by John Ellis As a general rule, my wife and I do not share the same musical taste. Over the years, though, we have discovered bands and musicians that we both enjoy. The brilliant singer, musician, and songwriter Rhiannon Giddens sits near the very top of the list of musicians that my wife and I … Continue reading With “Another Wasted Life” Rhiannon Giddens Helps Followers of King Jesus See Injustice (How We Respond Is Up to Us)
Category: Music
Claiming Rock Music is the Devil’s Music Is, In Fact, a Devilish Claim
by John Ellis My pastor, while quoting a Nirvana lyric during a sermon, accidentally got the number of years that have passed since the song’s release wrong, and then looked at me in way that even my non-Nirvana fan wife picked up on. After the service, he made a beeline to me – well, as … Continue reading Claiming Rock Music is the Devil’s Music Is, In Fact, a Devilish Claim
Knowing Requires Listening, But to Whom?
by John Ellis Two of my favorite Facebook follows/friends are Esther Lightcap Meek and Bill Mallonee. Dr. Meek is philosopher who’s thoughtful (thought-provoking) work lives within the boundaries of art. Mallonee is an artist who’s thoughtful (thought-provoking) music lives within the boundaries of philosophy. And both speak into what it means to fruitfully engage the … Continue reading Knowing Requires Listening, But to Whom?
The ‘New Nirvana Song’ Unwittingly Refutes Materialism
by John Ellis “Computers are bad phenomenologists.” Sarah Bakewell[1] Formalism was always doomed. Intriguing as a theory, its very existence disproves itself. As Wayne Booth commented in his introduction to Mikhail Bakhtin’s masterful Problems of Dostoevsky’s Poetics, “Everyone who has pronounced thus boldly for a purified form has been confronted with the scandalous fact that … Continue reading The ‘New Nirvana Song’ Unwittingly Refutes Materialism
My Worst Concert Experience: Art Versus Individualism
by John Ellis Like all good Gen-Xers who grew up in conservative Christianity, U2 is most often the answer to the question of who my favorite band is. To this day, The Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby are two of my favorite albums; on most days, both are in my top-five of all time, if … Continue reading My Worst Concert Experience: Art Versus Individualism
Practically Known Theology 