Ed Sheeran reminds me of Jesus. Here’s why

Ed Sheeran is not going anywhere. If his brand of inoffensive, middle-of-the-road guitar pop has you reaching for the skip button, then it’s time to make your peace with that. The release this month of his eighth studio album, Play, is just further proof of the longevity of one of Britain’s all-time most successful singer-songwriters.

Yet even if you are one of the legions of people who find Sheeran the musical equivalent of an egg and cress sandwich – bland, a bit whiffy and the least appetising option on the meal deal shelf – I would implore you not to write him off. There are unique elements to the Sheeran phenomenon that not only help to explain his success, but also resonate with the Christian faith. To the music industry, he’s been something of a messiah over the past 15 years – and he’s also got a few things in common with the real one.

A formula for success

Born in Yorkshire but raised in Suffolk, Sheeran short-cut his way to commercial and critical success. At just 20, he released his first solo album + (Plus) – the first of a series of albums named after mathematical operation symbols – and saw it reach number one in the UK album chart. At 21, he won Brit awards for both Best British Male Solo Artist and British Breakthrough Act. Two years later, he followed that up with the release of his second album X (Multiply) and a round of replica successes.

Pop music has a long history of artists and groups who enjoyed this kind of success and then faded away. So often, complacency, a lack of originality or internal disputes means an act fails to get past their ‘difficult second album’. Sheeran, however, was just getting started. Six more albums have followed, as well as a string of sold-out tours, acting roles and an MBE. He is now one of the biggest recording artists in the world, with a back catalogue of globally recognised songs, a loyal fan base and a reputation for being the nicest guy in showbusiness (despite what he sings, we’ve so far seen little evidence of any ‘Bad habits’ from Sheeran).

So, what’s Ed’s secret? With all those mathematical symbols looming large, what is his formula for success? I think there are three main elements that, combined with his enormous musical talent, have elevated him to the status of an enduring pop megastar. In each of them, there’s helpful learning for churches, too, as we seek to continually engage people in our present cultural moment. 

Each of the these is not only part of Sheeran’s recipe for success, it is also either compatible with or central to the Christian faith. So – here are three things I see in Sheeran or his music that both remind me of Jesus and help to explain a musical phenomenon. 

1. Thinking out loud: a commitment to innovation and learning

There are plenty of recording artists who find their lane and stay in it. Oasis – who enjoyed such a huge resurgence this summer – are perfect examples, while Status Quo literally had the concept baked into their name. Commonly though, an inability to change and grow can limit the lifespan and appeal of a band or performer. The microcosmic example of this is the classic One Hit Wonder, which sees an artist makes a huge splash with their signature sound, only to quickly demonstrate that it has almost zero depth. By contrast, Sheeran seems to be at the very opposite end of the creative spectrum, constantly experimenting with and shifting his sound.

Unashamedly middle-of-the-road at its core, his music then stretches out in a number of more innovative directions. His much-maligned love for soft melodic rap is Marmite-like – but it also differentiates him from 1,000 soundalikes. He has embraced synthesisers and sampling (‘Shape of you’), connected with his Irish roots (‘Galway girl’) and drifted into 80s yacht rock (‘Overpass graffiti’), among various other style shifts. ‘Sapphire’, his first single from new album Play, blends Western and Punjabi musical influences, featuring vocals from Indian singer Arijit Singh. It’s yet another example of a Sheeran duet; he’s collaborated with a huge range of artists, creating fusions of style that have given birth to arguably his most unique work. 

Sheeran is modelling a way of behaving that is infectious, perhaps even kingdom adjacent

But how exactly is this a Christian idea? One of the distinctive things about Jesus as a rabbi and leader is that he almost never did the same thing in the same way twice. Look at how Jesus healed people, for example. In Mark 10 he simply spoke sight to blind Bartimaeus; in John 9 he healed the man born blind with a mix of mud and his own saliva. Jesus’ endless creativity is a reflection of the creative power of his Father, but it also made him endlessly interesting to the people who heard and watched him. 

Thinking and acting innovatively, rather than repetitively doing the same thing and expecting different results is a Christ-like practice. For Jesus, that meant treating every individual and situation with the dignity of a tailored response – he healed Jairus’ daughter by taking her hand and speaking to her (Luke 8:40-56). He healed the centurion’s servant at a distance (Luke 7:1-10) because the real subject of the miracle was the centurion himself. For Sheeran, it means never standing still or allowing his fizzing creative energy to go flat.

2. Perfect symphony: unity, submission and teaming up with others

The list of artists who have collaborated with Sheeran is extraordinary both in terms of length and star power. This includes Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Taylor Swift, Eminem, The Weeknd, Stormzy and – in a bit of genre change – Andrea Bocelli. Sheeran has also written for One Direction, Robbie Williams, Zara Larsson, Jess Glynne, Shawn Mendes and, er…Boyzone. And of course, he had a bizarre Christmas number one with Elton John and the sausage-roll-obsessed novelty act LadBaby (with the proceeds going to The Trussell Trust network of food banks).

Why does everyone want to work with Sheeran? Partly of course, it’s down to his prolific songwriting abilities and the commercial boost that working with him brings. Yet most of these acts don’t need a leg up. Perhaps more importantly, Sheeran is just really good to work with; creating shared work which is stronger than the sum of its parts. He’s often happy to play the junior role in the relationship, such as in his four (and counting) collaborations with Swift. Sheeran loves music and working with other people; he’s the ultimate team player.

