Contemporary Christian music

Contemporary Christian Music (or CCM) refers to the Nashville, Tennessee-based pop, rock, and worship Christian music industry, represented by artists such as MercyMe, Third Day, and Amy Grant. This industry is represented in Billboard Magazine's "Top Christian Albums" and "Hot Christian Songs" charts (see also the iTunes Music Store's Inspirational genre).

The term "CCM" originated in the 1970s, referring to the emerging pop and rock "Jesus Music" movement, which was the musical outpouring of the hippie Jesus Movement of the time. Pioneering artists such as Larry Norman, 2nd Chapter of Acts, and Love Song were among the first to express their Christian faith in the form of popular music.

Some Christian music falls outside of the CCM genre, such as underground punk and hardcore Christian music (for example, see Tooth and Nail Records. Also, some artists who are known to be Christians work outside of any established Christian outlets (e.g., U2, Sufjan Stevens, etc).

Views

There are several different attitudes regarding the subject of Christians in popular music, but these can be generalized into four groups: the separatist, purist, spiritually reflective, and incidental positions. [1]

The purist's position

In this view, Christians should use music as a tool of spreading the gospel of Christ to others. Steve Camp, a CCM musician and advocate of this view, states that "Those of us who are privileged to represent our Lord Jesus Christ in the arts should be galvanized by mission, not by ambition; by mandate, not by accolades; by love for the Master, not by the allurements of this world. Is there justified concern that Contemporary Christian Music has abandoned its original calling from the Lord, left the Biblical standard for ministry and has failed to remain accountable to the local church? I believe it so." [2] Some in this group may point to the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther who said "I am not of the opinion that all arts are to be cast down and destroyed on account of the Gospel, as some fanatics protest. On the other hand, I would gladly see all arts, especially music, in the service of Him who has given and created them. I therefore pray that every pious Christian would be pleased with this [the use of music in the service of the gospel] and lend his help if God has given him like or greater gifts. As it is, the world is too lax and indifferent about teaching and training the young for us to abet this trend. God grant us his grace. Amen." Luther's Works: American Edition, vol. 53:316. Luther was here, in fact, asking for people to employ their musical gifts for the promotion of the gospel. The saying "Why should the devil have all the good music?", used as a lyric by Larry Norman, is frequently attributed to Luther[3] (clearly an "enhanced" version of the original Luther-quote above); however, it cannot be found in his writings (more below under Criticism).

The "spiritually reflective" position

This position states that Christians should embrace pop and rock music more as an art form than a preaching tool.

Journalist Lev Eakins explains that artists in this camp "sometimes produce songs that have no anchor in anything vaguely spiritual, and instead create their art simply because they are artists and that's what they are compelled to do. What separates these artists from the incidental definition is that their own spirituality acts as the main (but not exclusive) engine for their work, fuelling their desire to continue expressing themselves." [4] T-Bone Burnett, a Christian musician and producer, summed up this view well when he said that "You can sing about the Light, or you can sing about what you see because of the Light. I prefer the latter" [5]. Musicians known to hold this position include MxPx, Danielson Famile, and Sufjan Stevens. Many artists who hold this view experience frustrations with the CCM industry for a lack of originality, creativity, and depth; in fact, some have cut ties with the industry altogether (e.g. Sam (Leslie) Phillips), questioning the need for a separate Christian music "ghetto".

The incidental position

This position holds that the artists' intent is irrelevant. In other words, Christians can find beauty and truth in certain music, regardless of the author's intent or spiritual stance. An example of this is Jeff Buckley's cover version of "Hallelujah" (originally written and recorded by Jewish singer Leonard Cohen), a song that resonates with many Christians but was sung by an artist not normally associated with the CCM industry. Eakins explains that music of this sort "is allied to no spiritual or Christian tradition and may form its inspiration from any source. Where as the purist or spiritually reflective positions have inspiration in God, any Christian music produced from the incidental position is precisely that, incidentally created." [6]

The separatist's position

This position states that Christians should not be listening to or making pop/rock music at all. Many that embrace this argument trace rock's roots to Satanism, and claim that any association with it is wrong. Jimmy Swaggart, a famous televangelist (though somewhat discredited after his own sexual dalliances) and CCM oppositionist, summed up this view when he said that "so-called Christian rock... is a diabolical force undermining Christianity from within... I turn on my television set. I see a young lady who goes under the guise of being a Christian, known all over the nation, dressed in skin-tight leather pants, shaking and wiggling her hips to the beat and rhythm of the music as the strobe lights beat their patterns across the stage and the band plays the contemporary rock sound which cannot be differentiated from songs by The Grateful Dead, The Beatles, or anyone else. And you may try to tell me this is of God and that it is leading people to Christ, but I know better." [7]

Criticisms

Critics of CCM often discredit the music as blatant imitations of mainstream, non-Christian music. Defenders consider this argument unfair and point to the fact that many artists, even non-Christian ones, draw from their influences and imitate other artists. Nearly every great idea was drawn from someone else's good idea.

However, some Christian artists, as well as local church pastors and worship leaders consider Luke 16:9, where Jesus told His disciples to "use the wealth of this world" to influence those around us with eternal impact.[8]

Frequently, Martin Luther is cited as an example for an innovative use of music for the promotion of the gospel, hence for CCM. The quote that is usually meant to make this point — "Why should the devil have all the good music" (or variations thereof) — is not by Luther. Originally, this quote comes from a Methodist minister, Rowland Hill, in the 19th century. He, however, made it to encourage Christians to write music fitting for the church, not to copy the popular music of the day.[9] Luther, for his part, called on Christians to write music using Biblical texts, to draw the young away from carnal love songs and only used one secular tune with new religious texts in the Lutheran Book of Worship (Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn from the secular Mein Freud' möcht sich wohl mehren). But for secular tunes of widespread popularity Luther found himself "compelled to let the devil have it back again".[10] Luther also insisted on including music in school curricula; the music prescribed for these schools was the artistic music of the day. John Wesley and his brother, the founders of Methodism, did use secular music and music from bar tunes as hymn accompaniment.