Students defend, decry upcoming Lifelight concert

By Nathan Elg

Mirror Staff Writer
March 7, 2008

Christian rock bands Third Day, DecembeRadio and Sanctus Real will take the Elmen Center stage for this year’s “UBG Big Event” at 7 p.m., Thursday, March 13.

The upcoming Big Event, emerging after Augustana struck a new partnership with Lifelight in January, is spurring plenty of discussion amongst Augustana students.

The discussion isn’t about rock music. It’s about Christian rock music with a dividing message, and students disagree over whether that is a good thing or a bad thing for Augustana.

Most students who are planning to attend the concert believe this event is needed for Augustana because Christian faith is one of its five core values.

“I think the core part of Augie, it being a Christian college, has had less attention in the past,” senior government major Dane Bloch said. “I’m glad they’re focusing more on it with this concert, because it’s something that appeals to me and a lot of others.”

Some students believe the Christian concert is exclusive and unfair to Augustana students.

“The campus is charging me for an activities fee to help put on these events,” senior government major Lindsay Isaacson said. “And this concert actively promotes an ideal, a self-interest, that pushes away a good portion of the student body. And that self-interest is in conflict with the inclusive environment the administration claims to provide.”

Junior psychology major Amy Anderson agrees that this year’s UBG Big Event, as well as other events on campus, are somewhat exclusive, but she said students ought to accept this concert as they accept other activities on campus.

“I sometimes get tired of hearing all this talk about tolerance and being inclusive when there’s not much tolerance for my Christian beliefs,” Anderson said. “If people are so bent on diversity and other cultures, maybe some can take the opportunity with this concert to see the culture they are planted in right now.”

Activities director Jeff Venekamp sees the event differently and believes a Christian concert is not exclusive at all.

“This concert is open to everyone at Augie,” Venekamp said. “What’s exclusive about that? If you brought in Bob Marley and The Wailers, it’s not exclusive to people who like reggae.”

Senior interdepartmental major Sarah Mason surveys a larger difference between reggae music and Third Day.

“Third Day has a stronger link to religion,” Mason said. “Hindus who genuinely enjoy Christian rock are difficult to find. You cut to the quick of people by asking about religion. There are wars over religious convictions, not over rock or reggae music.”

Lifelight’s concert promoter Johnny Lloyd said the Elmen Center concert will be about religious conviction and music entertainment.

“There’s going to be a lot of worship going on with two of Third Day’s biggest albums being worship CDs,” Lloyd said. “Third Day is rock-oriented, so it’s also going to be very entertaining.”

Anderson said she doesn’t see the link between Christian music and UBG’s brand of “quality entertainment.”

“It contradicts itself, because when you talk about entertainment you start talking about the band,” Anderson said. “But Christianity isn’t about the band, it’s about Jesus.”

Anderson said that focus on Jesus is essential for Augustana’s Christian core value.

“We have a unique opportunity to show what this band stands for, something the college apparently stands for,” Anderson said.

Some students are unsure what Augustana’s Christian core value does stand for.

“Christianity covers a spectrum of beliefs,” Mason said. “We should think critically about the consistency of Christianity on our campus, because I think that is the interesting and important discussion we should be having.”