Zondervan - 1992)

Pages: 95

Of all that John Michael Talbot has written, The Master Musician draws more from his experience and education in music more than any other work. It makes me want to listen again to this master musician, whose careful craftsmanship is evident in his many albums.

Don’t get me wrong. This is not primarily about music. It’s more of a means to illustrate our life in God. It’s a book that few, if any, other than Talbot could write. His command of the subject, coupled with his devotional life, and simple, concise wording makes it unique.

He summarizes it as follows: “The work is divided into three main sections: God’s grace, our human response and life in the church. The first is likened unto the crafting of a fine guitar by the Master Musician. The second, into our learning how to play under the Master’s instruction. The third, unto learning how to play with others in the symphony orchestra or band” (5).

Like Jesus, and the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15, Talbot continually follows a principle found in Scripture; first the natural, then the spiritual. The craftsman’s choice of wood for a guitar is but one of many examples: “Some knots are permissible and even desirable. Some craftsman and musicians think that knots add character to the instrument. Knots keep it from appearing artificial and sterile, more like a plastic computerized copy of the real thing. The same is true of our lives. Many of us still have knots in our lives. We are far from perfect. Perfection is not required—only the willingness to submit to the hand of the Master. He and he alone will craft us into a thing of beauty. He even uses the things that the world considers flawed to bring forth his perfection” (11-12). This kind of gentle wisdom is found on every page.

This use of symbolism is primary, but its repeated use may be tiring to some readers. It’s also quite basic, but I believe in the power of fundamental truths; not just expressed but lived-out. Perhaps that’s why this is termed a “meditation.” It can be read quickly, but that is obviously not the author’s intent. It’s only when I started to read this again that I more fully appreciated these life-changing, foundational thoughts.

I also enjoyed asides like the following: “Music is everywhere—in the home, the car, the office and the high-rise elevator. It is even in the church. Yet there seems so little real and lasting beauty in any of it … so little to uplift the soul. It has reflected the chaos and inhumanity of our culture well, but it has done little to change our culture for the better. The music of our modern world is little or nothing like the music of the Master” (23).

I appreciate John Michael Talbot because he not only recognizes where we are as a culture, but in his own way is changing it for the better. His many songs and even his writings are a reflection of the music of the Master. 

Fool’s Talk: Recovering the Art of Christian Persuasion - Os Guinness

It will never be enough to win an argument if we lose people. 

Fool’s Talk: Recovering the Art of Christian Persuasion

Author: Os Guinness

Publisher: IVP Books (www.ivpress.com)

Pages: 267

C. S. Lewis. Francis Schaeffer. Josh McDowell. When Christ took hold of me these individuals were highly influential in the world of evangelical apologetics. The latter is a term used to describe the task of defending the faith, particularly against the attacks of those who seek to undermine it. One example from this time period is Evidence that Demands a Verdict, a bestseller that is an astonishing array of factual and historical analysis, even if it isn’t highly readable.

In Fool’s Talk Os Guinness argues that apologetics can no longer be the same. Today, someone like Roger Waters (co-founder and principal lyricist of Pink Floyd) proclaims himself a radical atheist. The new atheists are not marginalized. They brazenly write best-selling books, give their lectures on college campuses and gain the attention of mainstream media.

It’s not enough in response to present facts, proclaim the truth and win arguments. This book is all about becoming winsome. The subtitle says it all. This subject has never been more of a necessity, since so many have little or no interest in listening to what Christians have to say.

Guinness is masterful in every aspect of where we are today and what we need to do. I cannot imagine a better book on the subject being released this year.

This is not a presentation of facts to be learned but an approach to be made. If the heart of apologetics is the heart of the apologist, this covers all the bases. The author consistently gets it right on every topic.

A favorite response to the anatomy of unbelief, which is covered quite extensively, is a strategy used by G. K. Chesterton known as “table turning.” “This strategy turns on the fact that all arguments cut both ways. It therefore proceeds by taking people seriously in terms of what they say they believe and disbelieve, and then pushing them toward the consequences of their unbelief. The strategy assumes that if the Christian faith is true, their unbelief is not finally true, and they cannot fully be true to it. At some point the falseness shows through, and at that moment they will experience extreme cognitive dissonance, so that it is no longer in their best interest to continue to persist in believing what they believed until then. When they reach this point, they are facing up to their dilemma, and they will be open to rethinking their position in a profound way” (109).

