Evangelical Boomers struggling with strange fixation

A Gallup poll this month reveals a silent buzz kill among aging Evangelical Boomers. More than 47 percent of male evangelicals suffer from a form of Amy Grant fixation. Recovery and support groups have formed in many larger cities, spurred by a recent confession on national radio by Focus on the Family founder James Dobson that a lingering attachment to “The Queen of Christian Pop” caused him to step down from his organization. “It’s my secret shame,” he admitted. Grant retained her fans even after “crossing over” from gospel into mainstream pop music in the mid-1980s, and through a divorce and remarriage. At that point for many, the attachment was forced out of their conscious mind, but remained as a subliminal, ever-present threat to spiritual equilibrium. According to counselor Steve Broadman of the Manville Institute of Gospel Music and Psychology, the problem impacts marriages, families and even churches. “It’s very difficult for some to sing along with an Amy Grant song during a worship service and simultaneously try to forget how very hot she is,” he explained.