Controversial singer Lily Allen’s song ‘The Fear’ and clips from movies like Lord of the Rings and 2012 are just some of the things a Bishop is encouraging Christians to use as part of their devotionals this Lent.
The newly-appointed Bishop of Sheffield, Dr Steven Croft, has compiled a five-week course entitled Exploring God's Mercy, which suggests Christians play popular songs or DVD clips at the start of each session to set the scene for the week’s theme.
The Lenten resource can be used by small groups, couples or individuals and employs varied communication techniques from YouTube videos, iPod podcasts and the more traditional Scripture readings.
Croft says Lily’s hit song The Fear is the ideal listening material for participants in the course, because he believes it captures a “certain spirit” of modern culture, and thinks it is a “clever” song with interesting puns.
However, the Bishop did stress church groups should only play the radio edit of the 2009 track, instead of the uncensored version which is littered with four-letter words.
“There is the kind of mindset expressed to which I think the Christian gospel has a great deal to say,” Croft said.
“I’m not commending it as a way to think, but the song sums up a particular way of seeing the world which is very common, which is confused and afraid, but also confident.”
The Bishop added: “There is a pretty clear instruction in the book to group leaders to check out the lyrics first and to make sure that they use the radio version.”
Lily Allen’s songs hit the headlines last year when U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron said he had banned his six-year-old daughter Nancy from listening to them because some of the lyrics were “inappropriate” for a child of her age.
Croft, who is a father of four grown-up children, agreed that he wouldn’t have allowed his children to listen to uncensored versions of Lily’s songs at primary school age.
Croft also explained the overall vision of his course.
“The depth, strength and constancy of God’s love is of course a lifetime’s journey and Exploring God’s Mercy is designed to take groups or individuals further on that journey," he said.
The course focuses on five images of salvation: the weekly sessions are entitled Lost and Found: Hungry and Satisfied; In Prison and Set Free; Sick and Made Well; Storm Tossed and Comforted; Living the Fruitful Life.
Each session contains a reading from Psalm 107; a testimony based on Mark’s Gospel focusing on the ministry of Jesus; and a New Testament passage looking at Christ’s passion, death and resurrection.