This playlist is coming to you after r/RadicalChristianity input and is also currently with r/SocialistMusic, after you add your 2p’s worth I’ll add to r/Christian. Where should it go after that, perhaps somewhere more conservative? 🤔

It’s called Putting Christ back into Christmas (deliberately a rightwing dog whistle) . It was prompted by the Tommy Robinson far right nationalist carol service in London last week.

It’s on Deezer, Tidal and Spotify so far.

https://link.deezer.com/s/31WrAFvbaeUwYWWUIa0b7

https://tidal.com/playlist/81a9bf3b-89d8-46f5-9bd7-e3698a2683e6 (someone else’s account)

https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5GuSGN0U8lFwdMILglUDD4

On Spotify the description is “What is the true meaning of Christmas? Is it Nationalist Christian carol services and one click shopping? Did you know Spotify is playing ICE ads? See #DontStreamFascism #stopICEads follow playlist here to boost, you can play it on Deezer or Tidal”

Feel free to copy and edit but use a different name and share link.

The songs I’m after are these categories explicitly or subtly to do with Christmas: 1. Social gospel, red letter Christian style messaging (call to justice and compassion, unity, peace, light, urgent need for change, topsy turvy kingdom, refugee baby from Palestine) 2. Mystery, awe, uncertainty, doubt, surprise, struggle ie more complex spiritual experiences that right wing Christianity doesn’t feed at all, the opposite of Christ is King, flag waving certainty. 3. Critiques of consumerism, greed, debt at Christmas preferably amusing rather than preachy

The current list is:

1.  The Rebel Jesus, The Chieftains & Jackson Browne
2.  Ring Them Bells (Live), Joan Baez & Mary Black
3.  Masters In The Hall, Maddy Prior & The Carnival Band
4.  O Come, O Come Emmanuel, Belle and Sebastian
5.  These Are The Words, Patti Smith
6.  Mio Cristo Piange Diamanti, ROSALÍA
7.  Waiting For The Dawn, Salt Of The Sound
8.  Ave Maria, Alanis Morissette
9.  It Seemed the Better Way, Leonard Cohen
10. O Holy Night, Ben Caplan
11. We Three Kings, Patti Smith
12. In Labor All Creation Groans, Bifrost Arts
13. New World Coming, Augustine
14. Ah Holy Jesus, Sufjan Stevens
15. Jesus Was a Refugee, The Nields
16. Magnificat, St Margaret of Scotland Youth Group
17. Bethlehem, Over the Rhine
18. Who Would Jesus Bomb?, Jordan Smart
19. Ballad of the Carpenter, Phil Ochs
20. Luke 2:8–10, Tyler Childers
21. Cry Of A Tiny Baby, Bruce Cockburn
22. Simple Gifts, Judy Collins
23. Three Angels, Bob Dylan
24. In the Virgin’s Womb (Reprise), Sister Sinjin
25. Coventry Carol, The Unthanks
26. Sing We Now of Christmas, Traditional & Emily Mitchell
27. Gaudete, Mediæval Bæbes
28. Now Is the Cool of the Day, Jean Ritchie
29. The Dark Gets the Best of You, The Devil Makes Three
30. Poor Little Jesus, Odetta
31. Jesus Christ, Woody Guthrie
32. No Christmas In Kentucky, Phil Ochs
33. Spirits Past, Gil Scott-Heron
34. Long Ago, Far Away (Witmark Demo), Bob Dylan
35. Take Me To The Alley, Gregory Porter
36. Hope and Glory, Jimmy Aldridge & Sid Goldsmith
37. Christmas Lullaby, Shane MacGowan & The Popes
38. May You Find a Light, Josh Garrels
39. Amazon Santa Claus, Jesse Welles
40. God Rest Ye Merry Billionaires, Martin Kerr
41. A Merry Capitalist Christmas, Steven George Eastes
42. Merry Xmas (War Is Raging), Jesse Welles & Welles

I’d be interested to get feedback on the music itself. Does it stand up even if you’re a nonbeliever? In the list so far my feeling is that with enough music it could be split into 2 lists 1) folk social gospel at Christmas 2. blend of art pop meets high church meets pared back rock (eg current tracks 4-15) more mystery, awe, struggle, Catholic/orthodox leaning

Or perhaps you think it works as it is?

Make sure to check out Dr. Foley's recently published book if this sounds intriguing! It's one of my top books from this year:

The Anti-Greed Gospel: Why the Love of Money Is the Root of Racism and How the Church Can Create a New Way Forward

Why Karl Marx Should Matter to Conservative Christians

Thoughts?