’90s CCM, Slogans, and Joy: What We’re Reading

It’s time for the quarterly books episode of The Russell Moore Show!

Tune in as Russell and producer Ashley Hales talk about their recent reads ranging from politics to poetry. The two discuss a variety of topics including Augustine’s argument in City of God , how theological convictions become slogans, and the world of Contemporary Christian Music (CCM). Their conversation considers what true joy looks like, why it’s okay not to understand everything we read (even in the Bible), and how books can give us words for our most deeply felt human experiences.

Books mentioned in this episode include:

• God Gave Rock and Roll to You: A History of Contemporary Christian Music by Leah Payne
• City of God by Augustine 
• God's Rascal: J. Frank Norris and the Beginnings of Southern Fundamentalism (America's Baptists) by Barry Hankins
• Joy: 100 Poems by Christian Wiman
• Zero at the Bone by Christian Wiman
• Four Quartets: A Poem by T.S. Eliot
• Lutheran Slogans: Use and Abuse by Robert W. Jenson
• A Shining by Jon Fosse
• The Inferno by Dante Alighieri
• The Death of Ivan Ilyich by Leo Tolstoy
• The Maytrees: A Novel by Annie Dillard

Additional resources mentioned in this episode include:

• Petra
• Amy Grant
• Rich Mullins
• “Christian Wiman’s Work Against Despair” 
• George M. Marsden
• Eugene Peterson
• Music & Meaning with Charlie Peacock
• Owen Barfield
• C.S. Lewis
• J.R.R. Tolkien

Do you have a question for Russell Moore? Send it to questions@russellmoore.com.

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“The Russell Moore Show” is a production of Christianity Today 

Executive Producers: Erik Petrik, Russell Moore, and Mike Cosper 

Host: Russell Moore 

Producer: Ashley Hales 

Associate Producers: Abby Perry and McKenzie Hill

Director of Operations for CT Media: Matt Stevens

Audio engineering by Dan Phelps 

Video producer: Abby Egan 

Theme Song: “Dusty Delta Day” by Lennon Hutton

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