MacMillan is striving for truly 'Christian' music--NOT music that simply mirrors the current cultural trends and differs only in its pious lyrics or intentions (think CCM), but music that is itself shaped by the Christian story. The Christian story has its own set of harmonies, its own set of tensions and resolutions, its own silence, its own rhythm. Truly Christian music, then, is schooled by these harmonies, tensions, and releases. MacMillan's music is no doubt jarring, but this, perhaps most of all, makes it Christian music. It does not try to over-realize itself or its 'Christian-ness' by grapping at cheap 'all-is-ok' motifs, rather, he holds his music open to the jarring story of Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. And precisely in this jarring story is found the basis for a truly Christian aesthetic where Christian redemption may be witnessed to. MacMillan is a musician of the cross, in contrast to so many other "Christian" musicians who are musicians of glory i.e., musicians whose music is not crucified and raised by the Gospel, but rather pushed ahead to Easter by bypassing Good Friday and Holy Saturday. MacMillan's music is broken apart (quite litteraly) by the cross, and only because of this is it a fitting witness to the Gospel of God's severe love.