Hipster Christian: You're Not the Only One

This post is long overdue and the topic probably has been written ad nauseum somewhere else, but I feel a need to address it anyway. The topic is the rise of Christian counterculture, specifically that of the "Hipster Christian", in the early 21st century. Similar to the Jesus movement of the late 60's/early 70's, Hipster Christians tend to be of two sorts: those who identify as "Christian" within the hipsterocracy and those hipsters sitting in the pews.Three things have made me aware of the Hipster Christian phenomena. The first, I believe, was my sister's friend suddenly finding Christ at the end of high school and later going on to being an art major at OSU (and eventual hipster). The second was the rise of Sufjan Stevens and his ilk to indie rock greatness. Finally, the prevalence of the various sects of Hipster Christianity in COMO added to my already anxious state from moving to Misery.

I remember my sister's high school graduation. Her best friend through childhood was giving the valedictorian speech. She went through this list of characteristics of a good friend. Long story short, she concluded with the secret: her best friend was Jesus. Before this event, my sister and her friend were the odd-ball hipster-types of our small-town, rural high school. Then, her friend had some life-altering experience and traded my sister in for the messiah. From there, my sister and her friend seemed to drift apart.

Eventually, maybe five years later, the two friends rejoined to become roommates. Her friend was still into being a Jesus freak, only she was fully entrenched in the OSU art scene. Her senior exhibit was held in a very artsy part of town the night of a gallery hop (aka the night where yuppies venture to the city for some culture). I was shocked that such a young artist had been able to secure a space in such a competitive part of the art scene. Then, I saw the venue: the rundown storefront-turned-Christian youth "coffee house". I don't mean to degrade her art. It just had "Hipster Christian" written all over it, long before I coined the term.This was about the same time I became interested in Sufjan Stevens. His instrumentation and lyrical prowess is unparalleled, but I didn't totally get what he was saying in his music. My partner, a former Catholic school student, could pick out all the religious imagery of which I was ignorant. The guy really gets into the whole Jesus thing and conflicts with his faith. It added a layer to music that just wasn't there for me. It didn't ruin the music for me, a pure-bred atheist. Actually, it had the opposite effect. The themes and ideas Stevens addresses in his music only have made the music deeper, more complex.

Of course, Stevens is not the only Hipster Christian to which I listen. I have a few Pedro the Lion records lying about. Then there's slowcore originators Low. There's the whole Danielson Famile that gave Sufjan his start. I'm sure there are others I don't even realize, but these are the groups who seem to be out of the Christian closet, so to speak.

In case you didn't know, all things Christian happen in Misery. If you haven't seen Jesus Camp, then you wouldn't understand. There's a lot of Christ's blood running through the mighty Missouri River, fo sheezy. And I'm not talking little, modest, country churches. No, I'm talking mega-churches. Even somewhat secular (albeit raised Baptist) rhet/comp faculty members are blogging about it.

The two factions of Jesus freaks are clearly represented in COMO. There are the cool parishioners of churches like The Rock or...Trees...er...Shiny Things...you get the point. They wear Burkenstocks and play rock music at services. (OK. This does not make them hipsters, but it does make them cool kids who aspire to be hip, hence they have hipster tendencies.) They even feature some of their hottest, hippest members on their TV ads in order to attract those who want cool friends.

Then, there are the more free-spirited hippies and hipsters who also happen to love Jesus. The reason I lump the hippies with the hipsters is because there is a fine line in these here parts. Now, instead looking for the coolest, most obscure religion or even going without religion altogether, these Hipster Christians really set the trend of worship by toting Bibles and praying before they eat their vegan feasts. Now that they have morality, they can enter the next phase of hipsterdom and become hipster parents.

I don't mean to be offensive, I just don't understand the Hipster Christian ethic. The social justice angle that exists in those secretly Marxist Catholics or the liberal-minded Protestants makes sense, but the embracing of hetero-centric and conservative viewpoints seem to contradict what it means to be a hipster. Conversely, is it really Christian to focus on one's image as much as one's god? I don't know.

I mean, can a Hipster Christian be pro-choice? Can a Hipster Christian care about fashion? Can a Hipster Christian like secular music? I've met some that are on both sides of these issues, which doesn't make things any clearer for me.

Anyway, there's a dissertation in there somewhere that I will never have time to write. I don't know that Hipster Christians are good or bad. I just know that it's a phenomenon of the last decade that needs to be explored.

Until then, watch this.

#15 of 2007: Low - Drums and Guns

Thirty-One Words: Low flashes unexpectedly mad beats and clap machines on Drums and Guns where big beat meets slow-core. This might be the best thing the band has done since their Christmas record.

The one song that makes it worth $17.95: "Hatchet"

Pitchfork Says: 8.1