Product Description

Who among us has not experienced hearing a song that moved us deeply, that spoke to us in a truly spiritual way? Millions of fans around the world have found that inspiration in the music of U2, arguably the biggest band in the world today. Now, on the heels of their latest studio album No Line on the Horizon, comes this engaging and informative examination of the spirituality that drives the band and its music. The author, who interviewed the fledgling band on their second U.S. tour, takes us from their upbringing in Ireland, to their dominance over the music scene in the early 1990s, and then to their role as spiritual ambassadors to post-9/11 America. Throughout we get a picture of the spirituality that flows out of U2's music and how their influence has spread beyond music into issues such as AIDS activism, debt relief for developing nations, and the crisis in Darfur.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #7658 in Books
• Published on: 2009-07-22
• Released on: 2009-07-08
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 176 pages

Features

• ISBN13: 9780664232177
• Condition: NEW
• Notes: Brand New from Publisher. No Remainder Mark.
• Click here to view our Condition Guide and Shipping Prices

From Publishers Weekly
U2 may be the most popular rock band in the world, but unlike the Beatles' John Lennon, they never claimed to be bigger than Jesus. The band does, however, engage several Christian themes in its music. Garrett, an English professor at Baylor University, plumbs the U2 catalogue to reveal the group's theological worldview. This is not a far stretch—three of the four band members were involved with a charismatic Christian community in Ireland as the group was starting out. U2 is not the only rock band to address spiritual themes in its music, but as the author adeptly illustrates, it has certainly been one of the most consistent and outspoken. Garrett rightly posits in a chapter about social justice that U2's message encourages listeners to put their faith into action for the sake of the poor and marginalized. The author is clearly a music fan, and his excitement about U2 is contagious. Rock music fans who have ever wondered if their faith and musical taste could ever be paired will be intrigued by U2's story and Garrett's theological analysis of the band's music. (July)
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Review
"If you care at all about the role of music in western Christianity today, you’ll want to read this book." --Phyllis Tickle, author, The Great Emergence – How Christianity Is Changing and Why

About the Author
Greg Garrett is Professor of English at Baylor University and writer in residence at Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. He is the author of The Gospel according to Hollywood; The Gospel Reloaded: Exploring Spirituality and Faith in The Matrix (with Chris Seay); Holy Superheroes! Revised and Expanded Edition: Exploring the Sacred in Comics, Graphic Novels, and Film; and Stories from the Edge: A Theology of Grief. He is a featured blogger for The Christian Century at theotherjesus.com and a frequent media guest on outlets such as National Public Radio, CBS Radio, BBC Radio, and The Bob Edwards Show.

Brian D. McLaren is internationally known speaker and the author of over ten highly acclaimed books on contemporary Christianity, including A New Kind of Christian, A Generous Orthodoxy, and The Secret Message of Jesus.

Customer Reviews

another reason why believers should appreciate U2
I'm not quite done reading this book, but I can tell you it's a MUST read for anyone who has ever been touched by U2's music. You know it's a good book when you feel compelled to pick up a pencil and underline key words and thoughts Garrett puts in front of you. This book is especially meaningful to me as a practicing Episcopalian living and growing in my faith on a daily basis. U2 and books like this have really motivated me to "get up off my knees" and be mindful and responsive to the needs of others.