I wonder if someone like Roger Waters is aware of all the consequences of his belief. Has he ever considered the logical outcomes? He may be aware that believing “A” implies “B, C, D,” but what happens when you get further down the line.

I appreciate the fact that Christians can believe “A” and suffer no loss of integrity in the consequences that follow. Christ is the Alpha and Omega. From A to Z there is no breakdown in truth.

To be sure this is a strategy from the negative side, but there is also a broadly positive one called “signal triggering.” “This strategy proceeds by making people aware of their human longings and desires, and what these passions point to. These are longings and desires that are innate and buried in their lives. In particular, the strategy draws their attention to what have been called the ‘signals of transcendence’ that are embedded in their normal, daily experience. These are indicators that grow out of very positive experiences and, like beeping signals, puncture their present beliefs and point beyond them toward what would need to be true if these signals are to lead to a fulfilling destination” (109-110).

Does this rely too much on strategies and techniques? “The lost art of Christian persuasion certainly includes a method, but a method that is overwhelmed and utterly lost in the message that shapes it and the Master whom it serves. In other words, whatever little of apologetics is method must come from our experience of God and his love, his truth and his beauty, which are the heart of faith” (45). All that is said must come from and lead to love and the One who is love.

I respect Roger Waters for his accomplishments. The music that he helped create has been part of the soundtrack of my life. I would to God that he becomes as I am in relation to faith. Never have I found anything that makes better sense of life. Nor have I ever found greater peace and love. That’s not to say that I can comprehend or explain all the incongruities of life, even in my own experience. But I’ve come to trust One who is more real than the air I breathe. 

Anyone interested in apologetics and evangelism—the two cannot be divorced—will be well-served by this book. It shows how to be persuasive and so much more. It will never be enough to win an argument if we lose people.  

God With Us - Laura Story

“Let us find our rest in Thee”

God With Us

Artist: Laura Story (www.laurastorymusic.com)

Label: Fair Trade Services

Length: 10 songs/41 minutes

I could not help being interested in God With Us by Laura Story. I like Christmas music, and secondly, anyone who can write songs like “Indescribable” and “Mighty to Save” gets my attention. Plus, I know that her faith has been tested in the furnace of affliction. Her husband, Martin, was diagnosed early in their marriage with a brain tumor and their lives have never been the same. It’s not that they are worse off. It’s more like broken but better and that carries over into her ministry, making it all the more appealing.  

God With Us is Story’s first Christmas album. This includes “Emmanuel,” which was previously released in 2008. Story lists Amy Grant as a favorite for Christmas music, so it’s not surprising that this incorporates a variety of styles including an orchestra and choir on some tracks.

Like many Christmas releases there is a mix between classics and new songs. In this case, all are spiritually-oriented, which makes sense given that Story has become an established artist in the worship genre. Several tracks are along those lines, and the material here can stand alongside the best of it.

An interesting hybrid of old and new is “Come Thou Long Expected Jesus.” A chorus has been added to the classic text and the music is similar to what you hear in congregations that employ modern worship. This third track gives us the first taste of orchestration, which complements but never overwhelms. It’s almost like an introduction to a couple of later songs that are highly orchestrated. The latter may be a bit much for those who favor contemporary sounds and can live without the strings and such.

And yet one of them, “Behold the Lamb of God,” an Andrew Peterson song, though heavy with orchestration, is a beautiful duet with Brandon Heath. This is a definite highlight.

Another notable collaboration and highlight is “O Come All Ye Faithful,” where Steven Curtis Chapman harmonizes on the vocals. This has a roots rock-like feel with banjo and handclaps. It’s a joyful sound. It may be my favorite.

It took me a few listens to appreciate the a cappella version of “O Come O Come Emmanuel.” I’m not sure that I like how the choir backs the lead vocal in the first part.  Not employing instruments makes the opening on the next track, “Emmanuel,” all the more powerful.

Perhaps the most gorgeous moment comes after an instrumental overture, when Story opens “I Lift My Eyes” by softly singing, “I lift my eyes to the hills/Where does my help come from?” This is an orchestrated track but in this quiet moment she is just accompanied by piano. It’s a lovely lead up to the last song.

“Silent Night” is little more than Story and an acoustic guitar, but it’s one of the best songs.

