Gospel According to Pop: Episode 10 (Orbiting: The Weepies)

This episode is sung by the amazing Ally Nugent.

Mark 3:21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, "He has gone out of his mind." 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, "He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons." 23 And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, "How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 27 But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered. 28 "Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin"-- 30 for they had said, "He has an unclean spirit." 31 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, "Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you." 33 And he replied, "Who are my mother and my brothers?" 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother."

This song is for one of the moments in the gospels that always sticks to my ribs and feels like there is so much more to explore in the story. It's the moment in the Gospel of Mark where Mary is convinced that Jesus is a demon and comes to take him home because the neighbors are talking about his behavior. Jesus' response to his mother coming to get him is to deny her by telling those who are learning from him that they are his true family.

This is a moment that resonates with a lot of people who have created families that replace their biological ones. Sometimes families hesitate in their unconditional love when a member of the family takes what is thought to be an unconventional path.

This song takes a mature look at the text and that there isn't an easy sitcom solution. As I meditate on this story, with this song I like to alternate the voice of the singer from Mary to Jesus and back again.

This like so many family disputes is one where I imagine both people think they are right and are acting with the best intentions and out of love. I imagine them each standing on their side of the door wishing the other could join them on the the journey that is leading them away from each other.

I couldn't find any ancient images of this story or icons. So instead I've found images that highlight their relationship or show them near a door.

Gospel According to Pop: Episode 8 (The Rose: Bette Midler)

It's not known if the dark cloud the Holy Spirit says will come upon Mary is traumatic or not. Is this unwanted sexual aggression or a gift of bearing God into the world? Imagine Mary singing these words as see tries to process the news she will bear a child, or as her words to a toddler Jesus when she tells him the story of his birth.

The moment depicted in the images of this video, where Mary is told that she will have a baby who will be the Son of God, is called the annunciation. It's an easier word to remember if you think about it as when the angel announces to Mary that she will become pregnant.

Gospel According to Pop: Episode 4 (Hit Me Baby One More Time: Britney Spears)

Ever thought of Britney Spears' "Hit Me Baby One More Time" as a funeral dirge that Mary sings to her son as she holds his body in her hands? We'll, check out this latest installment of the Gospel According to Pop and I bet you'll never think of the song in the same way again.


The moment when Mary holds her dead son after he is taken off the cross is called the Pieta. It's a pretty famous moment in the life of art. But, it's not actually an event mentioned in the gospels featured in our contemporary bibles.

So enjoy this special gospel moment, brought to life in a way only Britney Spears could. Those are pastoral words I never imagined I'd ever say. It just goes to show you that God(dess) must have a sense of humor!

Gospel According to Pop: Episode 1 (Baby, baby, baby)

Today's Gospel is written by Justin Beiber. Yes, I know. I felt that way too at first. But imagine it through Joseph's eyes.


During this Advent time, we are asked to be people waiting for God's arrival in the world. This year there have been several stories of people using pepper spray as they impatiently wait. So, I've been thinking about all the ways that people wait impatiently for God.

Today's episode of the Gospel According to Pop is a song that I don't typically love listening to. I guess I'm just too old to get it. But, there is an entire generation of loyal followers who think it is the best thing imaginable.

This song took on a new meaning for me when I thought about the words being sung by Joseph after he learns that is fiance Mary has been impregnated by the Holy Spirit and is carrying a baby that is not his. Sure, it will be God and all. But, I imagine these words capture his first reaction to the news.

The Assumption of Assumption

Luke 1:39-56
I love the Gospel of Luke's telling of the birth of Jesus. This tale is so beautifully feminist and subversive - but this is only because of it's use of tradition and patriarchy. Luke's Gospel gives very high value to the roles of men and then silences them and gives the prophetic words to the females in the story. First Zechariah is silenced (1:22), and Elizabeth proclaims (1:25) God(dess)'s favor.

Then Mary is called the "favored one" (1:28). In this week's selection of the text, instead of telling her betrothed about all that is to take place, she goes to Elizabeth and sings a song of praise. While this is the context for the text, the story continues to highlight the women in the story. John is born and Elizabeth decides not to name the child after Zechariah as the couple had intended (1:59-60) and once Zechariah agrees he is able to speak again (1:62-24).

In a nod to patriarchy Luke seeks to establish that Jesus is a first born son in a long line of first born son's. This is an obvious attempt to establish a priestly lineage back to King David and ultimately to Adam. And yet, the lineage does not line up with other biblical texts. For example, Jacob is not a first born (though he does get the birthright), 1 Chron says David is a descendant of Ham (not Shem as listed in 3:36) and according to Ruth 2:1 is not a part of this line, but rather a member of the wealthy family Elimelech. If you're really want to be nitpicky you can note that Cainan should be Kenan, and Araphaxad sohuld be Araphashad.

The fact that the genealogy is a bit off, makes it even more clear that Luke is going out of his way to prove that Jesus is the first born son of a long line of first born sons. And yet, all of this work is still dependant on Joseph being Jesus (bloodline) father, which is not the premise of the first two chapters of this story.

So why if Luke is working so hard to prove the patriarchal lineage of the story do all the speaking parts of the texts go to the female leads? This of course is the inspiration of this blog. For me it is not so inspiring to argue that queer people exist and grace lets us do what we want. But, examples of the queerness that exists in scripture (that we ignore or forget because we assume the text only affirms heterosexuality), stories of the queer saints and deeply held traditions that are much older than the contemporary assumption that only monogamous heterosexual relationships. And of course you can read more about this (shameless plug) in my book "Queerly Lutheran: Ministry Rooted in Tradition, Scripture and the Confessions."

But, it causes me to wonder about what the history of biblical scholarship will uncover as the next assumption that we are reading into scripture. What is the next scale we need to remove from our eyes so we can see the text more clearly?