Columbia Arts Advocate

Writers Group

2011-01-29T16:54:00.002-05:00

A week ago Saturday saw the first meeting of a new writers group. The seed idea for the group came when Kate C. and myself starting talking about NaNoWriMo(National Novel Writing Month). Kate and her husband Stu are good friends being connected both via Apostles and CIU. Stu is a film maker and Kate is an all around creative person (she draws, writes and plays the harp among other things). Kate and I both felt the need to have a space to present what we have been working on not only during NaNoWriMo but also more recently. One of the secrets I feel about arts and artist is that the work may be done in private but it exposure to other voices is essential. An obvious example is the Inklings writers group. If you are in the Columbia area and want to join us feel free to email me for details.

For both Tina and I writing has been in our blood a long time. I published my first poem when I was in High School. Tina's first major at Southeastern was journalism. Her goal was to follow in the footsteps of Phillip Yancey. Ironically it has taken 10 years of marriage to discover just how much we enjoy writing and to start writing together. Well sort of. Tina's writing style you might say is a kin to a shot gun blast. It is a rush of story, detail and emotion without letting the reader take a breadth. My own style might be keyed to the word "authentic." In all the things create I want to convey a sense that the subject matter is true to life and that you can "see" in your minds eye the subject I am writing about.

So what exactly am I writing? You might want to ask what I am not writing. I am working out the details of a murder mystery novel. The plot involves a quirky detective who uncovers a lost European painting in the midst of investigating a murder. I am also writing a series of memoir/personal essays. So far I have several written with subjects generally dealing with my Cerebral Palsy. Dr. Payne from CIU has used one essay for a class. My aim with those essays is to come up with enough material for a book. But that is a long way off. Finally, I am also trying to faithful write more poetry. I have started by using the weekly collects from the prayer guide I own as a starting point. The idea is to take each phrase of the collect and follow it by a line of my own. Below is an example.

Almighty God,
Who is seen in the smallest seed,
Who continually calls your people,
In the gentle rustle of fall leaves.
Draw us by the power of the Holy Spirit
To the fruit laid bare by your grace
Into a warm and binding relationship
Blackened soil, running water, bright sunlight.
That we may faithfully follow you
Our gaze brought upward from root to royal crown.

1 Part Annoying+1 Part Wrong+1 Part Grace= Anne Lamott's Plan B

2011-01-17T22:13:00.002-05:00

Sometimes in a book, especially a memoir you get a better feel for the person than if you meet them in real life. Anne Lamott's collection of personal essays entitled "Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith" is the first memoir in which I have more questions in my mind than I have answers. I would like to meet her if only to find out whether or not seem is a genuinely struggling believer or simply a leftist loony full of her own s**t.

1 Part Annoying

Self disclaimer: I am a political and social and economic conservative. Anne Lamott describes herself as a progressive liberal. However even on the opposite side of the political spectrum I can not understand the Bush bashing. Please understand I am not an apologist for the Bush White House. Iraq is at best a morally questionable war. I do not regret Sadam's overthrow but I wonder why enter into a conflict when the bigger threat to peace is the next door in Iran. And quite frankly Homeland Security's mission sounds to similar for comfort to the KGB and Gestapo. Evil starts often enough with good intentions.

Through her writing you get a clear sense that Anne equates Bush with Hitler and the end of civilization as we know it. So many pundits, writers actors etc. act as if they where all chicken little's running around screaming "the sky is falling!" Quite frankly it is annoying. It detracts from what is otherwise a pleasant enjoyable read when I come across lines like "So much had been stolen from us by Bush, from the very beginning of his reign." Or "She was trying to imagine the end of life as we now it, under a paranoid right-wing government." And Even ". . .believing in George Bush was so ludicrous that believing in God almost seems rational."

1 Part Wrong

And thus it leads me into where I think Lamott gets it wrong--her theology. Eugene Petersons writes that there are four terms which "provide a common vocabulary for exploring the nature and dynamics of the Christian life." Those terms are Spirituality,Soul, fear-of-the-Lord and finally Jesus. As Peterson writes "As such the name counters the abstraction that plague 'spirituality.' Jesus is the central and defining figure in the spiritual life. In Lamott's narrative Jesus is strangely missing. Oh, the word is tossed around but rather than God in flesh the Jesus pictured in revelation her narrative tosses Jesus around like a moral rag doll. "We should try to stay on God's good side. It's not hard. God has extremely low standards. Pray, take care of people, be actively grateful for your blessings, give away your money-- your cool. You're in."

