JOHN MICHAEL TALBOT
From TROUBADOUR FOR THE LORD by Dan O'Neill. "Here is the inspiring story
of a rock and roll star who left the fast lane for a Franciscan retreat -
and never looked back. John Michael Talbot - an extraordinary artist and
man of faith who has dedicated his life and music to God and has become one
of the most innovatine voices in contemporary Christian music - a new
Troubadour for the Lord.
Ibid, p. 58. "Somehow I wasn't the same after that. I felt I was flooded
with the Holy Spirit."
Ibid., page 130. "I believe we'll find unity one day - at least a
significant measure of it. But this, in my opinion, will only come through
a full philosophical, historical and scriptural unity. This is the tripod
on which a unified church must stand. If any one leg is removed, it will
collapse," John asserts.
Ibid., page 131. "(Father Ecklecamp, executive secretary of the English-
speaking Conference of the Provincial Ministers of the Order of Friars
Minor) has ruled that Protestants may become ecumenical Franciscan members,
opening the door to virtually all interested parties.
From SIMPLICITY, John Michael Talbot, page 54. "Care must be taken, though,
that the Scriptures not be studied in isolation from the ongoing teaching
of the church. True, we have the Spirit of God within us to guide and
direct us. We have an objective body of teaching in the Scriptures. But
remember: it was the church that authenticated these Scriptures, and it is
the teaching office of the church which provides the commentary or the
instruction to interpret these biblical documents. A balance must be
maintained between tradition and Scripture.
From SIMPLICITY, John Michael Talbot. "Personally, I have found praying the
Rosary to be one of the most powerful tools I possess in obtaining simple,
childlike meditation on the life of Jesus Christ.
CHRISTIAN COMMENT
THE REGATHERING
by Bill Jackson
"The Regathering. A call, to gather the dispersed traditions of our
Christian heritage to evangelize the world."
Thus begins the description of John Michael Talbot's album; the art work
includes pictures of Martin Luther, St. Peter's Basilica, St. Bernard,
Zwingli, Calvin, St. Paul, John Wesley, Ignatius of Loyola (founder of the
Jesuits) and two Roman Catholic popes, Gregory the Great and Leo the
Great. Talbot is a Franciscan monk whose cassettes are often sold in
"Christian" book stores.
Talbot's explanation of this work is that it "is a musical work for
Christian unity. Christians must stand together as a unified people to face
the awesome challenges of our world. They are too great to face alone, or
even as fragmented denominations, fellowships or groups. This is a time
that demands unity."
Some of the lyrics appear to give glory to God, but when you read
Talbot's explanations, it becomes apparent what the hidden motives really
are. In his song, ONE FAITH, Talbot says he "drew from Ignatius of
Antioch's ecclesiology of apostolic succession." He makes special mention
of Simon Peter's having received the keys of the Kingdom, and speaks of
regathering His people back home, into one fold and one faith. Those
familiar with Roman Catholic ecclesiology know to what home, fold and faith
Talbot is referring.
The theme of BUILD UP is the regathering that will take place as a
result of God's forgiving our sin, which occurred in ONE FAITH when God
caused the scattering because of false shepherds.
SAY TO THE PRISONER is a call from "Mother" Church, who will not forget
her wandering child, to come, as during the trek home they will find green
pastures. SEE MY SERVANT, according to Talbot, is meant to usher us through
a door to actual fulfillment of the goal of the (prophetic) call; the
unified worship. LORD HAVE MERCY contains the actual words of the Kyrie
Elieson of the Mass, thus establishing a link between Talbot's ecumenism
and the theological center of Roman Catholicism. ALL WHO ARE THIRSTY is a
call to the individual for commitment to unity, and symbolizes, for Talbot,
"the mingling of water and wine in the Eucharist." The ending is supposed
to remind us, says Talbot, "that the work of unity is not complete. It is
only beginning."
I urge Christians to visit their local religious book store and if this
title is available, to bring the contents to the attention of the owners.
Some boycott stores that sell liquor or pornographic books; certainly this
poison is even more deadly because of its ecumenical implications.
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