Lindsay and I are both early morning people, and we usually set our radio alarm for 6.30am, so that we can spend half an hour listening to the news before getting on with our day. Last Monday morning, therefore, made for interesting listening.
The 6.30 headlines were, firstly, about plans to close the Calais refugee camp, and secondly, the meeting of heads of the worldwide Anglican Communion. At 6.45am, however, there was a newsflash to announce the death on Sunday of David Bowie, following his eighteen month battle with cancer.
Next up was an interview with the Justin Wellbye, the Archbishop of Canterbury, about the future of the Anglican Communion. “Before we begin,” said the presenter, “what are your thoughts on David Bowie?” By 7.00am, the headlines had changed, with David Bowie top of the list. These headlines were followed by a report from Calais, which had to be cut short. The reporter had clearly put in a lot of work and was expecting to be given a longer slot. “Sorry we have to stop you,” said the presenter. “You may not have heard, but David Bowie has died.”
At the time, we couldn’t help but wonder – if this is how Radio 4’s flagship news programme is dealing with this, what is the mainstream media going to be like? Sure enough, for the rest of the day David Bowie’s life and achievements were given wall to wall coverage.
Don’t get me wrong. The vinyl collection in my attic includes four of Bowie’s first five albums, and over the years I have both enjoyed and admired his musical genius and artistic creativity. But, at the same time, I know that there were sides to Bowie’s character that I didn’t admire, and I would not have recommended him to anyone as a role model.
All this has caused me to reflect on what this says about our society today, and its relentless capacity to idolise.
The biblical definition of an idol is that it is something ‘man-made’ and attractive, but ultimately false, and which draws us away from God. If you’ve been one of the millions of people who have viewed Bowie’s final album, ‘Dark Star’, which was released two days before his death, you may well have been given even more reason to wonder about the motives behind it. Although already acclaimed as a masterpiece, it is hardly reassuring on the theme of dying. It does, however, appear to be a deliberate attempt by him to lay a claim to the notion of ‘Bowie the god’ – someone who, even in death, would welcome our worship.
By now David Bowie will have met with his maker, and will have had to look back on his life in the clear light of God’s truth. But what about us? Who and what do we worship, and where does God come on our list?
Much love, John
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