"Walk On" revised edition

[coemgen]

Relevant Books is releasing an updated version of "Walk On — The Spiritual Journey of U2," June 28.

It's going to have information on HTDAAB and other newer stuff. Of course, I have to buy it.

I like the cover on this version better too.

If you want to check it out or order it, go to www.relevantbooks.com and click on "Coming Soon."

Did you guys read the first version?

 

[NoCal_U2]

Cool eventhough I just bought the other edition.

 

[coemgen]

I wish I would've told you sooner.

That's cool you got the book though. I thought it was a pretty good read myself. The band is way more rooted in Christianity than many people think. It's interesting stuff.

 

[NoCal_U2]

No prob. I will probably get the new edition anyway when it come out.

 

[the soul waits]

Thanks for the heads-up, Coemgen

 

[coemgen]

The book isn't even out yet and they're offering a new deal. It's now $10.99 at www.relevantstore.com, AND you get a free six-month subscription to Relevant magazine. This is a good deal.

Here's the little blurb on the book from the site:

It’s the book everyone is still talking about. This revised and expanded version of Walk On: The Spiritual Journey of U2 tackles the issues and questions everyone desires to know about the world’s most popular rock band. Throughout Walk On, Steve Stockman follows the band from their early days in Dublin’s Shalom Christian Fellowship all the way to their most recent–and most spiritually profound–album, How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb. Bono has never been more outspoken about his faith and the Church than he has been in the past few years. From his involvement with fighting AIDS in Africa through the DATA organization to his quoting Psalms from the Super Bowl stage, Bono is doing God’s work in a very public and vocal way.

AUTHOR
Steve Stockman is a Presbyterian minister in Ireland where he works in the Chaplaincy at Queen’s University in Belfast. He is a regular speaker at conferences and festivals and has his own radio show on BBC Radio Ulster. Stockman has published five books of poetry and an album, Gracenotes. He has been using the works of U2 in his sermons and writings for 20 years.

 

[coemgen]

The new edition is out and it's only $10 through Sunday at www.relevantmagazine.com or www.relevantbooks.com.

 

[For Honor]

Can you dig it?

I can

 

[coemgen]

Si.

 

[Rachel D.]

Cool! I never did get the first one, but I guess it's good that I waited. My local bookstore had just one copy that I almost bought and I don't think they've ever gotten any more.

 

[learn2kneel]

just picked one up from the local barnes. it quotes bono:in conversation at one point, which is pretty recent.

 

[here]

This book is horribly scripturally inaccurate and misleading. It is full of patronization of Bono and above and beyond God or Jesus Christ - which is how it makes its money. Sad.

 

[here]

I meant that last bit to read: It is full of patronization of Bono above and beyond God or Jesus Christ - which is how it makes its money. Sad.

(This was all in reference to the first edition. Unless the new one recants key ideas taught in the first one, it must still be a disaster.)

 

[Rachel D.]

Is there ANYTHING about U2 that you DON'T find offensive, here? Every post of yours that I've seen has been about how evil and misleading U2 are. What's the deal?

 

[Only Alive]

This book is horribly scripturally inaccurate and misleading. It is full of patronization of Bono and above and beyond God or Jesus Christ - which is how it makes its money. Sad.

To counter,
I find it's scripture accuracy to be fine. Sometimes it comes down to interperatation, though.
The book in no way patronizes Bono above God. Try reading it again.

-Nick

 

[cristiano]

Rev. Steve Stockman is presbyterian; in other words, a christian calvinist. Like me

A christian calvinist sees the secular culture he is inserted into with another perspective, another aproach: he is not obcessed with the evil. He discerns that references truly evils from the recommended ones. Rather than poiting out satanic or diabolic symbols or meanings an art work might have, a calvinist christian progressively reads the Culture, testing all things, holding on to the good (1 Thessalonians 5.21). He puts his life in front of the Scriptures, unique rule of faith, trying to please God in all things "through all spiritual wisdom and understanding" (Colossians 1.9). Living in the world, like "salt" and "light", without alienation.

It's much more easier not to be a calvinist, you know

I've read the last edition of the book. When I first found it at Amazon.com, I thought: "Oa! I'm not alone! Another presbyterian who likes U2! I simply must buy this book!".

I liked to read the book, and Stockman is a really nice guy. I've written to him from Brazil (where I live) and he's always nice with me (when he have time to answer me). His book has such good spiritual insights that made me think a lot. Really, think a lot, about of the behavior of the Church, and mainly myself. Also, he has his opinions about Art in the Protestant Church that I think it's really intereting. Even when I disagree with him, I understand his meanings.

About U2, he has several quotes from the band with resources, and history information to support his ideas. Sometimes he interprets their actions. In my opinion only God knows the real thinking of the band (and everybody in this world), but I think Steve follows the simple lesson of Mathew 7.17: "Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit". And through this he gets to the point.

Rev. Stockman says in the book that the band also commit mistakes, and in some times they almost burned themselves with their attitudes. But this failings of the band is too little explored in the book; I think nothing. I hope in this new edition he fixed it.

If not, I'll write to him and say that

Forgive me for my bad English. It's my first post in an Interference forum.

God bless everybody.

 

[sulawesigirl4]

your english is fine. welcome to the forum.

 

[cumayday02]

Personally, I love this book. I am reading it right now, and I feel like I am learning a lot about the bands religoius background. I think it gives the band a lot of positive attention toward their relationships with God.

 

[Liesje]

I bought this book at our school's bookstore (Steve Stockman has spoken at our Festival of Faith and Writing more than once) and wasn't that impressed. I'm skeptical about anyone who tries to write a book about someone else's faith, someone he doesn't actually know. Stockman sounds like a great guy with the best of intentions, but I felt like a lot of what he's infering from Bono's lyrics is either blatantly obvious or not correct. I appreciate the book in that it's probably helpful for U2 fans who haven't grown up in Christian circles and may have had their interest in Christianity sparked by U2, but beyond that, I won't take as fact anything unless it comes from the band themselves.

 

[Rachel D.]

There was one left in the Christian bestsellers section, but it was $14 and I only had $6. It was weird, because I didn't know what the cover looked like, then all of a sudden, I saw "U2" on the front of a teal book and almost choked on my coffee.

There's apparently some unknown U2 fans in this town who are buying U2 stuff, but I have yet to meet one. Hmm...

I know you're out there!

 

[2Hearts]

Stockman sounds like a great guy with the best of intentions, but I felt like a lot of what he's infering from Bono's lyrics is either blatantly obvious or not correct.

I agree with you for the most part. That doesn' t mean that I didn't find the book very enjoyable, though. It's just that I realized at times that he was just making wild guesses.

On a side note, there are related lyrics from The Playboy Mansion and Streets (live in Rotterdam) that I find interesting:

"Then will there be no time for sorrow, then will there be no time for shame?" - upon entering the Playboy Mansion

"Then there will be no sorrow, then there will be no shame"
- Streets live, you know he's talking about the real Heaven here