Kicking at the Darkness: Bruce Cockburn and the Christian Imagination

For forty years, singer and songwriter Bruce Cockburn has been writing beautifully evocative music. Bestselling author and respected theologian Brian Walsh has followed Cockburn's work for years and has written and spoken often on his art. In this creative theological and cultural engagement, Walsh reveals the imaginative depth and uncompromising honesty of the artist's Christian spirituality. Cockburn offers hope in the midst of doubt, struggle, failure, and anger; indeed, the sentiment of "kicking at the darkness" is at the heart of his spirituality. This book engages the rich imagery of Cockburn's lyrics as a catalyst for shaping and igniting a renewed Christian imagination.

From the Back Cover

Christian Imagination and the Redemptive Work of Bruce Cockburn

"Kicking at the Darkness is a brilliant analysis of forty years of Bruce Cockburn's lyrics and their biblical and religious connections. Brian Walsh's explication is thoroughly researched and logical, and also compelling and entertaining. I read it from start to finish in one evening."
--Joel Goldberg, producer/director of Bruce Cockburn, Pacing the Cage

"Brian Walsh has offered us an enthusiastic celebration of Bruce Cockburn as a postmodern psalmist. Walsh engages in sustained reflection on Cockburn's sometimes dark and obscure lyrics and shows how they reflect a deep Christian sensibility that cherishes creation, groans along with the pain of a corrupted world, and yearns for the final revelation of beauty and justice. Longtime fans of Cockburn like me will find fresh shafts of light falling on familiar words; those who haven't yet discovered Cockburn will find themselves beckoned to encounter a world-changing artistic vision."
--Richard B. Hays, Duke Divinity School

"Brian Walsh is not just a theologian; he's a poet and a farmer, a father and a husband. He's an intellectual who likes good music; he's a lover of culture and a critic of culture. In this book, Walsh examines a musical legend and shows us how Bruce Cockburn's work can point us to God and to God's redemptive action in the world."
--Shane Claiborne, author, activist, and recovering sinner, www.thesimpleway.org

"I've been listening to Cockburn for three decades and reading Walsh almost that long, and I can hardly imagine surviving these times, let alone believing that joy will find a way, without the artistry and insight of both. This is an extraordinarily ambitious project, years in the making, and there is profound insight on every page. I recommend it with great enthusiasm and with immense gratitude."
--Byron Borger, Hearts & Minds Books

"What happens when one of the planet's leading Christian thinkers and writers engages with one of the planet's most brilliant songwriters and musicians? You'll find out when you read Kicking at the Darkness, Brian Walsh's new book about the music of Bruce Cockburn. I'm a dedicated fan of both of these men and I savored each page of this tremendous book."
--Brian McLaren, author of A New Kind of Christianity and Naked Spirituality