Bono, Rock Star and...Evangelist?

 

I have spoke with the tongue of angels
I have held the hand of a devil
It was warm in the night
I was cold as a stone

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I believe in the kingdom come
Then all the colors will bleed into one
Bleed into one
But yes I'm still running

You broke the bonds
And you loosed the chains
Carried the cross
Of my shame
Oh my shame
You know I believe it

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for
But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

But I still haven't found what I'm looking for

I still haven't found what I'm looking for -- U2 1987

From time to time we hear about famous musicians who "get religion" and share the news with the world. An example is Cat Stevens who years ago adopted a strict Muslim lifestyle which he presumed required him to give up his musical career. It was decades before he decided that this was an erroneous interpretation of devotion. Others, such a Justin Bieber and Kanye West have expressed devotion to Jesus which seemed wonky.

I've finished Surrender: 40 Songs One Story, the autobiography by U2 frontman Bono, all 557 pages of it, a major feat in my dotage and advanced stage of distraction -- I don't concentrate the way I once did. It's a startling read because his Christian faith and convictions ooze out of the pages. There is nothing sanctimonious about what he has to say even though he is regularly quoting scripture and talking about prayer and generally expressing his love for Jesus. 

There is something of the stereotypical rock star here, with a liberal amount of recreational drinking, smoking, and carousing into the wee hours. It does seem that he avoided drugs and has been remarkably un-rock star-ish in other respects. He met his wife, Ali at age 13, married her at 22 and they are still together 40 years on. The strict evangelical faith of his teens was left behind, but not Christianity, and this has formed his moral compass, including a remarkable commitment to social justice, beginning in his twenties.

You may remember his involvement with the debt forgiveness movement for developing countries at the turn of the millenium. He has been hands-on in visiting and working with those most affected and developing relationships of respect with those leading the way in many countries. He also used his star power to persuade US presidents, including Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Barack Obama to commit  billions in debt relief, and then billions more to addressing the AIDS crisis in Africa. He did the same with Bill and Melinda Gates, and Warren Buffet to commit billions to the AIDS cause. One of Bono's headings is "the currency of fame and how to spend it." He often met with evangelical leaders, bringing them on board by reminding them that there are more than 2000 verses about the poor in the Bible and quoting some of them to boot. 

He muses about the mystical nature of the eucharist, or communion, and the nature of sex as the union between Creator and Creation. The infusion of Christian imagery in songs was certainly intentional, right from the get-go.  

This is also a book about the rise from a band formed by four working class kids in Dublin to being the biggest rock group in the world for a long period of time. It says a lot that they are still together into their sixties, going against the trend of self-immolation of many groups. 

God bless the library because I wouldn't have purchased this book on my own but I would certainly recommend it.

Oh yes, did you know that the photo of Pope John Paul II wearing a pair of Bono's shades wasn't released until after the pontiff's death? Decorum!

I'll share Bono's thoughts on their songs and the connection to hymns tomorrow.