Religious Scholar

Like most Americans, I was shocked and saddened by the death of pop star Whitney Houston. What a great talent and personality! We are fortunate indeed to have so many recordings and videos of her unforgettable performances.

What endeared Whitney to so many people of faith was not only her incredible talent, but also the way that spiritual authenticity was woven into her life. Religion was not a superficial, Sunday morning appearance in church for her. In a move that perhaps shocked some religious people, her last recorded performance was a duet of “Jesus Loves Me” performed impromptu in a sleazy club. One recalls how Jesus brought his message of tolerance, love, and devotion to people identified as “sinners” in the language of the time. For Whitney, spirituality was so interwoven into the fiber of her being and her life, there was no separation between daily life and religious conviction and practice. Her faith was as genuine in a club as in a sanctuary.

Watching television coverage of Whitney’s rise, fall, and road to recovery, the image we remember is a strong, charismatic woman of dignity and power, yet someone who was likeable and, despite her demons, a role model for others. But there is a cloud casting a shadow over these memories: clips of a reality TV program which her image consultants had somehow not been able to prevent. In these clips, Whitney emerges as someone very different: a foul-mouthed harridan who was rude, sloppy, loud, and inconsiderate. Seeing even a few seconds of these images is enough to sour the other recollections we have of her as a person, artist, and person of dignity, and make us marvel at the complexity of a single human life. It does not matter that these scenes may have been orchestrated and not part of her core values: they have a way of attaching themselves to recollection and altering perception of a life that, while troubled, ultimately was inspiring.

We marvel and are grateful for the gifts Whitney Houston shared with the world. Among the lessons of her all-too-short life are these two:

• Let your faith shine in all aspects of your life, wherever that life may take you; and
• Remember who you are: part of a larger whole, a model for others, and in the words of many religious traditions, a child of God. Cultivate and preserve your individual dignity. 

Dignity is like a carrier oil that has no scent of its own but allows essential oils to release their fragrances. Through the dignity and faith that permeated her life, Whitney Houston influenced humanity beyond the reach even of her song. And while none of us have her unique musical ability, we can live what we believe in, and cultivate the dignity and poise to make a difference in the world.