If you collect Christmas albums, and even if you don’t, this is worth having. It succeeds in being modern but incorporating ancient elements. For those who favor spiritual substance, there is plenty here. 

The Burning Edge of Dawn - Andrew Peterson

Gracious Uncertainty

The Burning Edge of Dawn

Artist: Andrew Peterson (www.andrew-peterson.com)

Label: Centricity Music

Length: 10 tracks/38:12 minutes

If you like literate expressions of faith, The Burning Edge of Dawn by Andrew Peterson is one of the best you will find on record. I’m not being literal with regard to the latter. Unfortunately, the album is not available on vinyl.

Striking lines abound. One of my favorites comes in a dream sequence from the opening “The Dark Before the Dawn,”

I had a dream that I was waking

At the burning edge of dawn

And I could finally believe

The King had loved me all along

Why is it such a struggle to believe that last line?

What moves me about this release is the grace through which Peterson walks the line between certainty and uncertainty. In “We Will Survive,” Peterson addresses his wife,

Oh, Jamie, I’m all alone out here

And all I need to know is in the wind

And now I don’t recognize a thing

I need a brand new song to sing

In my Utmost for His Highest, Oswald Chambers speaks of this graciousness of uncertainty, “We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God” (April 29^th). In the preceding verses, Peterson conveys something similar. We may be shaken and not know what lies ahead, but we can be sure of God. As Chamber puts it, we can be certain in our uncertainty.

Peterson’s willingness to share doubt and weakness makes it easier for those who struggle to relate. In the same song, which is 10 out of 10, he goes on to say,

So tell me the story I still need to hear

Tell me we’re gonna make it out alive again

I need to know there’s nothing left to fear

There’s nothing left to hide

So look me in the eye

And say we will survive

Peterson has the humility to ask for reassurance since the outcome is unknown. When he sings “tell me the story I still need to hear” it speaks to me of our ongoing need of grace. We need to be continually reminded of the truths of the gospel.

Peterson’s unpredictability in verse is intriguing, but this track had me before Peterson even uttered a word. It starts with the beautiful notes of a hammered dulcimer. You can hear it elsewhere, but not as prominently as here.

“The Rain Keeps Falling,” inspired by the Luci Shaw poem, “Forecast,” is almost alarming.

I’m so tired of this game, of these songs, of the road

I’m already ashamed of the line I just wrote

But it’s true, and it feels like I can’t sing a note

And the rain keeps falling down

You will never hear a song like this at a health and wealth conference, but that’s a pity because it’s rich in authenticity. “And the rain keeps falling” is a repeated refrain, which is a metaphor for the relentlessness of trouble. In the middle of this storm, Ellie Holcombe sings a counter refrain, “Peace, be still.”

Towards the end, though the words reflect desperation, I find comfort in the object of their desire,

I just want to be new again

I just want to be closer to you again

Lord, I can’t find a song

I’m so tired and I’m always so wrong

Help me brave tonight

Jesus, please help me out of this cave tonight

Musically, Peterson has been heavier—this might be described as acoustic pop/rock—but he has never sounded better. This is one of the best albums of the year.

Old Testament Theology, Volume One: Israel’s Gospel - John Goldingay

The First Testament is good news that has not been heard

Old Testament Theology, Volume One: Israel’s Gospel

Author: John Goldingay

Publisher: IVP Academic (www.ivpress.com)

Pages: 940

This is the first (originally published 2003) of three volumes on the Old Testament. The “first volume amounts to a theological commentary on the Old Testament story” (Preface). It does not focus on the contents of the “law,” the Prophets and the poetic books.

The author confines his study to the books of the Old Testament. He makes occasional references to other Jewish writings but does not treat them as a source for stating Old Testament theology.

“Old Testament theology attempts not merely to describe the faith implied by the Old Testament but to reflect on it analytically, critically and constructively” (17). Goldingay defines the task as seeing “what greater whole can encompass the diversity within the Old Testament” (17).

I appreciate the author’s point of view that it’s “wise to keep closer to the Old Testament’s own categories of thought in order to give it more opportunity to speak its own insights rather than assimilating it to Christian categories” (18). In other words, he avoids reading Christian meanings into the text. It thus provides an opportunity to know what a text might have meant to the original author and recipients. New Testament writers may make a different application, but that doesn’t mean it did not have an important meaning in its original context. Where the two testaments differ, Goldingay sees it as an opportunity for Christians to learn something.