1 Part Grace

Lamott from a theologians point of view isn't a very good one. And one might argue she is closer to heretic as opposed to orthodoxy. But that’s just what makes her writing all the more beautiful and genuine. I want to read her because I admire her willingness to be broken. She knows she doesn't have it all together but grace comes rushing through her story as grace should burst forth. As a theologian I fully believe that there is a place and time to correct rebuke and train. But what I am understanding as I get older is learning and living by grace will by necessity trump those things. Living with the i's dotted and the t's crossed is so much more easier then living with who you are in the hear and now. Much more of us is required when we live by grace then when we live by doctrine, putting it another way-- Living by grace is living a surrendered life. Anne Lamott in her own neurotic way is attempting to do that and for that I am in her corner routing for her.

2011 Reading List

2011-01-10T17:45:00.007-05:00

WARNING: BOOKS BRING OUT MY INNER NERD.

FACT: My 2011 reading list was complete by October of 2010. With only a few late editions (due to Christmas presents) making the total for this year's list 34 books. Most of the books making it onto the list were there long before October 2010. And this is how my reading lists evolve every year, most of the books have been there long prior to the new year. And to tell the truth I have 21 books for my 2012 list and begun my 2013 list.

2010 began with me wondering if I was going to read all 29 books from my list . By November each of the books were read (with 2 notable exceptions) and I was starting to read books on the 2011 list. This year there are 34 books on the list divided into 6 different categories with only one odd ball that does not fit into any of the self created categories. As of November I have read six books on the list and are currently working through number seven (Plan B by Anne Lamott expect a blog posting shortly on this collection of essays soon.) Does it sound like I am bragging if I say I have already 20% of the books on my list? There is a part of me that indeed feels guilty but than there is a part of me that I need to add more books to my list.

I have a strategy when it come to reading for the year a head and selecting books for the reading list. Generally speaking I try to focus my reading list on the big three fiction, history and theology (It is my own equivalent of Roosevelt, Stalin and Churchill. And please no jokes about which one of these is Stalin). I also make it a point to keep me reading in other "necessary" categories. These are topics that I may not read if I did not recognize their importance to me developing into a well rounded scholar and human being. The arts, leadership and biblical commentaries (this category comes directly from Eugene Peterson's suggestion in Eat This Book) are the little three.

In fiction I attempt to mix and match as much as possible. I attempt to read at least one contemporary work of fiction (Master and Commander by Patrick O'Brian and World Without End by Ken Follett fit the bill). I make it a point to read both current masterpieces (Silence Endo ) and classics in both poetry and fiction (Crime and Punishment by Dostoevsky and Paradise Lost by Milton). By the way if anyone has a bucket list of must read literary master pieces I would love to have it. I remember in High School have a similar list but it has long since been lost. Finally in the fiction category I always attempt to read something by my favorite group of authors--the inklings. This year it is represented by George MacDonald and a Dorothy Sayer's murder mystery. Just a side note, before reading Anne Lamott I read the Sayer's book, The Nine Tailors. It is a fun, easy read and it makes me want to pick up more of her novels in the future.

The History section is less random and mix matched. I attempt to read in my areas of interest--Medieval History and World War Two history. However I am attempting to get my feet into other periods. I have read in the last two years books on Ancient Rome, Teddy Roosevelt and Bach. I am interested in what one might call filling in the gaps of my historical knowledge. I am afraid that the only book that fits in this "gaps" category this year is John Keegan's The First World War. His book entitled The Second World War (I know couldn't see that one coming could you?) was a textbook while I was taking a class in the period at USF. I would like next year to explore life in England under Cromwell and also during the reign of Queen Victoria. If you have any suggestions feel free to email me and let me know.

The theology section is the one most determined by need and professional development. Many of the books are revolve around questions of culture (Art and Scholasticism and other Essays Jacques Maritain, Inclusive Yet Discerning: Navigating Worship Artfully by Frank Burch Brown and Refractions by Makoto Fujimura) Trinity (Space Time and the Incarnation by T.F. Torrance) and what might be generally collected under the title "humanity" (Exclusion and Embrace by Miroslav Volf, The Contemplative Pastor by Eugene Peterson and What are people for? Wendell Berry). For me I want to balance the need to keep current in my theological reading while also making sure I have read as many of the seminal theological works as possible before entering into any further theological studies. One of my goals in this area is to eventually read both C.F.H Henry's God, Revelation and Authority (5 vols.) and to read Karl Barth's Church Dogmatics (14vols.). But unlike Leslie Newbign who read Barth's work all in one sitting while traveling home from India I will likely have to read these works one volume at a time.

