Open jars

Culture | Rebuking the 'idol of safety,' Jars of Clay returns to classic hymns | Jamie Dean

AUSTIN, Texas–The slogan for most Christian radio is ‘it’s safe for the whole family.’ What does that really mean? You don’t have to think?” That was the protest of Jars of Clay musician Dan Haseltine when he and the band’s other three members–Matt Odmark, Stephen Mason, and Charlie Lowell–sat down with WORLD before a concert here to talk about their activities.

When Jars of Clay released “Valley Song” on the Furthermore album in 2003, it heard back from some Christian radio stations that the lyrics were too dark for their listeners. “Valley Song” deals with the unexpected death of a band member’s sister-in-law, and some listeners didn’t want to hear a song about death: Not safe, not comfortable, not listener-friendly.