Michael Gungor has been under a lot of fire lately for some comments he has made about the bible. He has received a backlash of criticism from Evangelicals and even had a few concerts canceled. I have listened to a few interviews where Michael has mentioned some of the horrible things people have said against him and it saddens me. There have been all kinds misrepresentation and mean things said towards him. The response has hurt him and his family, needlessly. Right or wrong, Michael Gungor, like many before him, is another victim of the Christian music genre.
So what did he say that has caused this backlash? Basically, he has said he does not believe in a 6 day creation theory and is unsure about the historical person and events surrounding Noah and the flood. Here are a few quotes:
“I guess I’ll have to come out of the closet and admit… I don’t believe in a literal six-day creation…Genesis is a poem if I’ve ever seen one.” – Michael Gungor on creation
“I think you’re making a lot of assumptions based in a perspective that was handed to you from our culture, and the way we think in the modern world is very different than how people thought in the pre-modern world. To just see a few words that somebody said, that Jesus said about Noah, and you assume that you can get into Jesus’ mind and know exactly how he thought about the whole situation, and how He considered history versus myth versus whatever — how do you know? …and even if He was wrong, even if He did believe that Noah was a historical person, or Adam was a historical person, and ended up being wrong, I don’t understand how that even would deny the divinity of Christ. The whole idea of the divinity of Christ being fully human and fully God, that God lowered Himself to become a human being with a human brain, in a human culture with human language and human needs and human limitations” – Michael Gungor on Noah and Jesus
A few months ago I posted a blog call Getting the Soul out of Christian Music and one of the points I made was is that by being a Christian artist, one is held to a higher standard than a secular artist. Christian Artists, unintentionally, are expected to be perfect because they are a representative of the Christian community and a poster child to the rest of the world. They are expected to do and say the right thing, no matter what. It’s unfair for them. They are broken just like you and me. They make mistakes, have bad judgment, and even commit moral failure; just like the rest of us.
I do not agree with Michael Gungor’s positions on creation and Noah. I believe in a 6 day creation theory and the biblical account of Noah. I think he’s wrong. I also think it’s dangerous to presume on the mind of Christ like he has. But, I don’t think he deserves the backlash he is getting from the Evangelical community. I have had my fair share of crazy ideas about scripture and God. But, thankfully, I have been able to voice them in a community that listens and points me, gracefully, in the right direction. That’s what Michael Gungor needs.
I don’t want to hear someone say something like, “well, once you become a star you assume the risk and are held to a higher standard…” That’s rubbish. His stardom and talent does not precede his fallen nature. He has made some beautiful music and it’s a shame some won’t hear it because of this. I don’t agree with Gungor, but I can still glorify God for many of songs he has written. As Christians, we need to establish an atmosphere that allows for failure; a place where we can love them and be thankful for them. After all, no one has ever come to Jesus with perfect theology.
So I am not misunderstood, there is a line that someone can cross where they are pushing heresy. That does change things. It’s hard to say from these quotes whether or not he has crossed it. How you define the person of Jesus and understand the hypostatic union is very important. But, I don’t get the impression, from the interviews I have listened to, that this is man who is seeking to tear down Jesus, as much as, understand him. Let’s practice some patience and provide him with a community that directs him towards truth. We are all on a journey and there is no room for double standards.
Think about it like this: Let’s suppose Katy Perry releases a statement tomorrow that says she has repented and found Jesus. The Christian world is ecstatic! The once Christian singer has returned to her faith! However, in an interview she says she is not sure if Jonah really lived in a whale’s stomach. Would the evangelical community care? No one would care. We would be so excited that she’s a believer and rest would be overlooked. There is a double standard in place between Christian and secular artists.
Some of problem stems from the fact we treat Christian musicians like a ministry position. The office of pastor/elder is unique and special. It’s a calling defined in scripture. A musician is more like a construction worker. He is someone who makes something. I doubt most of us would forbid a construction worker to build a new church nursery because he believes in an old earth theory. We can appreciate his gifting and talents because he’s not a minister. The other side to that is that, often (instead of teaching), musicians use their craft to address hard difficult questions. It’s a way to think through and process ideas. It is not always a teaching tool.
I pray God will guide Michael Gungor (and myself for that matter) to truth, because I think he is off base. But, whether he believes in a literal Genesis, or not, we should be overcome with joy that he is a brother in Christ and writes God glorifying music. Great art is great art. Just because he writes songs about Jesus Christ doesn’t mean he is Jesus. I am thankful that God makes beautiful things out of us, even those without perfect theology.
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