Do Christian Music Festivals Make You Want to Switch Religions?
I’m not a fan of Christian festivals, music or otherwise. Unfortunate things can happen when large numbers of Christians gather in one place and get amped up. Take the Crusades, for example.
If a disaster like the latter doesn’t break out, then we face the possibility that a Christian festival will devolve into a scene at which precious things like fine art, theology, worship and good taste will be savagely bludgeoned.
I have been to one or two Christian music festivals that made me want to switch religions.
Yes, I’m being snarky and critical in a tongue in cheek way. I have friends that would say that God met them in a meaningful way at a Christian festival at some juncture in their past, but I have spoken with a great number that share my experience of leaving these productions feeling bereft and anxious that we’ve participated in the trivialization of the Holy.
This past weekend however, I went to the Greenbelt Festival in England and I not only left feeling full to the brim, I departed feeling hopeful and warmed anew towards my tribe.
Here is my Top Ten List of Things I Loved about the Greenbelt Festival. See if the vision and ethos of the event I describe resonates with you.
1. It was roughly 20,000 very diverse people–infants, octogenarians, an inspiring group of mentally challenged people from a L’Arche community, black folk, white folk, gay people, straight people, wheelchair-bound people, conservatives, liberals, atheists, seekers, believers, charismatic’s, passionately Reformed folks, Eastern Orthodox clergy, Roman Catholic monks; not to mention people from who knows how many countries.
2. An atmosphere of hospitality to all of the people mentioned above that would have made St Benedict proud.
3. A challenging, provocative, intellectually muscular army of speakers, artists and performers, with very few “A-list Christian celebrities” meant to draw the masses. People like Duke theologian Stanley Hauerwas, Father Laurence Freeman, Fr Richard Rohr, Maggi Dawn, Mark Yaconelli, Gareth Higgins, Eliacin Rosario-Cruz, Iona community leader John Bell (who gave a message on pedophilia and child abuse in the church that was gripping), Palestinian Christian Sami Awad speaking on Gaza, among many, many other world class presenters. Interestingly, Greenbelt does not pay speaker or artist fees beyond travel expenses for those with no means, but few ever turn down an invitation.
4. Music, dance, theater, film, live performance art, and comedians, of unusually high quality.
5. An atmosphere of whimsy, mischief, surprise and self-deprecation. The moment I arrived, friends rushed me to a Beer and Hymn Sing in a tent with 1,000 people hoisting mugs in the air and shouting choruses of classics from All Creatures of Our God and King to How Great Thou Art until they’d lost their voices. I’ve never heard hymns sung with such conviction.
6. A culture that valued unity over uniformity. I felt an unspoken commitment on everyone’s part to civil and respectful discourse, even when a person passionately disagreed with another person’s perspective. There was also a spirit of humble openness to having one’s own assumptions interrogated, and perhaps recalibrated. No yelling, no demonizing, no hurtful dismissing of other people. Would that this were true here at home.
7. Food vendors from around the world, a commitment to responsible environmental stewardship onsite; surprising examples of excellence in details everywhere you looked (I went in a port-a-potty and found a vase of freshly cut lilies. That’s novel.)
8. An environment in which even an introvert can’t go home without a pocket stuffed with the contact info of new friends.
9. A tented exhibition center stuffed with information booths and displays representing every kind of type of social justice organization or kingdom initiative imaginable—many of which I’d never seen or heard of before.
10. Throughout the day and night all over the campus, there are countless opportunities to worship and pray in both experimental and traditional styles. (BTW try not to tear up when participating in an outdoor Eucharistic service with well over 10,000 people or watching a group of L’Arche members acting out the account of the Samaritan woman).
Could I say more? Yes, but my new friend and blog guru Michael Hyatt will chastise me for writing more than 250 words in a post and I’m way past that number.
So to finish: Around 18 months ago a group of highly capable people who I know and trust, asked me if I would be on the Founding Board of an American festival to be modeled after Greenbelt and held in June of 2011, dubbed the Wild Goose Festival. I’m returning from my first Greenbelt convinced that American Christians, followers of Jesus, or whatever it is we self-consciously call ourselves these days, really need this potentially culture changing event.
In a national climate that is increasingly religiously, politically and socioeconomically contentious and polarized, we need a container where people of faith can really listen to one another, disagree without demonizing the other; where we are challenged to leave the echo chamber of our own theological silos where we only hear the like-minded ideas of our peers rather than hear new voices; a place to dance, laugh and sing with each other, and leave determined to stay in the struggle to “conspire goodness” together.
Wouldn’t it be cool if Jesus’ friends could show the Left and the Right what redemptive generosity and hospitality towards others looked like, instead of participating in the polemic of hatred that dominates the secular media? Why are we allowing them to dictate the field we play on?
The first Wild Goose Festival is scheduled for June of 2011. A wild array of speakers and artists has already committed to participate (for free!). The exact dates, location, price, and a major call for volunteers will be announced when the website goes live in the next few weeks.
