Review: Tokens presentation of "Hear the Plight."

To some, Christian entertainment is an oxymoron. To others it’s synonymous with bad entertainment, and some (sometimes the same people) see the idea as bad Christianity. Successful (lucrative) Christian entertainment is not the same as good, ethical, life-giving Christian entertainment. Too much Christian entertainment is neither Christian nor entertaining.

And then there’s Tokens. Thursday night, October 16, at David Lipscomb University, Tokens presented “Hear the Plight," the last installment of their 2009 season. Tokens, Nashville’s new version of A Prairie Home Companion is conceived and executed under the brainpower of Lee Camp, Bible professor at David Lipscomb University.

Thursday’s offering opened with a rousing version of the old gospel favorite, “I’ll Fly away” led by Camp, contemporary Christian artist Ashley Cleveland and traditional Black gospel family, the Settles Connection.

Dr. Camp then celebrated and critiqued the song, helping his audience to think biblically and theologically even about a traditional favorite. Continuing his opening monologue, Camp extolled the virtues of African American spirituals, which situate their otherwordly hopes in the everyday struggles of real lives. To make his point Camp cited turn-of-20th-century black scholar W.E.B. DuBois and black theologian James Cone.

Finally, to drive the point home, Camp commended the richness of the Africa-based song Kum Ba Yah, which, if sung as more than a campfire tune, can bring community, healing and a sense of the Holy Spirit. Cleveland and the Settles Connection demonstrated with an arrestingly simple rendition of the song. The 99% white audience was clearly already moved and challenged if not entertained and the show had not officially begun!

What ensued was a woven tapestry of music, comedy, commentary, and interview—all designed both to entertain and provoke Christian thinking. Camp’s co-conspirators included the house band, their most outstanding Horeb Mountain Boys, a bluegrass/jazz fusion; the Tokens Radio Players with their remarkable readers’ theater talents; and Dr. Scot McKniight , author and professor who prodded this largely Church of Christ crowd to think biblically (not traditionally) in their views of Mary, the mother of Jesus, and of women in general.

“Hear the Plight” was recorded live and will likely be available for purchase soon at the Tokens website. Season tickets for the 4-show 2010 season are already available. Anyone who partakes in any of the Tokens offerings will ingest a feast. Tokens artists show that Christian entertainment can be authentic, enjoyable, and provocative. This kind of entertainment is re-Creation in the true sense of the word.