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"You want it darker? We killed the flame." These haunting words from Leonard Cohen capture the spiritual emergency of our times—and might be his most important message for today's church, according to theologian Dr. Brian Walsh.
In this profound conversation, we explore how Cohen's music creates a bridge between ancient biblical imagination and contemporary spiritual hunger. Walsh's new book "Rags of Light" examines Cohen not merely as a poet or musician, but as a modern-day psalmist whose work functions within "the landscape of the Bible."
The grandson of a renowned Talmudic scholar, Cohen's Jewish heritage infused his art with covenantal themes that Walsh unpacks with remarkable insight. From "Suzanne" to "Hallelujah," Cohen's catalog reveals a sophisticated theological imagination that embraces both prophetic judgment and priestly surrender. His unflinching articulation of human complicity in suffering creates authentic space for grace—what Cohen himself called "a manual for defeat" that paradoxically opens us to redemption.
Walsh shares his fascinating experience crafting worship liturgies around contemporary artists like Cohen, where songs become prayers and eucharistic responses. These services revealed a profound spiritual hunger among diverse attendees, many drawn not by religious affiliation but by the resonance of Cohen's artistic voice. When the line "there ain't no cure for love" becomes a communion response, something powerful happens—sacred and secular boundaries dissolve into genuine encounter.
What emerges is a vision of faith where arguing with God becomes an act of devotion, where sexuality and spirituality intertwine as expressions of the same fundamental longing, and where even our darkest articulations can become pathways to light. Join us for this illuminating conversation that will transform how you hear Cohen's music and might just rekindle your imagination for what worship could be.
Don't miss Dr. Walsh's upcoming workshop "Liturgy, Contemporary Music and Liberating the Imagination" on September 20th in Victoria, where he'll explore how contemporary artists can enrich our spiritual practice and communal worship.

LINKS:

Dr. Brian Walsh Bio and Empire Remixed Website

A Glad Footnote - Dr. Brian Walsh's piece on Walter Brueggemann

Wine Before Breakfast Community

Rags of Light - Spotify Playlist according to the book

If It Be Your Will - The Webb Sisters with Leonard Cohen

If It Be Your Will - Antony

Hallelujah - Favorite version of Dr. Brian Walsh

I'm Your Man - Leonard Cohen Documentary

The Traitor - Performed by Martha Wainwright

VISTA website

Rags of Light Creative Workshop Info

Learn more about the Vancouver Island School of Theology and the Arts

Credits:

Coastal Theology Podcast theme performed by Mark Glanville