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The song is so dense and climactic, you'd think you're listening to a gospel record. But things, lamentably, aren't that clear-cut all the time.

As straightforward as India.Arie is at times, she can be just as dualistic and ambivalent. In the song "Wings of Forgiveness," for example, she declares that the "highest truth … is 'to thine own self be true.'" The irony of that spiritual vagary—coined by Shakespeare, curiously—is that, right after it, she alludes to Christianity's highest truth, the death of Christ, in the awkward line, "If Jesus can forgive crucifixion/Surely we can survive and find a resolution."

The song isn't about the Son of Man, but the fact that she namedrops him to make a point about forgiveness—rather than pointing to him as a vehicle toward forgiveness—sheds some light on India.Arie's seemingly feel-good ideologies. Could it be the soulful diva is simply exercising poetic license? It would sure be unfair to discount the spiritual strength of the record—or the singer's, for that matter—based on only one song.

In a recent edition of Relevant magazine, the chanteuse declined to delve into specifics about her religious convictions, but said that, though ambiguous, her belief system was "full of truth."

"I believe in being accepting, kind, compassionate and empathetic," she said in the article. "I believe in a Creator that is vast and that there are different ways to learn and discover God. I know that music fits into so many different philosophies, that I was given a gift to heal through music and that we are all called to seek truth."

A bit Unitarian, no doubt, but the intent of India.Arie's music, particularly Testimony, isn't to promote one single faith. Rather, it's an example of how faith—however she defines it—helped her enjoy being single all over again.

Unless specified clearly, we are not implying whether this artist is or is not a Christian. The views expressed are simply the author's. For a more complete description of our Glimpses of God articles, click here

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