Theology of Prince
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
THEOLOGY OF PRINCE CREDITS: United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities (in alphabetical order) Theology of Prince Panel from United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities at Prince from MPLS, A Symposium at the University of Minnesota, April 18, 2018 Kyle Roberts: Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean pril 18, 2018 Lewis P. Zeidner, Ph.D.: President Max Brumberg-Kraus, Winning Poet, MA Student: read his winning poem, “Ours to Give,” and Thomas G. Wilson’s Winning Open Submissions poem, “The Ladder.” Theology of Prince Committee Vernell Garnett (not present), Winning Visual Open Submissions Artist: Prince Roger Nelson’s Parade, Oil Pastel, Acrylic and Collage on Water Color Paper. Max Brumberg-Kraus: Digital Content Specialist and an MA student in Theology and the Arts Cindi Beth Johnson, Director of The Intersection, Wilson Yates Center for Theology and the Arts: Cindi Beth Johnson: Director of The Intersection, Wilson Yates Center for Theology and the Arts commentary and read part of the Winning Academic Paper, “Prince’s Spiritual Terroir.” Katie Langston: Former Director of Marketing and Community Relations Zada Johnson, Winning Open Submissions Essay Author, Associate Professor of Inner City Studies and Kate Norlander: Director of Marketing and Community Relations Anthropology at Northeastern Illinois University: read from her winning essay, “Prince, the Beautiful Chelsea K. Stanton: Program Associate for the Kaleo Center for Faith, Justice & Social Oshun: The Purple One as Embodiment of the River Goddess of Love.” Transformation Program Associate for The Intersection: Wilson Yates Center for Theology and the Arts, Amọké Kubat, Winning Essay Author, United Seminary Alum: read from her winning essay, and Alum “The Ascension of Prince.” Sharon Tan: Former Academic Dean Lisa Myers, Winning Visual Artist, Master of Divinity Student with concentration in the Arts: discussed Jann Cather Weaver, Copyeditor: Professor Emerita of Worship, and Theology and the Arts her winning photograph, All Excited. Pamela Ayo Yetunde, Chair: Assistant Professor of Pastoral and Spiritual Care and Counseling, and Lianne Raymond (not present) Winning Academic Author: “Prince’s Spiritual Terroir.” Director of Interreligious Chaplaincy Phillip Romine, Director of Admissions: Commentary. Danny Solis, Winning Video: performed his (video) poem “The Moment of His Arrival.” Theology of Prince Judges Thomas G. Wilson (not present) Winning Open Submissions Poet: “The Ladder.” Pamela Ayo Yetunde, Assistant Professor of Pastoral and Spiritual Care and Counseling, and Director Jill Braithwaite of Interreligious Chaplaincy: read from her anchor academic article, “Prince: A Spiritual Bioarchetypog- Christian Platt raphy of Nondualism and Dialectical Psycho-Spiritual Healing, Part I.” Charmayne Harper Marjorie D. Grevious Style Manuals Journal Design and Marketing The SBL Handbook of Style: For Biblical Studies and Related Disciplines. 2nd ed. Atlanta: SBL Press, 2014. Turabian Kate L. A Manual for Writers of Term Papers, Theses, and Dissertations. 8th ed. Chicago: Amee McDonald: Vice President for Marketing University of Chicago Press, 2013. Kate Norlander: Director of Marketing and Community Relations Phillip Romine: Director of Admissions Ameen Taahir: Graphic Design Artist Jann Cather Weaver: Editor in Chief PREFACE DR. PAMELA AYO YETUNDE At United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities, we value exploring the multiple intersections of theology, culture, embodiment, and art. Hence, we began the 2017-2018 academic year with a special opportunity for the community of students, faculty, staff, and alums to engage the theology of Prince as expressed in his life and music. “The idea was extraordinary for a multitude of reasons. United is an ecumenical and progressive seminary where students are encouraged to question [doctrine] and engage in candid conversations about spirituality, social justice, chaplaincy, life and death—conversations about gender identity and human sexuality with support for the full inclusion of our LGBTQI+ siblings. All these conversations have crossover points, intersections, with what we know about Prince, his music and his life.”1 Prince was an intergenerational and international musical, fashion, and cinematic artist best known for his funky dance rhythms and explicit sexuality— and a Minnesotan! Even though he sold more than 100 million records and won seven Grammy awards, little is known about the impact religion and spirituality had on his music and artistic expression. http://www.fccminneapolis.org/home/voices/?utm_campaign=Events&utm_source=hs_ Yet, who has not had a ‘holy’ moment listening to one of Prince’s songs or email&utm_medium=email&utm_content=57843864&_hsenc=p2ANqtz-_RYXtZRJgr- attending