I suppose I need to link this Guardian article, because it's probably important to note the historically interesting fact that the enterprise of publishing books explaining U2's Christian underpinnings (a trend that's now very tired in anglophone countries) has made it freshly to Italy; the article is commenting on a recent review in L'Osservatore Romano of Andrea Morandi's November 2009 Italian-language book The name of love. Testi commenti. The author (judging from the brief quotes in the actual review) sounds rather thoughtful, and has created a 656-page work in which U2 lyrics are commented upon and linked with the Biblical allusions they make (I'm curious if it cites @U2's well known list; guessing not).
This whole topic is apparently more or less risible news to the Guardian, who had hoped U2 got over all that decades ago. They share their concern by festooning the article with cliched adolescent sneers like "crusader," "defender of the faith," "earn a halo and a pair of wings," and "heaven's pearly gates." (Apparently the concept of thinking adult artists choosing to carry on in their work an ongoing dialogue with a complex, nuanced spiritual tradition is inconceivable. Or perhaps the problem is inability to conceive of there even being such a thing as a complex, nuanced spiritual tradition in the first place?) Though unable to deny the general case In the name of love and the review apparently make, the Guardian does find a specific way to fault Morandi and debunks linking "Magnificent" with the "Magnificat" as just reading too much into things. Unfortunately, that happens to be one link Bono has made repeatedly in print.
But, let me put my annoyance at Confirmation-class-style spitball throwing and my "how can this be news to anyone?" outlook aside... If anyone has read Morandi's book, which I'm betting is more subtle and careful than the Guardian portrays it, please tell us more. Any Italian fans out there who can help?
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- U2 Sermons
- "U2 Sermons" began as a blog tracking the experience of publishing the book "Get Up Off Your Knees: Preaching the U2 Catalog." It's continued as a place to observe the dialogue between U2's work and theology.
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4 comments:
just typical of the guardian i'm afraid - their attitude to all things Christian, or religious in general, is a regular bane of our UK lives.
ho hum
glad you liked Sum, by the way!
Sum was excellent! Thanks again for the recommendation.
I think it was the Guardian that gave GUOYK a terrible "we're just nauseated beyond belief" type review which also clearly indicated they had not read it (saying, for example, that the sermons in the book worked only with the sunniest and most pious of U2 songs).
no surprise sadly
a friend ministers in a parish that contains the Guardian HQ - utterly closed as an institution... suppose we must pray for strongholds to tumble...
I was amused by this, in the comment thread to the Guardian post: "You'll be telling me that The Magic Flute is all about Freemasonry next."
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