Kanye West’s improbable and dramatic turn to traditional Christianity has stunned many of us. It also appears to have cultural legs. His new “Jesus Is King” debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Chart this week. All 11 songs are among the top 100 in the nation, an astonishing feat for an album that is also ranked on the Christian and gospel charts.
The popular reaction has ranged from deeply skeptical, to genuinely confused, to overwhelmingly enthusiastic. Indeed, Google already has seen a massive rise in “faith-based searches” after the release of “Jesus Is King.