The musician is very intentional about these acts of unity. In a recent interview with Louis Theroux, he describes how he deliberately seeks friendship with artists who might otherwise be regarded as his rivals. He quotes Elton John who, speaking of other performers, told Sheeran: “get to know them, because you’ll always want to root for them”. He explains how he tries to build relationships with emerging singer-songwriters, creating a ‘community’ instead of an atmosphere of competition. “There’s not rivalry in music like in the Olympics, where you race and someone gets the gold medal,” he says, perhaps somewhat naively. Yet even if that’s not always true, Sheeran is modelling a way of behaving that is infectious, perhaps even kingdom adjacent. Just as Jesus invites everyone to become “the very last, and the servant of all” (Mark 9:35) creating a culture where the only person not putting you first is you, Sheeran’s building up of others undoubtedly benefits him – and the entire music scene too.

In the words of 1,000 Christian leadership talks, Sheeran’s gifting has not outpaced his character

The Church can be a little like the music industry in some ways. Artists pretend to like each other, talking up an imagined camaraderie, and the same can often be true of shows of Christian unity on both local and national levels. Sheeran proves that wholehearted collaboration is what soundbite guru Simon Sinek calls “playing the infinite game”. Perhaps the Church can learn from Sheeran’s example of mutual submission and building up others. If an artist in the commercially driven music industry can take this stance, then how much more so should the Church and Christian leaders? 

What’s interesting to note about Sheeran’s approach is that it isn’t just about paying lip-service to others. In the Christian world, we use the fairly disgusting phrase “cheering you on” to mean, in reality: “I’m going to do nothing practical to support you.” Sheeran works with and alongside his former rivals to not only demonstrate unity but create something positive and new. Those of us looking to practise Christian unity could learn a lot from this. What might the Spirit of God, who loves unity, do through our combined efforts if we did?

3. (Im)Perfect: Humility, character and embracing ‘flaws’

I went to see Sheeran live at Wembley Stadium in 2019 and, if I’m completely honest, I wasn’t all that happy about it. I’d bought tickets for my superfan wife as a Christmas present and thought I should probably do the decent thing and actually accompany her to the concert. Yet (and this may surprise you, given how vanilla I am), I’m not a huge fan of Sheeran’s music, even if I can appreciate why it’s so successful. Around three songs into the performance, the sole performer on that gigantic Wembley stadium stage said something that utterly disarmed me: “This is for the other halves who have come along because they’re with someone who likes my music. I’m sorry, guys. I’ll do my best to make it as painless as possible for you.”

It was a stunning show of self-awareness that endeared Sheeran to a great number of us in the crowd. I’m still not a huge fan of his music, but I’m fairly convinced that he’s a lovely man.

Given that he’s been at the top of his field for a decade and a half, it’s striking that he’s courted almost zero controversy in his career. He doesn’t smash up hotel rooms, bounce between high-profile relationships or make egotistical pronouncements. Instead, he’s a family man, whose one vice seems to be a slightly overzealous attachment to Ipswich Town Football Club, for which he has become a shirt sponsor. Even this appears a sign of his investment in a place and a community. 

In the words of 1,000 Christian leadership talks, Sheeran’s gifting has not outpaced his character. He married his childhood friend, Cherry Seaborn, in 2019. They have two children and live on the farm he bought in 2011 and has been renovating ever since. He is self-deprecating, honest and humble in interviews, readily admitting that he is not blessed with classic pop star looks. In fact, even this cosmetic element of the Sheeran phenomenon is worthy of mention; he is living proof that even in the visually obsessed entertainment industry, true talent often rises.

Sheeran is a great example of non-toxic masculinity in a world with precious few

Character is a key focus for both Jesus and Paul. And Sheeran appears to have it in spades. He displays many of the attributes which Paul labels “fruit[s] of the Spirit” (Galatians 5:22-23) even if he doesn’t really know the Spirit.

While he’s certainly not an evangelical Christian, Sheeran demonstrates values that are aligned with Christian teaching and also shows occasional glimpses of his own spiritual journey. Descended from a highly religious Catholic family, he built a chapel on his Suffolk estate that – according to planning documents – was intended as “a private place of retreat for contemplation and prayer”, as well as for celebrations and family ceremonies. He was also given permission to add a small burial crypt underneath. 

What that all means, though, we can only speculate; Sheeran seems resolutely private about faith, and spiritual themes rarely show up in his songs. Even ‘Eyes closed’, his haunting but upbeat tribute to his friend, the young music mogul Jamal Edwards who died aged just 31, makes no reference to faith or any sense of the afterlife. So, if Sheeran is privately harbouring a strong belief in Jesus he’s keeping it really quiet.

Yet the question is: does that matter, at least in terms of his suitability as an inspiration to Christians? I wonder if it doesn’t. Sheeran is a great example of non-toxic masculinity in a world with precious few. He’s also a fabulous role model for celebrities, and indeed for leaders in any context. He’s committed to listening, learning and embracing change; he’s happy to empower and share his platform with others.

He’s not the messiah (nor is he in any way a naughty boy). But what he does seem to demonstrate is that the Messiah’s way makes sense. Sheeran practises plenty of the values of God’s kingdom and provides us with a cultural anchor point to talk about the values of creativity, unity and character. Even if you don’t care much for his music, you can at least agree that the man shines like a city – or rather a castle – on a hill.   

Play (Gingerbread Man Records/Atlantic Records) by Ed Sheeran is available now