Thursday, March 12, 7:00 p.m. CT
FREE WEBCAST
Prince Rogers Nelson (1958–2016), the international funk and pop recording sensation known simply as Prince—and also through his Love Symbol as The Artist Formerly Known as Prince—was a master of disguise.
At the core of his work lies deep spiritual meaning, often completely missed by fans. He was adept at obscuring his Christian evangelical zeal within his lyrics. At times it was hidden in plain sight, such as when he recited the Lord’s Prayer in his song “Controversy.” At other times, his zeal was mixed with vulgarity, as in “Lady Cab Driver.”
Prince’s Christian messages were also influenced by other religious traditions. In his film Graffiti Bridge and on some of his album covers, his evangelism was wrapped in mythological symbolism, making it difficult to identify. As a result, many Prince fans missed the heart of his craft.
In this presentation, Pamela Ayo Yetunde, M.A., Th.D., author of Dearly Beloved: Prince, Spirituality, & This Thing Called Life (Broadleaf Books, 2025), discusses how Prince can be understood as a theosophically inspired artist. She also explores principles for recognizing theolyricology in the work of other artists, including India.Arie, Earth, Wind, and Fire, and others.
Through practical pastoral theolyricology, this program invites participants to hear beloved recording artists in the ways they intended to be understood and to apply their art toward spiritual well-being.
Pamela Ayo Yetunde, Th.D., is a pastoral counselor, educator, and founder of the Theology of Prince Project at United Theological Seminary of the Twin Cities. She is the author of Casting Indra’s Net, named one of the best spirituality books of 2023 by Spirituality & Practice, and coeditor of Black and Buddhist, winner of the Nautilus Gold Book Award. Her work has been featured in Lion’s Roar, Spirituality & Practice, and Spirituality & Health, among other outlets. In 2022, Yetunde was named an Outstanding Woman in Buddhism by the International Women’s Meditation Center Foundation.
Program Format
This program will be streamed on YouTube, Facebook, and our website on Thursday, March 12 at 7:00 p.m. CT.