Audrey Roloff Sparks Debate After Defending Concert Choice
Little People, Big World star Audrey Roloff has no regrets about attending a Noah Kahan concert after a Christian fan questioned her reasons for going. “I can listen to an artist, read a book, watch a movie, cheer on a sports team, shop at a store, etc., without cosigning their theology. You might apply the same logic to friendships,” Roloff, 35, wrote via Instagram on Thursday, September 3. “I’d rather have a faith sturdy enough to encounter ideas I disagree with than a life curated to perfect theological compliance. I don’t even believe that’s possible.” The reality star continued, “I feel like Christians have become so concerned with policing whether everything is ‘Christian enough’ that we forget that God can meet us everywhere. I don’t need an artist to believe everything I believe to appreciate beauty or truth in what they create.” Last month, Audrey and her husband, Jeremy Roloff, posted a video from their date night at Kahan’s concert in Seattle.
Soon after, one fan publicly questioned why Audrey would attend the show. “As Christians, how do you support his music when he sings a song telling thousands of people at a time not to worry about their soul and what God would do with it — when it should be the opposite,” the user wrote. When responding to the comment, Audrey said the sentiment may be “one of my biggest frustrations with modern Christianity.”
“The idea that appreciating someone’s art means adopting their entire worldview,” she said. “I’m going to a concert — not choosing a spiritual director. I don’t think Jesus would be telling us to treat every song we listen to like a doctrinal statement we are endorsing. Also, that’s exhausting and not exactly ‘living life to the full.’” Audrey continued, “Do I believe words have power? Absolutely. Do I believe what we consume can affect us spiritually? Of course. But that’s where discernment comes in.”
The TV personality acknowledged that not everyone will agree with her perspective. At the same time, she hopes people can consider focusing on building their own relationship with God — and sharing their opinions with kindness. “Maybe instead of spending so much energy discerning what everyone else should or shouldn’t be doing, we could put that energy towards practicing discernment with the Holy Spirit ourselves,” Audrey suggested. “Ultimately, I believe God is so much bigger than the boxes we keep trying to put him in.”