This document discusses the use of religion as a lens to interpret cultural phenomena. It examines how rave culture exhibits structural and phenomenological similarities to religious rituals and experiences. Raves are described as involving separation from normality, a liminal state of marginalization and aggregation, and a return. Religious language and symbolism are also used in rave culture. While raves may appear religious, the document notes religion is a category constructed by observers, not a native or theological category. Overall, the document analyzes how viewing rave culture through a religious studies perspective can provide insights into this cultural phenomenon.

1. Music doesn’t lie. If there is something to be changed in this world, then it can only
happen through music.
Jimi Hendrix

2. Working Theory for Religion
and Popular Culture
• Secularization is not replacing religion
• Religious institutions have less authority
• Understood not as declining religion but declining scope of
authority
• This shift should not be conceived as a loss of religious
efficacy, however, but as a loss of worldly authority, because
when religious institution exercises control it is because that
institution acts as a secular institution, controlling law,
government, and even education.
• This change in authority results in ways in which humans
express themselves religiously, so we get a constant infusion
of new religious expressions, new religions, revival of
religions, and new vehicles of expression which come from
outside of traditional religious institutions and draw upon
other cultural that may or may not be formally related to
religious institutions.

3. “Nitty Gritty” Hermeneutics
• A method which can fit with our theory is ‘nitty
gritty’ hermeneutics because it helps us to see
this shifting of authority
• Pinn states, “My goal is [to] provide a
methodology for exploring this conversation, a
method growing out of the source material. I
have labeled this ‘nitty gritty’ hermeneutics” (p.
253-4)
• Pinn is looking for the raw natural facts and sets
aside their ramifications; he seeks a clear un-
romanticized understanding of a hostile world.
• This approach takes the material of life that goes
unspoken and hidden and expresses it.

4. JT “Funny Papa” Smith: The
Howlin’ Wolf (1931)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joEIOS82560
Well, here I am, got the blues about little old Victoria, the Howlin' Wolf.
Guess I'll drop a few lines.
1) I'm that wolf that everybody been tryin' to find out where in the world I prowl (x2)
Nobody ever gets a chance to see me, but they all hear me when I howl
2) (Now) I howl to my baby with her mother standing by her side (x2)
And that's the reason I'm howlin', I'm tryin' to be satisfied.
3) I even prowled for you baby, when you was down and couldn't stand up on your feet
(x2)
Now you walk by the Lone Wolf and act like you don't want to speak
4) What made you quit me (baby), I love you and I did three years ago. (x2)
Take me back and I'll quit prowlin' and I won't ever howl no more.
5)(Aww) Preacher told me (that) God would give a black man most anything he do (x2)
I ain't black but I'm dark complexioned, look like He ought to forgive me too.
6) (Looks, Seems) like God don't treat me like I'm a human kind. (x2)
Seems like he wants me to be a prowler and a Howlin' Wolf all the time.

5. JT “Funny Papa” Smith: The
Seven Sisters of New Orleans
(1931)
• https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=cTe2glMSZ_E
– Part one
• https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=Xof9NrOlarg
– Part one and two

6. Discussion
• What is being communicated in
JT “Funny Papa” Smith’s music?

7. Rap Music
• Sugar Hill Gang’s: “Rapper’s
Delight” (1979)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ljUnyv5XUA8)
• NWA: “Fuck Tha Police” (1988)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=9jOqOlETcRU)
• Arrested Development: Fishin 4
Religion (1992)
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=ZKyuZgseyQ4)

8. Discussion
• What is being communicated by
the three artists?
• In context to our working theory,
do you think there is a transition
from “Funny Papa” Smith’s music
to Rap music with regards to
shifting authority?

9. Discussion
• What changed for American Black
people in the US between 1930 and
1970?
• Can the cause to change in
authority results from human
expression alone? Does this change
in expression need to come from
outside of traditional religious
institutions?
• Can traditional religious institutions
change?

