Interview with Icon (Jermaine Clark)
WPKN 89.5 FM — Bridgeport, Connecticut
February 6, 2014 | Bob Marley Birthday Marathon

In celebration of Bob Marley’s 69th birthday, author and theologian Dean MacNeil joins radio host Icon to discuss the biblical foundations of Marley’s music and the central themes of resistance and redemption explored in his book, The Bible and Bob Marley: Half the Story Has Never Been Told.

The conversation examines Marley’s engagement with the letters of Paul, the book of Revelation, and the Psalms, particularly his appropriation of biblical imagery to confront oppression and communicate his dual message of resistance and redemption. MacNeil explores Marley’s identification of contemporary systems of oppression with Babylon, drawing parallels between the Roman Empire of biblical times and the political and social structures challenged by the Rastafari movement.

Drawing on theologian James Cone’s dialectic of Scripture and experience, MacNeil discusses how Marley’s interpretation of the Bible both informed and was shaped by his lived experience. Particular attention is given to the recurring cornerstone imagery of Psalm 118 and its multiple meanings in Marley’s lyrics.

“Not only is he a lyrical genius, but he’s a biblical interpreter as well.”

The interview concludes with a personal reflection on how Marley’s music helped MacNeil and his family cope with the tragic loss of his younger brother, followed by an examination of the biblical wisdom and enduring message of faith expressed in Forever Loving Jah.