Weird Christian Stuff: Recent Episodes
ryandavid
Join me as I take a look at the strange world of Christian pop culture from the 1970s and 1980s. Each episode I explore a forgotten band, preacher, guru, or author in an attempt to redeem them from their obscurity!!
Australian musician Rod Boucher has done it all, from musicals, folk and rock bands, to drama and street theatre. He became a bit of a YouTube sensation when his 1981 ad for the Christian Television Association achieved widespread interest, but I was keen to explore who the man was behind all the music.
For this episode I was honoured to interview Rod Boucher.
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For more information about Rod, including links to his music, see:
General Information and projects:
https://aussiegrownradio.com/artists/rod-boucher/
https://www.songs-of-faith-hope-and-love.com/artists
Links to Music:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-EQ2x1N5PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=57KE3DJOcYM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0IuaDuv3_qc
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2a4y_2JHqY
Big hair, scrunchies, and colourful leotards? Check. Gospel music and shout- outs to Jesus? Check. Welcome to the strange world of 1980s Christian aerobics.
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Sources:
Leslie Barker, “Believers get their Kicks out of Exercising,” South Florida Sun Sentinel, June 13, 1987, https://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/fl-xpm-1987-06-13-8702220031-story.html
Frank Schaeffer, Addicted to Mediocrity: 20th Century Christians and the Arts (Westchester: Crossway, 1981).
Michael Hirsley, “The 1987 Doobies,” Chicago Tribune, December 30, 1987, https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1987-12-30-8704060974-story.html
United Press International “Dump Pounds to Gospel Beath,” The Battalion, November 11, 1982, https://newspaper.library.tamu.edu/lccn/sn86088544/1982-11-11/ed-1/seq-18/
“Sweating to Bible Verses,” The Over Educated Housewife Blog, https://theovereducatedhousewife.home.blog/tag/mary-chapian/
Carla Hall, “Cheryl Prewitt’s Born-Again American Beauty,” Washington Post, May 27, 1980, https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1980/05/27/cheryl-prewitts-born-again-american-beauty/0ef867a5-ac68-4274-b387-6391d215a877/
Remember the Satanic Panic? The preacher Fletcher A. Brothers certainly does. In 1987 he wrote a book titled the Rock Report, which he used to denounce the Satanic nature of rock music. Join me as I take a look at the content of the Rock Report, as well as the more sinister revelations to emerge in relation to Brother’s youth outreach facility….
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Sources:
Fletcher A. Brothers, The Rock Report: An Uncensored Look into Today’s Rock Music Scene! (Lancaster: Starburst, 1987).
Fletcher A. Brothers personal website: www.fletcherbrothersministries.org
Steve Mills, “Where Did All the Money Go?” Democrat & Chronicle, March 21, 1993, https://www.democratandchronicle.com/picture-gallery/news/2019/07/18/freedom-village-and-pastor-fletcher-brothers-reporting/1594421001/
Thad Moore and Stephen Hobbs, “Christian Teen Home Relocating to SC Mountains Punished Students on ‘the Woodpile,’” Post and Courier, April 14, 2019, https://www.postandcourier.com/news/christian-teen-home-relocating-to-sc-mountains-punishes-students-on-the-woodpile/article_990f2aa8-5166-11e9-947d-2bc190c60cb4.html