10. Discussion
• It is important to recognize that
although religion can be pointed to
as an oppressor of subaltern
cultures, religion can also be used
to liberate groups.
• Black Liberation Theology changed
the religious discourse from
oppression to liberation and in so
doing “deconstructed established
social norms and constructed new
ones”

11. Liberation Theology

12. Liberation Theology
• General Introduction
• Latin America
• Black Liberation Theology

13. Liberation theology
• Contemporary Christian Political
Movement
• Jesus reacts to injustice and
oppression
• Kingdom of God is understood
– As an interior change offering hope
– As an exterior change to transform
society
• Liberation Theology seeks to
change society

14. Latin American Liberation
Theology
• Gustavo Gutierrez in 1968 came up with
Theology of Liberation
• Gospel a tool for reform in Latin America
• Through the Church people were taught
about liberation theology
• Focused on Mary the Mother of Jesus
• Drew women to the movement
• South American (and US) Governments
reacted
• In 1989, six Jesuit priests were killed at
Central American University because of
their support toward rebellious forces

15. Black Liberation Theology
• Martin Luther King Jr. is an example
• Some argue that Malcolm X laid the
basis for Black Liberation Theology
• Critique of American Christianity
• King used “Jesus way to the Cross” as
central theology for change
• Malcolm X moved away from
Christianity and toward Islam because
he felt Islam was “color-blind”

16. Music as Indicator for
Socio-Cultural Expression
• Some music may push the boundaries
of established norms, but it is also
reflective of the age it was created.
• Music crystalizes thought and acts as a
gage so we can view the socio-cultural
context.
• In the case of authority, view the
shifting loci of power.
• Music is a tool to help us analyze
culture.

17. Music as Indicator for
GLBTQ Culture
• The Edmonton Reggae Festival
came under public scrutiny in
July 2015 for performing artists
they selected
(http://www.edmontonjournal.c
om/Edmonton+Reggae+Festival
+sponsors+suspend+support/11
201907/story.html)
• What is it about their music
that caused the controversy?

18. Music as Indicator for
GLBTQ Culture
• Queen Ifrica “Keep it to
yourself” (2008)
(https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=hFf9N_dwO7s)
• What does Queen Ifrica’s lyric
say about GLBTQ culture? How
does Queen Ifrica legitimize the
position presented in the lyrics?

19. Music as Indicator for
GLBTQ Culture
• Hozier “Take Me to Church”
(2014)
(https://www.youtube.com/wat
ch?v=PVjiKRfKpPI)
• What does Hozier’s lyrics say
about “church”? How does
Hozier legitimize the position
presented in the music video?

20. Music as Indicator for
GLBTQ Culture
• Queen Ifrica’s lyrics use scripture “Laws of
God” to defend the prohibition of GLBTQ
culture.
• Hozier’s lyrics and music video rejects
church authority with regards to GLBTQ
culture.
• Music is crystalizing contemporary
discourse and reflecting the two polar
positions of our society.
• Because both positions revolve around
church authority (accept v. reject), I think
with regards to GLBTQ culture, the loci of
power rests with the church. Do you
agree?

21. Christian Rock

22. Another Piece to our
Working Theory
• Romanowski’s study identifies that the
dominant American consumer culture
co-opts subcultures. Mass culture in
the 20th century fueled by rise of
democratic culture and
homogenization which in turn
suppressed the personal, ethic, and
religious identities associated with
traditional subcultures. Media
saturation reshaped society lessening
familial and religious authority and
eroding American’s sense of time and
place.

23. Christian Music Industry
• Est. 1970s as alternative to
secular music and to reach non-
religious youth
• Industry counteracted
– Lack of audience
– Inferior record production
– Inferior distribution network

24. Venture into Secular Rock
• Christian rock moving more mainstream
caused discord amongst Christian music
industry because it was saw as an affront
to Christian lifestyle
• The purpose was to achieve a ministry to
youth but difficulties arose
– Gospel record and independent Christian
companies competed for sales
– Songwriters and publishers battled radio
programmers
– Blurring lines between secular and religious
– Crossover music confused consumer

25. Christian Rock and Secular
Rock
• Christian music moved youth culture into popular
culture
• By moving into secular industry the Christian Rock
movement became co-opted by secular industry
• In an attempt to focus on the new musical form
other Christian music was set aside (i.e., Black
Christian Music)
• Conservative Evangelical Christians tried to focus on
traditional values but their worship became more
untraditional
• Music sends a mixed message while the lyrics are
Christian focused sometimes the entertainment side
(i.e., their actions on stage, their dress, make up etc)
is telling a different story

