“People in general are equally horrified at hearing the Christian religion doubted, and at seeing it practiced.” Samuel Butler
Ever since its release in October of 1971, John Lennon’s Imagine has been a lightning rod for the insecurities and indignations of the faithful. For just as long, the song has remained the wistful ballad of the wayward and the soundtrack to all secular longing. If man were the measure of all things and humanity divine, Imagine would be atheism’s loveliest hymn. But to anyone whose worldview has God at the center, Lennon’s lyric overreaches and underpays; an artifact from the ruins of Babel.
If we really care about people, then we will really care about ideas. What was John Lennon’s idea here and what accounts for its broad and persistent appeal? Lennon wasn’t evil, but simply a nonbeliever doing the best he could with what he had on hand. The Apostle Paul wasn’t threatened by all the false deities being celebrated on the hills above Athens and he wasn’t combative with the philosophers who argued for their veneration. He listened, observed, and proceeded to fill in the blanks for anyone who would listen. He simply shared the good news of Jesus Christ and let the Gospel topple all that was false. At this week’s Roundtable, we’re going to discuss the lyrics to Imagine and work to understand why a weary world is left to its imagination and how Christianity might be the dream come true. See you this Sunday, August 26th at 8:30 in the morning. God bless you!
