Interview with Jay Bakker
Sunday January 21, 2007
Let the revolution begin! Jay Bakker knows God. He doesn't proclaim to know God personally, only God's love and acceptance. Bakker has dedicated his life to teaching God's word, but not in the way most expect him to as the prodigal son of evangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker.
Jay, born Jamie Charles, doesn't believe in an exclusive God, only one that embraces us all for who we are, including same-gender-loving individuals. In this exclusive interview, Jay Bakker talks about God's love, his estranged relationships, the transition from golden child to punk rocker, his new church and Jesus' "crappy fan club."
Jay Bakker Pics:
Jay Bakker Picture Gallery
Gay-Affirmative Churches:
Find a Gay Church
More Interviews:
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Lee Daniels
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Image © William Glasheen/Sundance Channel.
Comments
Great interview!
Sorry to disappoint, but if every Jay Bakker in the country goes pro-gay, they will go without God. Nothing (not any thing) in the Holy Bible is more clear than the “fact” that God forbids homosexuality. I’m not personally against gays, I just believe the Bible. And if you hate me for that, I count it an honor.
Hey Jamie,
I watched you grow up on T.V. and no doubt, you had to face a bad situation when your parents got into trouble. But honey, the Bible is very clear about homosexuality. You need to study more and be sure of what you are doing. I love you and your sister. You guys became like family when you were at PTL. I’ll never forget that. Your parents helped me a lot while I was sick at home. I watched everyday. It was a blessing in my life. You take care and may God bless you.
I was a little skeptical about the DVD before I saw it because I wasn’t sure what a documentary with the title “One Punk Under God” would be like. The trailers seemed more of a gimmick than an actual story. I originally wanted to see this when it aired on TV, but the Sundance Channel requires an expensive TV package.
Watching the first two episodes where Jay is at the former Heritage USA and visits his dad’s television show, I couldn’t help but feel bad for the guy. He struggles to have a good relationship with his dad, who seems uncomfortable when he’s not on camera. In the later episodes Jay deals with losing his mother, who is a cheerful women battling cancer.
Jay’s position on homosexuality becomes a focus of some of the episodes. Particularly, the fallout is that his church loses funding and his speaking engagements disappear. Jay’s position is clearly at odds with the rest of mainstream Evangelicals in the country, including his ministry partner Stu.
The production on this documentary was excellent. There was a clear narrative, solid editing, terrific camera angles and I got the impression that the story was being told rather than dictated or constructed.
I do however have some criticism for Jay’s message of grace. It feels good because it is warm and inclusive, but Revolution is not associated with any denomination and on the church’s website it says, “This grace sets no timeline on personal change or standards for spiritual growth.” Basically the message is anyone can be a Christian and you don’t have to change or repent.
Even though I disagree with Jay’s message, I still feel this video was definitely better than advertised. I think it would be worth at least a rental.