Further on, along the same line of thought, Goldingay writes, “Only when people have learned to take the Old Testament really seriously can they be entrusted with the story of Jesus, as Dietrich Bonhoeffer more or less argued” (21). The author’s perspective is that the Old Testament is good news that has not been heard. Goldingay’s aim in this volume “is to discuss the Old Testament’s own theological content and implications, working with the assumption that the Old Testament is Act I to the New Testament’s Act II (or Acts I-IX to the New Testament’s Act X!)” (26). Therefore, he prefers to call it the First Testament.

This first volume treats “the Old Testament as the story of God’s relationship with the world and Israel” (28). Goldingay’s telling of it is masterful. It’s a little like reading it for the first time. His scholarly exegesis continually surprises and even puzzles.

An example of the latter is the idea of God gaining knowledge through the process of discovery. “Stories about Babel and about Abraham (Gen 11; 18; 22) will concretely show God taking steps to come to know things. They will again show that God has extraordinary knowledge, but will incorporate no declaration that Yhwh is omniscient, and preclude that by the way they portray God acting so as to discover things: ‘I will go down to see whether they have acted altogether in accordance with the cry that came to me. If not, I will know’ (Gen 18:21) … Talk of God acting to find something out is anthropomorphism, but like talk of God having a change of mind or loving or speaking, such anthropomorphisms presumably tell us something true about God’s relationship with the world” (137). Further, he adds, “In dialogue with Greek thinking, Christian tradition let God’s possession of supernatural knowledge turn into God’s possession of all knowledge” (137). Give him credit for being faithful to what the Scriptures seem to say, but what are the implications. Is God, therefore, not all-knowing? Would other scholars support this interpretation?

Right or wrong, when Goldingay is provocative it can lead to closer examination. What does the text actually say?  Christian tradition can read potentially suspect meanings into a passage. What is commonly called the “Fall” is one example. “In Christian tradition the ‘sin’ of Adam and Eve thus brings about the ‘Fall’ of the human race” (144). The author sees the story as “more about loss than one about a fall: about loss of innocence, loss of relationship, loss of possibilities, loss of life” (144).

He continues this elaborate discussion by discussing the advantages and disadvantages of the term. Though it might seem just a matter of word usage, it shows the author’s commitment to being precise and accurate. Although sometimes the attempt to differentiate may leave a reader slightly confused about what the author means. The book doesn’t provide the luxury of clarifying questions as in a classroom setting.

Overall, I find his discussion praiseworthy like when he reviews the union of divine beings and humans in Genesis 6. He carefully avoids the kind of wild speculation that sells popular books. He is not interested in going beyond what is clearly stated in Scripture.

For me the Creation part of the story was interesting but not as compelling as it is for the stories that follow. This is not a commentary, but because of its comprehensiveness and the extensive Scripture index in the back, it can serve as one. It’s a first-class textbook and excellent companion for making sense of the Old Testament on its own terms.  

No Longer My Own - Cheri Keaggy

Refined faith makes for a mature perspective

No Longer My Own

Artist: Cheri Keaggy (www.cherikeaggy.com)

Label: Independent

Length: 11 tracks/44 minutes

Cheri Keaggy’s faith has been tested since her Charlie Peacock-produced debut, Child of the Father (1994). That opened with the soaring, worshipful “Make My Life an Altar.” Keaggy opens No Longer My Own with questioning, “What would You have me to write/What would you have me to tell the world/What could I possibly say/How can I possibly change the way things are …” The music jogs along with a sober assessment of the pain and evil in the world.

“Overcome” truly speaks to our time, reminding us that God is here and that nothing escapes his notice. There is no need to fear. This is not a naïve view; it’s an honest look informed by the reality of God. It’s this perspective, which you find throughout, that makes this rewarding.

In the next song Keaggy sings, “It was good for me to be afflicted that I might learn your decrees.” This is a line from Psalm 119:71. The lyrics follow the pattern of the psalm by extolling the virtues of Scripture. The shuffling rhythm builds in intensity while Keaggy describes what the Word accomplishes.

Whereas some past efforts could fall into the praise and worship category, this goes deeper with thoughtful musings on a variety of subjects. These songs are not designed for congregational singing and that’s fine because I enjoy the reflections, whether serious or lighthearted.