26. Christian Rock and Secular
Rock
• In 1980’s the music plateau
because
– the music was too diverse – so
the market was sub divided,
– mom and pop religious stores stop
selling the music because it didn’t
seem Christian,
– Disagreements over the
commercial character stopped
cooperative efforts

27. Amy Grant
• Amy Grant is an example of a
successful Christian music singer who
was also able to cross over to the
secular music industry – this cross over
brought tension amongst the Christian
music group
• Amy Grant’s success was an uneasy
relationship as her music became less
and less about evangelicalizing and
more about making music – she
became a Christian singing secular love
songs.

28. Christian Rock and Secular
Rock
• In effect, the Christian music crossover
trend illustrates the dominant
consumer culture may have a greater
impact on religious subcultures in the
United States than the other way
around. [This goes back to our theory]
• To further complicate things 1997 Amy
Grant’s “Behind the Eyes” had no
explicit reference to God or Jesus
while LeAnn Rimes “You Light Up My
Life: Inspirational Songs” was on the
top charts for Christian music.

29. Rave Culture and Religion

30. Rave as Religious Experience
• The study applies the theory of
displacement of religious
experience and the sacred to
draw out the structural and
phenomenological religious
homology of raves and set the
study of this youth phenomenon
and the subculture which
surrounds it firmly within the
field of religious studies.

31. Outline
• Rave History and Structural
Components
• Symbolic and Religious
References
• Ritual Structure of Rave Culture

32. Rave History
• In US, stems from 20th century “house” music/dance
which was a backdrop for the gay club scene in the
70s and 80s in New York, Chicago, and East Coast
cities like Montreal, so rave scene was natural fit
when introduced
• In Britain in the 80s a new social revolution occurred
after a decade of Thatcherism, in connection to drug
ecstasy, acid house parties spread across London
and Manchester which spilled into clubs and
desolate industrial areas thus becoming raves
• Exported from Britain via technoevangelism
– British ravers travelling abroad and catalyzing rave’s
implantation (as was the case in the San Francisco
scene)
– foreign travelers discovering raves while in England
and Northern Europe, and feeling “a calling” to bring
back raves to their home town

33. Structure
• Special knowledge concerning events and on-
goings circulates via certain information
networks which make abundant use of intra-
textual, coded references
• Raving is a group activity; only rarely do
individuals go to events unaccompanied
• Raves offer an enchanted environment
• Essential to rave-and amongst ravers’ prime
motivations for attending events-is techno
music
• Dancing is the main activity here, making raves
spark gratuitousness, excess and participation

34. Symbolic and Religious References
• Language: generalized and wide-
range use of explicit religious
terminology and symbolism
• Return to Eden
• Reacting to a feeling of
apprehension and loss of control

35. Ritual Structure of Rave Culture
• Similar to Victor Turner’s Three
Stage Process
– separation (from normality),
– marginalization and aggregation
– return to normality and
reassessment

36. Separation
• Separation: Gathering
information, purchasing tickets
and drugs, meeting up with
friends, getting to the party
location

37. Marginalization and Aggregation
• The marginal state begins when
ravers enter the soundscape, often
with feelings of awe and
anticipation mixed with a sense of
being overwhelmed.
• Drug ingestion, when it occurs, is
also performed in a ritualized and
sometimes even solemn manner;
focusing attention by providing a
frame

38. Return
• Return: After 10 hours or more
(sometimes days), a typical rave
opens onto various comedown
rituals

39. Is Rave Religious?
• The article suggests quite
strongly that rave culture is a
religious experience or practice.
• Do you think rave culture is a
religious practice?

40. Religion to Interpret Data
• JZ Smith states:
– Religion is not a native category
– Religion is thought to be
ubiquitous
– In constructing a second-order,
generic category “religion,” its
characteristics are those that
appear natural to the other
– Religion is an anthropological
category not a theological category

41. Banksy