I confess this recording started as a mischievous exercise in distorting old Easter hymns. But over the course of the week it evolved into a deeper meditation on Christianity.

The cover art isn't coincidental. The tradition of pysanka in Ukraine is a beautiful artform, infused with Christian allegories of rebirth, fertility, and new awakenings. As we enter the eighth week of war in Ukraine--a war that may foment World War III--I'm hoping this Christian tradition brings moments of peace and purpose to a people who have been ravaged. I imagine Ukrainian families all over the globe (many recently displaced and separated from other loved ones) working on eggs this weekend, clustered around a table, with lively conversation and familiar food, enjoying if just for a minute a sense of place and grounding, yet another example of the power of the arts to bring people together in positive ways.

And yet, like any organized religion, Christianity is steeped in the darkest pits of the human experience. Genocide, pedophilia, bigotry, and slavery are all a part of the history of Christianity. Jesus's teachings were profoundly wise, but humanity's adoption of those teachings into massive organizations focused primarily on the acquisition of power and material wealth is profoundly stupid.

But it's easy to get cynical about Christianity. From the soulless corporate Megachurches to the corny bumper stickers, it can seem like nothing but feel-good fluff. But for all the faults of the church, we still have to recognize its contributions to the arts, community building, social justice, environmental stewardship, and much more. Christian churches do a lot of good in the world, hopefully on balance more than the damage they do.

As I practiced these hymns this week and made take after take of my explorations (most of which ended up on the cutting room floor), I came to realize that my "distortions" are really just sonic realizations of the complexity of the tradition. I *am* being a bit mischievous with these arrangements, but I'm also seriously reflecting on the totality of the Christian experience. How is it that one group of people who see their culture as a Christian culture can ravage and pillage another group of people who are busy making beautiful little Easter eggs, all in the name of Christ?

To me, hymns shouldn't be entirely consonant and pleasing to the ear. If they are truly a vehicle for spiritual communion, then I want a ride that is honest, challenging, and a bit bumpy.