All Comments for: Dylan's Jesus Years | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction

Free Newsletters:

RSS Feeds |

Audio |

Twitter

Home > 2008 > December Reviews > 2009 Reviews > 2009

Christianity Today, December, 2008 Christianity Today, 2009, reviews Christianity Today, 2009, reviews |

Dylan's Jesus Years Dylan's Jesus Years Dylan's Jesus Years

Doc explores his Christian era in late '70s, early '80s.

Josh Hurst | posted 1/07/2009 09:34AM

"I had no idea it was going to be wall-to-wall Jesus!" laughs legendary record producer Jerry Wexler in a new documentary, Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years.

Wexler was discussing Slow Train Coming, Dylan's ...

Read more...Read more...Read more...

[Reader Reviews]

Average User Rating:

Rate and Comment on this article

Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 comments.

Page: 1

Show All

eric	Posted: January 15, 2009 11:59 PM


ok I love bobs music ,,,every cd he has put out after the Jesus days (his first love days ) has things about Jesus . He opened with hallelujah i am ready to go in the 90s and played rock of ages and PASS ME NOT, O GENTLE SAVIOR in the 2000s on the 2006 cd he saids (Some sweet day I'll stand beside my king I wouldn't betray your love or any other thing ) thanks bob

Jim	Posted: January 09, 2009 10:04 AM

"When He Returns" is magnificent! "Surrender your crown on this bloodstained ground." Gives me chills. I agree that Dylan's faith became subtler. "Ring Them Bells" from the mid 90's and covered by Sufjan Stevens for the "I'm Not There" soundtrack has some deep theology. "Shepards asleep" and "Mountains are filled with lost sheep." Kind of reminds me of our American evangelical wasteland. Dylan! His work is beyond me! How does one come up with a song like "I Dreamed I Saw St. Augustine" at the age of 26?

Josh J

Posted: January 09, 2009 1:08 AM


In Entertainment Weekly ten years ago, Dylan was quoted as saying and I'm paraphrasing, "I don't subscribe to rabbis, priests, pastors, philosophers. If you want to know what I believe, listen to songs like Hank Williams "I Saw the Light" and "I Rest Me on a Holy Hill", that's my religion, I've seen the light."

Quixie

Posted: January 08, 2009 10:59 AM

Why exactly does it disappoint you that the film treats the Slow Train/Saved years as just one in a series of "phases" in Dylan's long career? Do you have any evidence that his dropping the topic of Jesus entirely from his songs after that period was an attempt to hide his religious (Christian) convictions? To make them more private? Perhaps you are disappointed in Dylan himself (not the movie per çe) for having dropped Christianity just as fast as he had adopted it. I, for one, think that those were (with a few isolated exceptions) some of his worst material. That's the thing with Dylan, though. Even on a bad day, the man is prolific and unafraid. Peace

Ralph Gaily

Posted: January 07, 2009 8:28 PM

I saw him at the Waldorf in S.F. for the "Slow Train" concert. His songs, and more so, his bold proclamation of Jesus Christ made me weep for joy. I was stunned. He typically said nothing during the concert. His songs spoke loudly. The only exception was when someone up in the balcony behind me yelled out, "WE WANT THE OLD DYLAN!" He heard it, leaned into the mike, and his calm response was, "the old Dylan is dead". Thanks Bob, for being authentic. praying for you often, Ralph Gaily

Dave Jones

Posted: January 07, 2009 2:28 PM


I still listen to "Saved." I'm intrigued by how deep Dylan's theology was. The music is simply beautiful. "Covenant Woman" is my favorite all time Dylan track, and I am a fan of all his music. My wife took care of Bob's mother in her last years, she said Bob frequently prayed when he visited. I believe his faith is active today, but it seems he burned so fast in the eighties.

Page: 1

E-mail this page

Write CT

Print this article

Post a comment