Someone sent me this video from Flame, the rapper who became a Lutheran, in which he interacts with my book Spirituality of the Cross. I had to share it with you:
What I most appreciate is Flame’s excitement when he reads these basic Lutheran ideas, demonstrating what I have been saying about the relevance of Lutheranism to our day.
Flame (a.k.a. Marcus Grey) has picked up an M.A. in theology from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis. He has started a venture called Extra Nos Academy, consisting of a podcast, videos like this one, his music, and cool Lutheran merchandise.
Also, Flame has a book coming out from CPH in which he tells the story of his life and his spiritual journey. It’s quite compelling. It’s called Extra Nos: Discovering Grace Outside Myself. I read an advance copy and it is compelling. The book is scheduled for release July 11, and you can preorder it here.
Here is the editorial review, along with my blurb:
GRAMMY®-nominated and Stellar Award-winning hip-hop artist FLAME invites you to step up to his mic as he takes you through his life, from the streets of Saint Louis, Missouri, as a young man in youth group to a renowned Christian rapper on the red carpet.
Read how God continually pushed FLAME in his faith journey, striving to find the path that God wanted him to take, no matter where it took him, and the obstacles he faced. Get an insider perspective into his songwriting and the theology in the lyrics. Discover rich Christian history and how the breadth of Christian theology from prior generations is still widely applicable today. Most importantly, as FLAME tells his story of kick-starting his career, experiencing different Christian denominations, going to seminary school, and ultimately finding Lutheranism, readers will see God in their life and the ways He calls them back to Him and will be inspired in their faith to see how God is working extra nos – outside of ourselves.
“For evidence that Lutheranism is the kind of Christianity that has the most relevance today, read FLAME’s Extra Nos. With a rapper’s mastery of language. . . he offers the best refutation of Reformed theology I have ever come across-not just by argument but by experience.”
-Gene Edward Veith, author of The Spirituality of the Cross
“Extra Nos is at once personal and accessible, honest and generous, fresh and faithful, unorthodox and confessional.”
-Dr. Joel P. Okamoto, Waldemar and Mary Griesbach Professor of Systematic Theology, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis
“All those who have ever wondered about the practical relevance of doctrine for “real life” need only to read and learn from FLAME.”
-Rev. Dr. Joel Biermann, professor of systematic theology, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis.
You should put teenagers and your church’s youth group onto Flame–his music, Extra Nos Academy, his videos, his podcast, his book–as a way to keep them in the faith and in the church!
Photo: Screen shot from embedded video, via YouTube
HT: Joanna Hensley
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