RWB has exchanged a few e-mails with a reader named Jason who — I think it’s fair to say — doesn’t much agree with me on political matters, but has been curious about some issues relating to Dylan. A recent e-mail presented a list of questions, and it seemed to me that it justified a post.

I’ve emailed you a few times with comments and questions and I’ve dug your responses. Well, I just took a look a today’s post and it reminded me of one question–a big question–and I have had for you.There are different questions involved really and different ways of wording them but basically what I want to understand is the importance of religion and God in Dylan’s songs.

You firmly believe that God is fundamental to all of Dylan’s work, yes? Is Dylan still “Born Again” Christian or what? Clearly a monotheist? Are music critics attempting to ignore Dylan’s religiosity?? Perhaps just like they do his overall conservatism? Dylan says he doesn’t adhere to or follow preachers or whatever and no “organized” religion, I guess he means, but believes in the songs. What does that mean? Do you believe Dylan is basically a “Christian artist” and/or does Christian music? Should his stuff be on Christian music radio? Do you have to have faith in the existence of god, or a Christian god, to fully “get” Dylan?

Those are fair and direct questions, on which I have opinions, so I’ll answer them, although I don’t want to shamelessly present myself as the ultimate arbiter of all correct perceptions of Dylan (even if this website appears to be doing just that). People have heard and will continue to hear Dylan’s songs in a huge variety of ways, and that’s one of the things that makes his work special and fascinating to millions.

Anyhow, I’ve written around these topics at length before, so I’d also like to give relatively brief answers here, rather than regurgitate a lot of supporting material from the past. It’s still out there.

So:

Q: You firmly believe that God is fundamental to all of Dylan’s work, yes?

I think that an awareness, a consciousness of God is fundamental to Dylan’s work. How it expresses itself changes.

Q: Is Dylan still a “Born Again” Christian or what? Clearly a monotheist?

I think that he believes in the God of the Bible, that particular God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. It’s not my view that he’s ever retracted some pretty clear statements he’s made to that effect, and it’s not my view that his songs have ever rejected that particular God, although they have clearly recognized Him many times. As for the Judaism versus Christianity debate, there’s lots that can be said about it but my own feeling these days is: “Let Bob clarify it, should he ever choose to.”

Q: Are music critics attempting to ignore Dylan’s religiosity? Perhaps just like they do his overall conservatism?

I think it’s a combination of just not getting it, and, in the case of some critics, not finding it palatable and therefore pushing it away. (As the person asking the question knows, I wouldn’t characterize Dylan as being an “overall conservative” as such, but to the extent those elements do show up, I think they have often been misunderstood or ignored in the same way as the religious elements. They do overlap in some ways, of-course.)

Q: Dylan says he doesn’t adhere to or follow preachers or whatever and no “organized” religion, I guess he means, but believes in the songs. What does that mean?

I think there’s ample evidence that Dylan has listened to preachers and to teachers and that he studies his faith in a serious way. That’s different to declaring adherence to a particular denomination or sect. I think he prefers to evade talking about things at that level, knowing how people react. It’s a lot easier and gentler to say, “Well, listen to Hank Williams singing I Saw The Light.” And Dylan does obviously love that kind of music and gets nourishment from it. In the end, again, Dylan himself would have to clarify the more specific roads his faith has taken him down if he ever chooses to.

Q: Do you believe Dylan is basically a “Christian artist” and/or does Christian music? Should his stuff be on Christian music radio?

I think that believers in God, in particular the biblical God, can get an enormous amount of sustenance from Dylan’s work. I assume that it’s not on Christian radio much because it’s not sufficiently overt — but the people who run those stations can do what they like, obviously. One thing I think is sure: Dylan saw how his music was being marginalized in the wake of the Saved album, so that even though Shot of Love was not a gospel record as such, it was sidelined as being just “more Jesus stuff.” He didn’t like that at all, and I think it’s affected his approach since then, and his way of writing and singing about his faith. Look at it this way: He could have kept on producing overtly devotional kinds of songs, and he would now be some kind of old curiousity who would only really be listened to by those Christian music folks. Or he could engage completely with the rock and pop music marketplace, but keep his music grounded in his faith. A different way of being a subversive.

Q: Do you have to have faith in the existence of god, or a Christian god, to fully “get” Dylan?

Dylan’s work can be enjoyed on many levels by many people, and it is, obviously, and it will be for a long time. I do think that a lot of seeming contradictions or tensions in it are resolved when you can appreciate where Dylan is coming from in relation to the questions of God, eternity, and the Bible. This is true especially with regard to the view of human nature that underlies his work, which is highly biblical. I can’t say if you must be a believer in the same God to fully get Dylan. The critic Christopher Ricks professes atheism, last time I heard, but seems to get Dylan fairly well. And on the other hand, I wouldn’t want to say that understanding where Dylan is coming from in relation to these things eliminates all mystery, all tension, and all paradox in Dylan’s work.

God forbid. It would then no longer be art, and it sure wouldn’t be much fun.

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