A recent Yahoo! article, Everyone Is Listening to Secular Praise Music. Yes, Even You, explores the growing trend of "secular worship music"--mainstream songs that borrow the sound of worship and wrap secular love stories in religious imagery. The author takes time to praise the emotional connection that praise and worship music builds with listeners. Considering how Christian music is often mocked, this is progress. Christian music taps into emotion in a way few other genres can. It's wonderful to see someone in the mainstream recognize this.
Where I begin to question the author's view is what "worship music" actually sounds like. I checked out the secular songs referenced. There's a sonic resemblance to much of what's popular in Christian music today–but does that alone make it "secular worship" music?
What is "Worship Music" Anyway?
For one, praise and worship music isn't "worship" because of how it sounds or because it evokes an emotional response. Music becomes worship when it's adoration directed toward our creator. Intent matters. Substance matters. Worship isn't just getting swept up in an emotional crescendo that happens to mention Jesus. It's an act of love directed toward the end of giving glory to God. Given the recent critiques of celebrity culture in Christian music, this may be an opportunity to examine all music billed as worship—and our relationship with it—to see if it's truly worship, or just spiritualized entertainment. Not that there's anything wrong with entertainment that is influenced by faith. Let's ensure we're aware of the distinction.
Worship music also defies simple categorization by sound. I'm a cradle Roman Catholic, but I've also been heavily influenced by Evangelical praise and worship. I've experienced it all–pop-style praise, megachurch anthems, '90s classics, traditional hymns, modern Catholic liturgical music, and even Gregorian chant. The genre is a tapestry, not a formula.
Yes, some of the "secular praise songs" mentioned in the article resemble today's worship music stylistically. But that's likely because both pull from the same musical trends dominating pop music in general. The Christian music industry, to varying degrees, has always shared musical trends with the mainstream. There was even a band called Gregorian that covered pop songs in a Gregorian Chant-inspired style. That doesn't mean I'd consider their cover of Snow Patrol's "Chasing Cars" appropriate for Mass. (Even if I'd enjoy listening to it on the drive home.) Music may echo the mood of worship, but that doesn't make it worship.
A Closer Look At "Secular Worship"
The author explores the religious imagery in some of these popular "secular praise songs." A few of these are somewhat vague and straightforward. "Lose Control" by pop artist Teddy Swims references "the devil's knocking at my door," but otherwise plays like a relatively standard sensual romance song. "Good News" by country star Shaboozy also name drops the enemy, "bet the devil wouldn't walk in my shoes." While the artist seems to long for "some good news," there isn't anything else in the song to suggest anything about the Good News. Calling these "secular praise songs" seems to be, at most, a stretch. If the bar for what qualifies as a "praise song" is too low, the term is emptied of any meaning.
Songs like pop artist Alex Warren's "Ordinary" fit the label a bit better. On one hand, is this really anything new? Secular artists have been evoking Christian imagery since the music industry began. A recording of "The Lord's Prayer" by Sister Janet Meade (a Catholic nun) was a chart-topping mainstream single in the 1970s. Bands like U2 have achieved immense commercial success while exploring spiritual themes in their music. Secular culture has long derided Christianity--even since the time of Christ. Yet, they've always been fascinated by it. There's an undeniable intrigue and pull to the mystical experience of encountering the author of all things. Even non-believers will often find themselves oddly drawn to artistic expressions of the wonder of it all. Thus, it's somewhat expected that Christian imagery would be used to make a lyrical statement. It's been used in art, poetry, and literature for centuries.
Often, this is a very good thing. For example, the article highlights pop artist Benson Boone's "Beautiful Things." The song is essentially a prayer to God not to take away the blessings the singer has found in his life. While theologically we know surrendering everything to God is the ultimate goal, the longing expressed in this song feels honest--and relatable.
On the other hand, Alex Warren's "Ordinary" is a bit more concerning. Claiming "even the angels up in the clouds are jealous, knowin' what we found" and "at your altar I will pray" ventures into territory Christians should approach with discernment. Passionate love songs are as old as music itself. Even the Bible has the Song of Songs. But be careful not to blur the lines between passionate romance and authentic worship. Remember, there's only one who is worthy of our worship, and it isn't your lover.
The Great Romance
Am I being too pearl-clutching here? Maybe. There are certainly more vulgar songs singing about much more problematic content. It's also worth considering how our relationship with Christ has long been compared to a "love affair." Indeed, for someone who came of age in the 2000s when the "Jesus is my girlfriend" songs were huge, it's easy to see the connective tissue between those songs and this. (For those unaware, a song was often said to have a theme of "Jesus is my girlfriend" if the lyrics were vague enough to be about a lover or about Jesus, depending on the interpretation of the listener.) Many had criticized such songs precisely because of blurring the lines between romantic love and divine adoration. One may argue songs like "Ordinary" almost invert the "Jesus is my girlfriend" approach to "my girlfriend is my Jesus." In this song, it's clear that the singer is singing to a lover and intentionally using Christian worshipful language to do so. This isn't to say romance and our relationship with God can't be meaningfully linked. We can still present romance and encounters with Christ as passionate and worthwhile without venturing into worshipping romance.
This doesn't mean Christians can't enjoy these songs. With discernment and a properly formed Christian conscience, these songs might be harmless mainstream entertainment for Christians. But as with all things, we should be careful about the quality of the entertainment we consume. Often, the little concerns we overlook can accumulate into something that has a negative influence. If nothing else, we need to be firm about what absolute praise looks like and to whom it should be directed. I'd argue this includes not buying into the idea of "secular praise" simply because a song's style resembles what's on Christian radio. Or that if a song is giving worship to someone who isn't The Lord, that it's just harmless entertainment.
I love that more artists feel comfortable expressing their faith in secular music. As I mentioned before, faith in the mainstream isn't a new thing. Yet, it's often still the last taboo. I'm glad that artists are feeling freer to express their beliefs in their lyrics while still marketing to a broader audience. We can acknowledge this trend as a good thing, without conceding what true worship looks like.
I sincerely hope praise and worship music is indeed influencing the mainstream. It can open doors for evangelistic conversation if approached with a discerning heart. And if nothing else, validation of the artistic value of Christian music is a plus. When the genre has so often been written off as "less than" or "cringe," seeing a mainstream article herald its artistic merits and emotional connection with listeners is a huge deal. Let's not take away the benefit of drawing stylistic lines between popular pop hits and Christian music. Still, we must tread cautiously. In our zeal to see our cherished genre recognized, we risk becoming nonchalant about directing "praise" toward secular idols, and using our language of praising God to do it. Art can echo heaven--but we must never confuse the echo for the source.
J.J. Francesco is a longtime contributor to the NRT Staff. He's published the novel 'Because of Austin' and regularly seeks new ways to engage faith, life, and community. His new novel, 'When Miracles Can Dream,' is out NOW!
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