“O Lord, make haste to help us.” (The Book of Common Prayer)
57 Responses to “Do Christian Music Festivals Make You Want to Switch Religions?”
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Jesus, My Father, The CIA, and Me
“When I first discovered the grainy picture in my mother’s desk—me as a towheaded two year old sitting in what I remember was a salmon-orange-stained lifeboat—I was overwhelmed by the feeling that the boy in the boat was not waving and laughing at the
it was great to see you again, Ian! so glad you enjoyed Greenbelt, and all the best with your plans for Wild Goose.
Lovely to see you, Maggi. I wish it was far more often!
Sounds really good.I have never been to a festival because with a bad back I couldnt manage the crowds.I play the flute,if you ever want a flautist please let me know! Thanks
Hi Maria, we will do everything we can to make the festival accessible to all. I’ll let you know about the flute bit!
You are allowed to occasionally pass the 500-word limit, especially if the content is great (like this post)!
Seriously, you have whetted my appetite. I’d like to try and go next year!
Phew, I am absolved by the acknowledged master of the blogoshpere for my “word salad.” Seriously let’s put together a group from the Franklin Campus and go. You’ll be encouraged.
Great post Ian. I’m sad to say that I had not even heard of the Greenbelt Festival, nor have I ever been to a full-blown music festival of any kind, but this is one I certainly would love to attend. And you’ve sparked my curiosity for the Wild Goose. Humm … Thanks for giving us your top 10. Let the adventure continue.
You get one Boo! for the snarky remark. Do we really need that comparison. Why not throw in the Inquisition?
“when large numbers of Christians gather in one place and get amped up. Take the Crusades, for example”
A better comparison would have been a Sarah Palin Rally.
The rest you get a YEAH! for.
OK, I’ll take back my remark about the Crusades, but only if you take back yours about the Sarah Palin Rally!
Cheers!
I’ve never been to a Christian music festival but you’ve definitely made me curious about the Wild Goose.
If it can be characterized by what you have described, I’m in!
Hi Jeff,
We will definitely need A LOT of help getting this off the ground. Our first few festivals will definitely be smaller as we want to start by making sure quality is high and the grow at a reasonable pace. Keep an eye out for the website and you’ll learn more about how not only to be “in” but an essential part of it.
Sounds like a blast! If the Wild Goose Festival is close enough, I might like to attend. I love the diversity you describe. And I would love it if we could more often disagree with respect, intstead of hatred. Looking forward to more details.
Re: Michael Hyatt (who I love to follow) I did only skim the first sentence or so of each point to get the point!
Hi Kathy, I’m going to tell Mike about your comment. He’ll appreciate it! We will need a million volunteers, so please join the team when the call goes out.
That’s a wonderful summary of what makes Greenbelt so very special. Thank you for travelling so far, thank you for “getting” what we’re about – and many blessings on Wild Goose when it comes.
Hi Kathryn, many thanks for your hospitality, the double rainbow on Friday, and for the English countryside. Wow!
I share your list for ten of the many things that made Greenbelt amaze me as well Ian. In planning the American equivalent please don’t miss out on the comedy. If you can find suitable artists who will do the stand up you will add a dimension of laughter, irreverance, and fun to proceedings. Laugher is a great source of healing for the wounded heart.
That’s a great reminder, Martin. There really were some very funny comedians on site. Few things reduce the ego to proper size like a good laugh at ourselves. Cheers!
Spot on, Ian. I think you captured the essence of Greenbelt perfectly in this post. There is something so special about that weekend which just allows you to see a glimpse of desperately needed unity in an often divided and fractious church. Love it.
Thanks, Andy. It really gave me a picture of something we might do to help change the nature of the conversation about faith and life in America. Blessings!
Thanks for this reflection on Greenbelt. I never realized just how diverse it was as my friends who go all tend to be on the very liberal and experimental side of the spectrum.
Thanks Lindsey. I really like listening to the diversity of views because it forces me out of my lazy, “just stay at home” theological provincialism.
I love this post, Ian. I heard about it from Mike Hyatt on Twitter.
I am all for changing the conversation. It really needs to happen in many different areas.
Hi Tina,
Great! Keep watching my twitters and posts. As soon as the Wild Goose Festival has its website up I’ll let people know.
Cheers
You’ve just summed up why I keep going to Greenbelt year after year even with all the queuing to get my children in to the Children’s festival and so missing things! Many blessings with your adventure across the pond.
Hi Nathalie,
Thanks for the good wishes towards our efforts to replicate something like greenbelt in the USA. We really want the Children’s festival to be as enjoyable for them as the rest of the festival is for their parents.
I have been to several Christian music festivals over the years (including one this Summer) and it’s always been a good experience. Perhaps it’s what you take with you which determines the outcome.
