I'm 61, and white. I watched the halftime show with my 84 year old mom. I've gone back and watched the show at least a dozen times. I've watched Lamar's music videos and listened to his music on Spotify. I've read news articles from his Pulitzer prize award. His experience is not my experience. But there is an integrity in his words that really really speaks to me. "Corrupt a man's heart with a gift, that's how you find out who you're dealing with," is a moral statement for our current reality as a people governed by unspeakable evil. "They not like us" is a battle cry. Thank you for sharing this perspective.
“The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.” James Baldwin said this, and I think you, by being led by curiosity to what you were made conscious of, are the beloved.
I love your writing, Zach. I also love your pointing us to other theologians and writers. I have learned so much about Kendrick's performance from those who have far more wisdom than I about the cultural messages. Watching the half-time performance was humbling, and I knew I was witnessing something great. But I needed more context to get more of the message. This reading and connection to familiar verses in the Bible was mind-blowing and soul changing. Thank you.
This is my message to President Musk. God chose the Philadelphia Eagles to win. God chose Kendrick Lamar to launch the revolution. Felon47 ran like the coward he is.
This is such an important survey and relaying of the sheer power that lives in our prose. So proud of our brother K dot, and even more proud of our sister Sharifa🙏🏽 Let those valleys be exalted🙌🏽
I have heard a few (white) people say (after watching the Superbowl) how much they enjoyed it other than the halftime show. The tone of voice suggests I should know why and agree. I often think of something I read about in the early 1970s...a white woman (Betty Maltz) who was a Christian AND a racist. She "died" of appendicitis, and writes of how she was immediately in the presence of God. She stated (she has since passed away for good) that the first thing God showed her was her racism, then immediately healed her of it. She came back a very changed woman. I think of this story every single time.
I loved this. Isaiah was where I first learned about a God that made sense with the Book of James. Until then James was glossed over with a once saved always saved Gospel and fear of social justice gospel. Also, the Superbowl, 2025 symbolic trump on the side of the Chiefs with their culturally appropriated name and bad racist history vs the Eagles where Jill Biden attended. I so normally at best completely apathetic to football, but this year it did feel like an Eagles win was God saying something.
I'm 61, and white. I watched the halftime show with my 84 year old mom. I've gone back and watched the show at least a dozen times. I've watched Lamar's music videos and listened to his music on Spotify. I've read news articles from his Pulitzer prize award. His experience is not my experience. But there is an integrity in his words that really really speaks to me. "Corrupt a man's heart with a gift, that's how you find out who you're dealing with," is a moral statement for our current reality as a people governed by unspeakable evil. "They not like us" is a battle cry. Thank you for sharing this perspective.
“The role of the artist is exactly the same as the role of the lover. If I love you, I have to make you conscious of the things you don’t see.” James Baldwin said this, and I think you, by being led by curiosity to what you were made conscious of, are the beloved.
This is so well-said, Laura. I also love how earnestly you've engaged with Kendrick and the reactions to it. Our world needs more of this!
I love your writing, Zach. I also love your pointing us to other theologians and writers. I have learned so much about Kendrick's performance from those who have far more wisdom than I about the cultural messages. Watching the half-time performance was humbling, and I knew I was witnessing something great. But I needed more context to get more of the message. This reading and connection to familiar verses in the Bible was mind-blowing and soul changing. Thank you.
Thank you. 🙏🏾
Thanks for the kind words, Susan, and I'm so glad our writing has been helpful on your journey!
This is my message to President Musk. God chose the Philadelphia Eagles to win. God chose Kendrick Lamar to launch the revolution. Felon47 ran like the coward he is.
This is such an important survey and relaying of the sheer power that lives in our prose. So proud of our brother K dot, and even more proud of our sister Sharifa🙏🏽 Let those valleys be exalted🙌🏽
Yes! Sharifa is the real deal. So grateful for her work!
Emory, yes. Power in our prose! and also power in God’s prose—and how God focuses that power. Exalt those valleys, indeed!
Thank you.
Yes! Power in God’s prose🙌🏽
I have heard a few (white) people say (after watching the Superbowl) how much they enjoyed it other than the halftime show. The tone of voice suggests I should know why and agree. I often think of something I read about in the early 1970s...a white woman (Betty Maltz) who was a Christian AND a racist. She "died" of appendicitis, and writes of how she was immediately in the presence of God. She stated (she has since passed away for good) that the first thing God showed her was her racism, then immediately healed her of it. She came back a very changed woman. I think of this story every single time.
Wow—that’s fascinating!
Wow what a fascinating story about Betty! Thanks for sharing that, Linda!
I loved this. Isaiah was where I first learned about a God that made sense with the Book of James. Until then James was glossed over with a once saved always saved Gospel and fear of social justice gospel. Also, the Superbowl, 2025 symbolic trump on the side of the Chiefs with their culturally appropriated name and bad racist history vs the Eagles where Jill Biden attended. I so normally at best completely apathetic to football, but this year it did feel like an Eagles win was God saying something.
You make a great point! I see James as a continuation of Isaiah 58 in a sense.
And yeah, that Eagles win was very satisfying.
The spiritual and physical commingle and cannot be separated. Yes.