one of his concerts? ZA7sL8SxZpfl7QpM8oVaDXLH73rRCYMXEd-K5TzCArykfVbQA2dP3qmNi8Wq5MbH- goI-5TImBoajt-nCMxyDCQDg5Ujp5UayAUUpA3w&_hsmi=57843864 United Seminary has consistently recognized the vital role the arts play in life, religion, embodiment, and spirituality. Dedicated to theological education, this school commits to infuse the arts in this critical endeavor. Students come to understand the arts as conduits for the holy, to the Divine. Hence, United Theological Seminary issued a United-wide and an international call for submissions to inquire into the “Theology of Prince.” We asked for visual artwork, personal essays, videos, poetry, music, and academic papers to respond Prince unveiled a sacred space in which all could see the hallowed in themselves to the theological, spiritual, and religious motifs in Prince’s work, with different and one another. juries from the United Theology of Prince Committee selecting a winner in each medium. A monetary award was granted to the juried winners. Winners present- United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities is honored to present the first ed their work at the University of Minnesota’s Prince from MPLS event, and United issue of our Journal of Theology and Culture: Theology of Prince. hosted a Prince dance party, poetry and essay reading. Dr. Pamela Ayo Yetunde The final intent was for the school to release a curated, online journal in theology Theology of Prince Committee Chair and culture: Theology of Prince. This journal consists of student, alum, faculty, and December 3, 2018 international guest submissions from a variety of religious, spiritual, and theolog- ical landscapes. Our intention is to allow each Voice to be heard in its distinctive quality, rather than edit all pieces to echo a hollow tune of conformance in theol- ogy and tenor: a fusion of melodies comprise this singular journal. Furthermore, with this journal, United Seminary lives into the ethic of embracing sexuality as intrinsic to spirituality, as inherited from our famed and beloved professor, Dr. James B. Nelson, Professor Emeritus of Christian Ethics (1963-1995), an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. In the early 1970s, Dr. Nelson, along with his wife, Wilys Claire, developed a program at United that “became a national model for seminary sexuality education.”2 Dr. Nelson’s teaching and publications (Embodiment: An Approach to Sexuality and Christian Theology (1978), Between Two Gardens: Reflections on Sexuality and Reli- gious Experience (1983), and others) affirm sexuality as central to one’s spirituality and relationship with God. Within this journal, authors and artists interrogate how Prince expressed his sexuality in relation to his theologies through his lyrics, subsequent albums, and live performances: Did Prince exorcize alleged conflicts between sex, sexuality, gender identity, and his faith traditions? Did devotees of Prince find a needed liberation for their sexuality from an oppressive theological interpretation of sexuality? Did Prince allow us to acknowledge and transverse our gender fluidity? A friend and colleague sojourned to the outer fence of Paisley Park soon after the death of Prince. Upon seeing signs and notes left by grieving patrons, she felt moved by the number of people who attributed to him a rare affirmation: Prince testified they were created ‘holy’ and not something ‘different’.3 As a Rock Icon, Notes PAMELA AYO YETUNDE 1“Theology of Prince Gallery,” United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities | Theology of Prince, accessed December 3, 2018, https://bit.ly/2BOq8bd. 2“Dr. James B. Nelson | Profile,” LGBTQ Religious Archive Newswork, accessed December 3, 2018, https://bit.ly/2QuoML7. Pamela Ayo Yetunde is Assistant Professor of Pastoral and Spiritual Care 3 and Counseling and Director of Interreligious Chaplaincy at United Theological Cindi Beth Johnson, emailed to author, December 3, 2018. Seminary of the Twin Cities. She came to United in 2017. She received her Th.D. from Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, GA, where she specialized in pastoral counseling. Her research and scholarship focus on Object Relations Theory and psychotherapy, Buddhist psychology, Womanist Theology, Christian-Buddhist spiritual transitional stages, Black lesbian poet Audre Lorde as a spiritual and psychological resource, and chaplain formation. Yetunde authored Object Relations, Buddhism, and Relationality in Womanist Practical Theology (Palgrave Macmillan, 2018), and has published a number of blog and magazine articles, as well as journal articles. Yetunde lives in Minnesota with her spouse. She is an interfaith Buddhist practitioner. THEOLOGY OF PRINCE 8 9 TABLE OF CONTENTS Credits 2 Preface 5 Essays 11 ESSAYS Poetry 145 Academic Papers 153 Visual Art 338 “Anna Stesia”: