Bell Bottoms + Bible = Jesus Freak

Bell-Bottoms + Bible = Jesus Freak

"What will people think when they hear that I'm a Jesus freak. What will people do when they find that it's true. I don't really care if they label me a Jesus freak. There ain't no disguising the truth." Jesus Freak is a term that is derived from a movement of Christianity that swept across America in the 1960's and 1970's. This movement is called "the Jesus Movement;" and it's people are known as the "Jesus People," "Street Christians," and "Jesus Freaks" (Enroth, Ericson, & Peters 9-14). What was the Jesus Movement about; and how did it grow into a national movement? Why did it occur? What impact did this movement have; and what can be learned from it?

The Jesus Movement has made a lasting impression on American society in particular. The primary impact is felt in the resurgence of Pentecostal thought and new form of Contemporary Christian Music. Christian's today can learn the importance of cultural relevance and fervor from the "Jesus Freaks."

Sydney E. Ahlstrom of Yale University said, "the decade of the sixties, in short, was a time when the old grounds of not only historic Western theism were awash, but also the older forms of national confidence and social idealism." In fact, he continues to say the sixties would be seen as a decisive turning point in American history (Ahlstrom 100-103). In this, Ahlstrom was right. The decade of the sixties experienced a great deal of social, political, and religious upheaval like none before. Some of the issues that drew the nation to it's turning point included the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam Conflict, Student Rights Movement, Ecology Movement, and the decline in church attendance among others (Jorstad 38). The Civil Rights Movement was the struggle of blacks to gain equality in jobs, housing, transportation, and other areas including an end to segregation. In 1964 and 1965, the U.S. government passed two acts protecting the rights of black Americans. Still, this did not end the personal bigotry that many experienced and unrest continued (39).

While this struggle continued, America found itself in another international conflict. This was the Vietnam Conflict. The start of the war in Vietnam did not receive much opposition due to the fact that most Americans saw the Conflict as a battle against communism (39). Eventually, however, activism against the war began due to the stance that this was not a war against Communism at all; but instead, it was a civil war between two people groups in a foreign country that America was unrelated to. Thus, an Anti-War Movement began that led to more political and social unrest (40).

Two other movements on the scene at the time were the Student Rights Movement and Ecology Movement. These movements were spawned mostly by high school and college students who were trying to voice their opinions about the state of society. The Student Rights Movement focused on removing censorship from school campuses by the administration on such things as newspapers and on-campus publications (Hefner para 4-7). Other issues such as curriculum relevancy and abolishing rules regarding conduct were also part of the agenda (Jorstad 42). The Ecology Movement was centered on preserving the environment for future generations and feeding the hungry (43).

In addition to these movements, the church was in a state of confusion and decline. Congregation members were unsure of which view was correct and church leaders offered little direction. The 1960's marked the churches attempt at maintaining relevance to the youth culture. In the early 60's, churches tried to reach out to the culture however they saw fit. Unfortunately, by the late 1960's, the large financial supporters in churches were cutting back due to this move toward relevance (44). According to Gallup polls from 1971, thirty-one percent of people polled said religion wasn't important anymore. Also, eighteen percent of those polled said church was not meeting their needs anymore (Davis & Gallup 48).

It was obvious, by this time, that a cultural shift was taking place. People saw a need for change in American society; yet, the church, which had always been the mode to exact change, was falling short. There were no evangelists leading the way. Even Billy Graham had begun to loose the interest of the young people by the early 70's (43-50). In addition, polls showed that the majority of churches were unwilling to change in liturgy, doctrine, or social involvement (68-91). In fact, the church as a whole had placed its focus on meeting the needs of the newly formed suburban neighborhoods in the 1950's. This left the urban areas practically untouched by the church and masses of people with few choices (Gonzalez 380). Holiness churches in the urban areas tried to reach these masses; but their attempts were to no avail. The subculture of hippies and others in the "free love" generation lost connection with Christianity and traditional religion (380).

Therefore, although the need for revival was high in America (especially among young adults and youth), it seemed that there was no foundation for it in the "free love" generation. Yet, there were numerous signs of revival outside of the church that were beginning to spread across the country (Jorstad 45). In fact, there was a foundation for revival. That foundation was the new culture itself. According to Theodore Roszak in his book "The Making of a Counter Culture," the young people of the 60's and 70's may have started looking for political and social change. But, what they were really looking for more than that. They were searching for something beyond reason and intellect. What they were actually looking for was a transformation of self, others, and the environment (Roszak 49). This transformation was sought through feeling, passion, and visionary experiences (124-125).

At first, the primary means for obtaining this transformation was drugs and hallucinogens. But eventually, the use of drugs declined due to the realization of their ill effects and lack of providing true salvation (Enroth, Ericson, & Peters 226). The next phase in the search for transformation was looking for salvation. Some found what they were looking for in Eastern Mysticism and/or Indian folklore, while others found their salvation in Jesus (227). Those that found Jesus in their quest for transformation are the driving force behind what is called the Jesus Movement of the late 1960's and 1970's. This movement so saturated the culture that in June of 1971 it graced the cover of time magazine and was called The Jesus Revolution (10).

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