The Sounds of the Sixties and the Church

As the Beatles popularity soared, church musician, Charles Cleall, wrote of the new sound: 'In the home, it is deplorable; meriting tears. In the Church, it is a scandal; a stumbling block; a pollution: an intolerable blasphemy.' This uncompromising statement might confirm perceptions that rock 'n' roll and Christianity are incompatible. However, this study of Christian attitudes to the new youth music of the 1960s suggests that Christians were far more willing to embrace modern styles than is commonly imagined. It tells of the birth of Christian pop, the influence of folk and the emergence of Christian rock music.