Rich Mullins was (and is) my hero. I have often wondered what he would say about our world today. Rich wasn’t held captive to the unholy marriage between Evangelical Christians and the Republican Party, it was the anabaptist influence. I’m certain he would not look favorably on a man like Donald Trump. Lord knows what Rich would say, but I’m sure it would be hilarious.
I find myself so grateful that Rich Mullins pulled at the thread that began to unwind my own nationalism and certitude. For my nationalism, I followed his advice and read Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee, and A People’s History of the United States. That did the trick. For my certitude, he taught me to find a way to share a common life with those on the margins of our society, and to read the bible and diverse perspectives over and against myself, to call my own way of thinking into question. It worked.
As I watch these politicians who seem willing to tear our society to pieces just to satisfy their own ungodly lust for power, I find myself reaching for art that will not dull the pain, but will still help me find a way through it. This song is always one of those songs for me. So I’m posting it here as an offering of gratitude for Rich Mullins, my hero. And in the words of John Irving, I offer my yearly prayer: “O God—please bring him back! I shall keep asking You.”
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In