Kirk Franklin – ‘Losing My Religion’ album review

Kirk Franklin states his thesis for his new album from the outset: “I’m losing my religion, thank God / Helping you lose yours is my job.” Losing My Religion is every bit the spirited, charismatic and powerful album you’d expect (and hope for) from the seven-time GRAMMY winner. It’s also not the manifesto you might expect with such a title (nor is it related to R.E.M.).

If Franklin seems to undermine religion in some way, it’s not with scathing missives or cultural critique. Instead, the songs are largely focused on the redemptive and unifying power of God’s love on multiple levels, whether the approach is narrative (“True Story”) or thematic (“Over,” “Miracles”). It’s a strategic approach on Franklin’s part to put forward a true story (“here’s who God really is”) in the hopes that a false one fades (“this is how you might have heard God presented”).