{
  "id": 13126668,
  "title": "Skillet’s John Cooper Talks Split With Former Church: ‘I Am Not Doubting My Faith — But I’m Like, ‘Man, How Can People Hurt Each Other This Bad?”",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/09/skillets-john-cooper-talks-split-with-former-church-i-am-not-doubting",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-09T13:41:16.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Billboard",
    "slug": "billboard",
    "url": "https://www.billboard.com/music/rock/skillet-john-cooper-new-ep-after-the-storm-1236357571/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Skillet frontman John Cooper discussed the band's new EP, After the Storm, which was released on October 9. The album delves into themes of hurt, betrayal, and personal challenges, while still offering a message of hope. Cooper explained that the inspiration for the EP came from his fractured relationship with the church he and his family had built and attended for years. Despite his deep faith, he expressed his disbelief at the hurt people can inflict upon each other, questioning how anyone could be so cruel.\n\nCooper stated that he remains a Christian and has not doubted his faith, but the experience challenged him to ponder humanity's cruelty. He emphasized that God is aware of these struggles and will help those who seek Him. The band members, including his wife Korey, Jen Ledger, and Seth Morrison, have collectively sold 30 million albums and experienced significant success, including the seven-times platinum hit \"Monster\" and becoming the first Christian song to reach a billion streams on Spotify.\n\nThe EP's lead single, \"Scream,\" was immediately recognized as the band's choice for the single, as it resonated with listeners who relate to the feeling of wanting to scream due to life's hardships. Cooper also teased the upcoming single \"Lift Me Up,\" which he describes as heavy yet melodic, offering inspiration to listeners facing difficulties.\n\nThe creation of After the Storm involved a new collaborative effort, with writer/producer David Cowell from Sleep Theory and Nevertell contributing to the project. Cooper expressed his appreciation for Cowell's guidance, noting their shared history and mutual respect.",
  "summary": "The fracture inspired the band's new EP, 'After the Storm.'",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}