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"I remember how my mother would bring us to chapel on Sundays … and my father used to wait outside. One of the things that I picked up from my father and my mother was the sense that religion often gets in the way of God."

His faith, which he describes as "private," is largely influenced by the words and actions of Jesus, the Beatitudes, and Old Testament Prophets. Bono told the group of journalists that he enjoys reading The Message, a modern Bible paraphrase "by the very gifted scholar and poet Eugene Peterson." In contrast to some of the more popular "happy-clappy" Christian music, the religious music that speaks to him most includes Charles Wesley's hymns, Handel's Messiah, Jewish chanting, and songs that contain "raw" emotion, he said.

Addressing how he hoped the United States would respond to his plea for justice for Africa's poor and downtrodden, Bono appealed to Christian and patriotic responsibility.

Imagine a so-called Christian society with the absolute capability to save lives in Africa that fails to act, Bono said. "You can explain that to the budget appropriators, but you can't explain it to God. He will not accept that excuse, and history won't."

"I think growing a movement that defines itself by the way it treats these issues, particularly at a time of conflict—it's so poetic actually. … This is where you demonstrate the values of America."

Sheryl Henderson Blunt is a senior news writer for Christianity Today.

Copyright © 2006 Christianity Today. Click for reprint information.

Blunt also covered Bono's speech at the National Prayer Breakfast.

DATA has more information about Bono's trip to D.C. and a transcript of his National Prayer Breakfast remarks. CNN has video. AmericanRhetoric.com has a complete transcript and audio.

Press reports from the National Prayer Breakfast include those from The Washington Times, Associated Press, and ABC News.

Other Christianity Today articles on Bono and U2 include:

Bono's American Prayer | The world's biggest rock star tours the heartland, talking more openly about his faith as he recruits Christians in the fight against AIDS in Africa. (Feb. 21, 2003)

Calvin College on U2 | College class on U2 explores religious influence of a rock band. (Feb. 23, 2005)

Pop Love for a War-Torn World | Atomic Bomb is classic U2, with a prescription for healing the world. (Nov. 23, 2004)

The Dick Staub Interview: Exegeting U2 | Get Up Off Your Knees preaches U2 from Boy to All that You Can't Leave Behind. (April 20, 2004)

'Pop Music with Brains' | From the beginning, U2 has engaged spiritual questions. (Feb. 21, 2003)

Bono's Thin Ecclesiology | Any person can stand outside the church and critique its obedience to the gospel. (Feb. 21, 2003)

Bono Tells Christians: Don't Neglect Africa | He urges evangelicals to take a lead in fighting AIDS and poverty. (April 19, 2002)

Inside CT: Bono's Burning Question | Evangelicals and the U2 front man try to figure each other out. (April 19, 2002)

'A Rock Band That's Good for Something' | The author of Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 talks about why politicians listen to Bono. (Apr. 19, 2002)

Honest Prayer, Beautiful Grace | The messianic and passionate U2 sounds like itself again. (Feb. 8, 2001)

Last year, Christianity Today sister publication Christian Music Today published a book excerpt from Bono: In Conversation with Michka Assayas.

Christianity Today sister publication Books & Culture published Scott Calhoun's "Legend of Bono Vox" in late 2004.

Related articles include

End Extreme Poverty in 2005? | No way. But we can still do something significant. A Christianity Today editorial (Aug. 22, 2005)

Can We Defeat Poverty? | Unless Africa tames corruption, new aid efforts will fail. (Sept. 26, 2005)

Jesus at G8 | Christian advocacy for Africa gains notice at top meetings (July 6, 2005)

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February (Web-only) 2006, Vol. 50