The Relationship between God and Human : A Gender Critical analysis of Hillsongs music

Abstract Granfrid, Signe, 2022: Relationen mellan Gud och människa: En genuskritisk analys av Hillsongs musik (The Relationship Between God and human: A Gender Critical analysis of Hillsongs music) Acta Universitatis Upsaliensis. Uppsala studies in Theology and Religious Studies, - Philosophical Specialisation In this essay the relationship between God and human is studied in music produced by Hillsong Church. The overall purpose is to analyse how the relationship is constructed concerning gender and the characteristics of a relationship. I also critically review the theology’s potential to invite people to relate to and live with God. The purpose is reached through an analysis of five of the most essential Hillsong songs; What a Beautiful Name, Who you say I am, Resurrender, Still and From the Inside Out. The method used is a descriptive and critical idea analysis with a hermeneutical approach. The study makes use of the Jewish philosopher Martin Buber’s theory of the makings of relationship, which emphasizes mutuality in the present as constitutive, and the Christian feminist theologian Sallie McFague’s thoughts on traditional portrayals of God. The analysis shows that the relationship between God and human lacks mutuality and is built on past experience of God rather than presence with God. God and human relate to one another through their fixated positions; human being broken and unable, and God the benignant rescuer, portrayed traditionally as Father and King. In the last chapter I reflect upon the theology expressed in the songs and present my own constructive contribution. I discuss in what way the human is affected by the theology presented and argue that the context in which interpretation takes place is of key importance. I also discuss different models of God and argue that complex and transcendent ones are needed. I propose a brave theology allowing elaborative thought of different ways to imagine God. Lastly, I discuss the human-divine relationship as such and propose a relational model on the basis of dialogue as a beneficent alternative to the hierarchy-based model found in Hillsong’s music. Keywords: Hillsong, Models of God, Gender, Contemporary Christian Music (CCM), Pentecostal, Human-Divine-Relationship, Worshi