Sounding Sacred

It is widely known that Jesus was a spiritual leader and a political revolutionary. What is less appreciated is that Jesus was (and remains) a celebrity, a superstar. How does the fame of Jesus affect his theological and political messages of love and forgiveness? Do people stalk Jesus like they stalk celebrities? How different is Jesus from Britney Spears? How can musicals help us respond to these questions?

The music of popular culture expands our horizon for interpreting religions and opens up possibilities for new ways of “Sounding Sacred.” Let’s explore the varied ways that religion intersects with the varieties of popular music, ranging from teen-pop and dance to punk, hip-hop, metal, country, psytrance, dubstep, and so much more.