Creed of Scott Stapp: Is it a Christian one?



Scott Stapp at a Navy Performance

Wolves might not want to stick around long enough to hear what Creed has to say, but humans often do.  Some particularly want to know just what kind of a Christian Scott Stapp really is.

In Mark Moring’s Christianity Today International interview with Stapp, the Creed chief songwriter was specifically asked about his personal Christian faith.  This interview had occurred at a tumultuous time in Stapp’s life.  Creed had recently broken up – and Stapp had recently begun a solo career (which included his participation in The Passion of the Christ: Songs – an album made by artists that were inspired by Mel Gibson’s similarly-named movie).

Stapp’s contribution – the album’s first single, Relearn Love – is a combination plea/prayer to Jesus, somewhat reminiscent of King David’s Psalms in temperament.  In it he begs Jesus for “shelter” from his personal storm - and for a “chance to relearn love.”  As Stapp explained to Moring - these lyrics reflect the anguish of a divorce, plus the underbelly of fame.

This was Stapp’s “Doubting Thomas” phase in which he was earnestly questioning his past beliefs.  His quest was to love God, rather than simply to fear God.  Seeing Gibson’s Passion film was a turning point in this quest.  The film helped to clarify Stapp’s concept of “relearned love” as being “giving without expecting anything in return.”

During this same interview, Stapp claimed that he had never been asked whether he were a Christian before - only whether Creed were a Christian band (which he said it wasn't).  When then asked “the question” by Moring, Stapp replied that he definitely was a Christian, and had been one right along.  However, he also freely admitted that – for much of his time as a Christian - his “life wasn’t right with God.”

This can be said of many – Christian or not.  However, few are honest enough to so publicly admit their ethical shortcomings.

Resources

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/21/creed-saves-a-norwegian-boy_n_812319.html?view=print

http://www.thefish.com/music/interviews/11617886/Stapp%3a-I-Am-a-Christian/

http://www.lyricsmania.com/relearn_love_lyrics_scott_stapp.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Stapp

Copyright January 24, 2011 by Linda Van Slyke   All Rights Reserved