A Questioning Faith | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Free Newsletters:

RSS Feeds |

Audio |

Twitter

Home > 2007 > June

Christianity Today, June, 2007 |

A Questioning Faith

Derek Webb calls us to conversation, not conversion.

Russ Breimeier | posted 6/11/2007 08:49AM

Related articles and links |

1 of 1

Since leaving acoustic band Caedmon's Call in 2003, Derek Webb has been remarkably prolific as a solo artist—seven releases in just four years. Even more impressive, he reinvents his sound with every studio recording, from country-inflected pop to experimental rock to stripped-down modern folk.

Such is the case with The Ringing Bell (INO Records). Now he's embraced classic folk-rock reminiscent of The Beatles and Bob Dylan.

Webb is the rare Christian songwriter who calls us to conversation. Rather than merely reciting timeless scriptural truths, he asks listeners to use God's Word to examine current events. More importantly, he does so without pushing an overtly political agenda. Rather, he asks questions.

"I for an I" notes that loving enemies is harder than simple violence: "But I've got no choice unless you tell me who Jesus would kill."

After taking some heat for 2005's Mockingbird, which questioned whether Christians can justify war based on Christ's teachings, he now takes the discussion further by addressing unconditional love and forgiveness.

The bluesy "A Savior on Capitol Hill" may seem to take aim at President Bush, but really it is a prayer of frustration with all politicians: "Come to D.C. if it be thy will, because we've never had a Savior on Capitol Hill."

In "This Too Shall Be Made Right," he begins, "People love you most for the things you hate, and hate you for loving the things that you cannot keep straight." Webb goes on to challenge some of the greatest rationalizations of Christians relating to poverty, war, and other atrocities. He ultimately plays off Ecclesiastes 3 to conclude that while we live in a time of suffering now, we also look forward to a time of joy.

At just 30 minutes, The Ringing Bell is an extremely short album. But who cares when Webb continues to churn out such consistent and substantial songwriting? Besides, he says he's already working on his next project. There's undoubtedly more where this album came from.

Russ Breimeier, online managing editor of Christian Music Today.

Related Elsewhere:

The Ringing Bell is available from ChristianBook.com and other retailers.

A longer version of this review appeared in our sister publication, Christian Music Today, which also has a biography, interviews, and reviews of Derek Webb's other albums.

Samples from The Ringing Bell are available from ChristianBook.com and Webb's MySpace page.

Derek Webb's official site includes a tour schedule, media coverage, and more.

He is a member of the Square Peg Alliance.

1 of 1

share this page

June 2007, Vol. 51, No. 6

E-mail this page

Write CT

Print this article

Post a comment

Reader Reviews are below

Subscribe to Christianity Today and get 3 free trial issues. No credit card required.

Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only.

If you decide you want to keep Christianity Today coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive nine more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The three trial issues are yours to keep, regardless.

Click here for international orders

2-for-1 Gifts!

[Reader Reviews]

Average User Rating:

Displaying 1 - 3 of 9 comments.

See all comments

Dennis

Posted: June 23, 2007 1:27 PM

I don't know if it is because of Russ Breimeier's take on it, or Derek Webb's inattention to accuracy, but if you read through Ecc 3, you find several mentions of killing: a time to "kill", a time to "hate" and a time for "war." But there is no mention of a time to "suffer." Further, in Romans chapter 13, we are told that governmental authority "does not bear the sword in vain; for it is a servant of God, a revenger for wrath on him who does evil." It is fine for us to have a conversation, as long as in it we include the Lord. To do that, we have to consider all His counsel, and that we get it accurately -- i.e. that we "rightly divide the word of truth."

pedro

Posted: June 21, 2007 8:57 PM


American Christians are pretty quick to criticize someone like Webb who questions many of the things they hold dear. Yet this is what Jesus did frequently.

Jay	Posted: June 12, 2007 11:06 PM

The Beatles want us to Imagine there is no Heaven and no Hell and John Lennon said God is dead. Dylan said he sold his soul for rock and roll and he can't sell his soul to God. Are those the kind of people one would want to be associated with as a Christian? A Savior on Capitol Hill - to say "we've never had a Savior on Capitol Hill" is to say Jesus never died on the cross for our sins unless of course one is looking for a savior of this temporal world like the Jews in Jesus time were. They weren't looking for the spiritual Savior that was prophecied. I won't be buying this masterpiece.

The allotted time for commenting has ended.

[Browse More Christianity Today]