Ian! Great thoughts and true. I really have enjoyed GB in the past. I like the creative synergy an openess that is fostered in the relationships that are created. I tend to be skeptical with festivals, but GB does restore my faith!! Let me know about the Wild Goose Festival…keep in touch bro!
and I was hoping to shout out the date and location of Wild Goose! Can’t wait until I can announce it too!
Blessings with the planning efforts!
Hi Randy,
It won’t be long. We’ll send out a big blast.
Cheers,
Ian
Concur heartly with the report above. Although a senior citizen who gets very tired, I returned home from Greenbelt very happy and very refreshed. As a liberal, radical, progressive, as well as an evangelical Baptist Christian, I feel well at ease. My subversive titles always sell at G-books like hot cakes. Nowhere else that I know of are they so welcomed.
Thanks John. Glad to know that even in my golden years Greenbelt will still work for me!
i can’t think of a single christian music festival i attended where i can honestly say i enjoyed the music. sad, i know.
Hi John,
We heard wonderful music of every kind at Greenbelt. I’m confident we will have good tune at the Wild Goose but it will not be the standard fare or the most important part of the festival. Should be cool.
Oh this makes me so happy! I just happen to find this link on one of my old YL kids face book. You just never know where you will run into someone! Blessing friend
Hi Wanda! I am so glad to hear from you!
I would LOVE to attend something like this. It seems like something that could go over big in the Pacific Northwest, like Seattle, or, I don’t know, Portland.
Hint.
Hint.
Well, you might have to do some traveling, but I think it will be worth it!
As a long-time Greenbelter (and festival volunteer) very glad to hear you enjoyed it so much. I’m really looking forward to watching Wild Goose develop having looked for (and not found) anything similar in the US.
One correction, though, while Greenbelt isn’t a festival anyone would appear at purely for the money and no-one’s going to get rich speaking at it, it does pay quite a few of those appearing and offers expenses to a lot more.
A really good summing up of what greenbelt is for me too! I’ve been going for about 30
years even taking my daughters when they were small! Wish I could come over but I will let my friends over there know about it!
Thanks, Dot. That’s another thing that impressed me. I met a good number of people who had been going to Greenbelt since its beginning in the erly 7-’s. Lots of loyalty.
Great summary – at Wild Goose don’t forget the childrens festival aspect, we get to look after 800-1000 children for the weekend to allow parents and caters to attend the talks etc. My kids (now 12 & 10) have been going since they were babes in arms to them, and I quote, Greenbelt is “like coming home for 5 days every year”
Btw I live in the UK but work in the USA so I’m also up for attending both!
Excellent point, Andy. I was amazed at the number of strollers and little ones I saw running around. Greenbelt really has a family feel to it. One of the Wild Goose board members, Joy Wallis, has a passion for this area. She spent a god bit of time in the kids area talking with volunteers and watching the operation.
As I live in Canada and July and August are the most expensive times to fly to England, I’d never been to Greenbelt. However, many of my friends in the UK go and they always rave about it. So I enjoyed reading this.
Glad to hear there may be a North American variant starting up soon. Ian, if you’re involved with it, could I make a north-of-the-49th-parallel plea? Please make it truly North American, not just American. I think we on this continent share some issues and perspectives, but in other areas we are very different (years ago I stopped subscribing to a particular American Christian journal because of its obsession with American politics). And depending on where it’s held, I’d love to come and not feel I had to ‘translate’ absolutely everything to my Canadian cultural context.
Hi Tim–this is incredibly important. I sent your comment on to the whole board and they responded similarly to me. Please hold our feet to the fire on this, OK?
Wonderfully refreshing Ian. Hell I wish I was there. Must say I too avoid Christian music festivals like the plaque. This gives me hope. Thanks for a great post.
Thanks Don. Glad when anything brings hope.
Best wishes for the wild goose festival. Oh minor correction you’ve promoted john bell
, he works for the iona community but isn’t the leader ( a common mistake among Greenbelt types due to john’s high profile)
Thanks so much for the correction re John bell. Thought he was wonderful!
[...] Ian Morgan Cron: I not only left feeling full to the brim, I departed feeling hopeful and warmed anew towards my tribe. [...]
Cheers!
One of the things I miss most about having emigrated to the States over 8 years ago is Greenbelt. My favourite year was when Brennan Manning came to speak, Lies Damned Lies did a fantastic set in a tent, Compline with the Benedictine Monks, Iain Archer etc etc. All the very very best for the Wild Goose festival – can’t wait to hear when and where!
just googled: is there a US equivalent to greenbelt?
and now i know. hallelujah!
Loved this post – just sad that I’m just now reading it. Hope the Wild Goose Festival was a hit. Will we be hearing about it here?
Raising a mug and a hearty hymn refrain…Cheers!
Bri. Me too. I wish I would have heard about this sooner. We should plan on going next year!
Wild Goose was a big hit. It was last week and reviews of it are all over the blogosphere. Check out what people are saying and come next year.
I was sold at the Beer and Hymn sing. Saweeeeet!
That’s right!