If you are so inclined, please stop by the South By Southwest (SXSW) site and cast a vote for a panel some colleagues of mine from Rock and Theology and I have proposed entitled “Religion Remixed: Pop Music as Spirituality.” Here is a description of the proposed panel:

Speakers
Monica Miller – Lewis and Clark College
David Nantais – University of Detroit Mercy
Tommy Beaudoin – Fordham University
Michael Iafrate – University of Toronto
Rachel Bundang – Marymount School

Description
Since the 1950s, popular music is often thought of as hostile or indifferent to religion, or as an alternative religion of its own. It is often accused of being spiritually thin, distracting, and even morally destructive. But what if listening to popular music (rock, hip-hop, punk and metal, among others) and engaging in the many cultures of which it is a part could be considered spiritual practices? What difference might this make for music fans? Drawing on contemporary research and in the spirit of an open conversation, this panel will discuss different ways to think about the place of popular music in everyday spiritual life today, within and outside of mainstream religious traditions.

Questions Answered – Is there any difference between “spiritual” or “religious” appreciation of secular music? – What exactly is “spiritual” about music? – What ideas from religion research might be helpful to music fans? – What difference does it make to think about why music might have spiritual significance? – How can we negotiate the tensions between religion and popular music?