Raising Cain, Fleeing Egypt, and Fighting Philistines
The Old Testament in Popular Music
by Mark McEntire and Joel Emerson
Regular Price: $14.00
Paperback | 128 pages
Church & Culture
ISBN: 1-57312-464-8
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Brief Description
One of the factors that sometimes provides art with a richer sense of texture is its ability to draw an allusion to the classic expressions of human culture, thought, and experience. The Bible is no exception and has often been received through its incorporation into works of art— the plays of Shakespeare, the paintings of Rembrandt, the sculptures of Michelangelo, the stories of Flannery O’Connor, the films of Martin Scorsese. Raising Cain, Fleeing Egypt, and Fighting Philistines considers the overwhelming influence that Old Testament imagery has had on some of the most popular musical artists of our time— from Bob Dylan to Bruce Springsteen to OutKast.
Ideal for use in personal reflection or small group study, this book contains questions for consideration and discussion after each chapter. Also included are handy charts linking the considered songs to their biblical references, creating an ease-of-use for teaching and further study.
About the Authors
Mark McEntire is Associate Professor of Religion at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. He is also the author of Dangerous Worlds: Living and Dying in Biblical Texts, The Blood of Abel: The Violent Plot in the Hebrew Bible and The Function of Sacrifice in Chronicles, Ezra, and Nehemiah. He is also co-author, along with John H. Tullock, of The Old Testament Story.
Joel Emerson is the Associate Pastor at Brook Hollow Baptist Church in Nashville, Tennessee. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees in commercial music, Christian education and creative arts in ministry.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter 1
The First Family: Singing about Paradise and Pain
Chapter 2
Surviving the Storm: Singing about the Flood
Chapter 3
Family Matters: Singing about the Ancestors
Chapter 4
Let me Out: Singing about the Exodus
Chapter 5
The High and Mighty: Singing about Warriors, Kings, and Queens
Chapter 6
The Poet’s Poets: Singing about Psalms and Wisdom Literature
Chapter 7
Shouting in the Wind: Singing about the Prophets
Conclusion: A Personal Retrospective
Using the Song Charts
Chart A: Songs by Title
Chart B: Songs by Artist
Chart C: Songs by Biblical Reference
Suggested Further Reading