The most startling is “Be My Sabbath.” “If faith without works is dead, I need to die for a day or a very long weekend.” It’s maximum angst with a gritty sound. It expresses a desire to cease from striving and have God as your source.

This song has the heaviest-sounding guitar work; most tracks are keyboard-driven. My guess is that the majority came into being through the piano. They are mostly mid-tempo songs. I wondered if the guitar playing was her uncle, Phil Keaggy, who makes guest appearances on her releases.

I discovered that he is responsible for the joyful ukulele sounds on “Whatever is True (Phil. 4:8).” It’s the primary instrumentation. In the last stanza she applies the list of attributes from the verse to Christ.

“I Love Your Company” is a beautiful picture of a parent’s love for a child. It made me think of God’s love for His children, how He longs for them to abide. The melody is like a gentle caress.

I hear longing in “Jesus, One and Only.” It’s just Keaggy playing a simple tune on the piano while she intimately expresses her desire for God’s comfort.

This closes with Annie J. Flint’s “He Giveth More Grace,” which leads into part of “I Surrender All.” It includes a uillean pipe, the national bagpipe of Ireland. Some may recognize this hymn from the lines of the first stanza:

                He giveth more grace as our burdens grow greater,

                He sendeth more strength as our labors increase;

                To added afflictions He addeth His mercy,

                To multiplied trials He multiplies peace.

Choices like this are indicative of the maturity found on this release.    

Ancient Christian Texts: Commentary on John (Volume 2) – Cyril of Alexander

Key early text defends the Christian faith

Ancient Christian Texts: Commentary on John (Volume 2) – Cyril of Alexander

Translator and author of introduction: David R. Maxwell

Editor: Joel C. Elowsky

Publisher: IVP Academic

Pages: 394

Cyril of Alexandria’s commentary on John challenges me in a way never intended. As the translator notes in his introduction, “Cyril’s literary style is complex and wordy. His sentences are lengthy, full of interlocking clauses, and his vocabulary can be unusual, even idiosyncratic” (xx). I confess to struggling with the drawn-out ideas.

I recognize that at times I was too tired when I sat down to read. In addition, Cyril wrote this to be a reference. Commentaries like this one are not designed for casual reading.

The translator in his introduction provides helpful advice in how readers can enter Cyril’s world of thought, which covers John 8-21. Volume 1 covers the first seven chapters of the gospel. In short, passive reading is not recommended.

One thought that helps me is that Cyril is engaging in “doctrinal explanation” and “he clearly employs the Gospel of John to refute the arguments of the Arians, Jews and pagans” (xvii). He equips his readers to answer their arguments.

He strongly defends the divinity of Christ and is careful to use precise language, “When we say that the Son and the Father are ‘one,’ we do not confuse the individuals who are numerically distinct, like some who say that the Father and the Son are the same person. Rather, we believe that the Father subsists on his own, and the two come together into one identity of substance” (77). He glorifies God by continually defining the members of the Trinity.

A point of view that differs from more recent reference works is just one aspect that makes this and the related volumes valuable. Cyril frequently looks at a passage from more than one angle, which helps to clarify the possible meanings.

One example is the beginning of John 9, where the disciples asked Jesus who sinned, the man born blind or his parents. The answer, of course, is that neither of them sinned. In explaining the passage, Cyril makes reference to an Old Testament passage that refers to God visiting “the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation.” He then describes the distorted view of some, who thought of God as bearing grudges and being severely wrathful. He suggests what it might mean for God to visit sins upon the third and fourth generations. In the end he justifies his view that the meaning of this passage does not contradict the idea of God being long-suffering and abundant in mercy.

The way Cyril uses Scripture to interpret Scripture and his tendency like others at that time to “interpret a given text in light of the overall sweep of God’s salvation” (xxii) is something to watch and enjoy. The latter differs from the emphasis today of discovering the original intent by looking at surrounding verses and historical context. Cyril does not ignore this; for him it’s step toward the goal of defining how a passage fits into the oikonomia, the technical term used for God’s plan of redemption. He repeatedly uses this word, which shows the centrality of it to his exposition.

This makes 12 volumes in the Ancient Christian Texts series, with five more projected. The related Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture, differs in that you have multiple sources in one volume. Here you get a key early text that shaped the thought of Christians.