The complete list is below. And again I invite suggestions recommendations and helpful lists that would help me read more widely and read more deeply.

I. History
1. The Pacific Hugh Ambrose
2. The First World War John Keegan
3. Liberal Fascism Jonah Goldberg
4. On America, DeTolkiville
5. God's Battalion Rodney Stark
6. D-Day Beevor
7. Why the Allies Won Richard Overy
II. Fiction
1. Silence Endo
2. Crime and Punishment Dostoyevsky
3. The Nine Tailors Dorothy Sayers
4. The Complete Fairy Tales George MacDonald
5. Master and Commander Patrick O'Brian
6. World Without End Ken Follett
7. The Fellowship of The Ring J.R.R. Tolkien
8. Paradise Lost Milton

III. Theology
1. Plan B Anne Lamontt
2. Exclusion and Embrace Miroslav Volf
3. The Contemplative Pastor Eugene Peterson
4. What are people for? Wendell Berry
5. Art and Scholasticism and other Essays Jacques Maritain
6. Refractions Makoto Fujimura
7. The Challenge of Christ N.T. Wright
8. Space Time and the Incarnation T.F. Torrance
9. Inclusive Yet Discerning: Navigating Worship Artfully Frank Burch Brown

IV. Biblical Commentaries
1. The Epistle to the Colossians and to Philemon Dunn
2. Habakkuk F.F. Bruce in The Minor Prophets
3. Obadiah Jeffrey Niehaus in The Minor Prophets

V. Leadership/ Pastoral Ministry
1. Managing the Nonprofit Organization Peter Drucker
2. The Future of Management Gary Hamel
3. The Mentoring Leader Tony Dungy

VI. Art
1. Dante: A Life R. W. B. Lewis
2. Writing Down the Bone Natalie Goldberg
3. Mystery and Manners Flannery O'Connor

VII. Other
1. The Intelligent Investor Graham

2010 books in Review

2010-12-28T11:26:00.005-05:00

To those who know me well it comes to no surprise that every year for the past several years I have created my own reading list. As 2010 comes to a close I want to look back on the books I have read and give a summary and hopefully these might find themselves on your reading list next year. The complete list is below.

Let me start with the stand outs--John Adams, The Odyssey, A Thousand Splendid Suns and Prayer. Prayer by Hans Urs von Balthasar is one of the handful books Eugene Peterson recommends on his list of Spiritual reading. It is a long meditation on the nature of Prayer and how we can discipline ourselves to in one sense, our true selves. Men and women created to listen and speak with our divine creator. It is already back on my reading list for 2012.

The contemplative does not have to make strenuous efforts to become familiar with a totally foreign territory-- all the more foreign because the word of God is not of this world and hence can never be discovered in the categories and accepted patterns of human reason . . . .the question is not how he can realize the good by his own power, but how he is to realize himself by the power of the good according to the law of his own reality which is already there. (Prayer page 61)

David McCullough writes another superb history with John Adams. One reads the manuscript and discovers one of our greatest founding fathers. Adams seemed to never completely get out of his own way at times. Determined to do what was right in his own mind regardless of how awkward he came across, often to his own determent. (I recommend to any man reading John Eldredge's Wild at Heart McCullough's biography of Teddy Roosevelt Mornings on Horseback as a companion story to read along the way.) Along with Eugene Peterson's list of Spiritual reading I am attempting to work my way through the great books of Western Literature. This year was my first time through The Odyssey by Homer. As with Homer's Iliad (a book by the way whose ending literary brought me to tears) I now understand why it has such a vaunted place in the Western Cannon. One of the things I did not expect out of the book is to gain insight into one of the stranger passages of Scripture, Acts 14. I was struck by the reverence mixed with fear Homer portrays the greeting of guests and strangers. The reaction to Paul and Barnabus at Lystra comes into greater cultural context after reading The Odyssey. The Last of this year's highlights is the sequel (of sorts) to the Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns. The story follows the life of two Afghani women in the last turbulent decades of the 20th century. Kite Runner is itself a powerful emotional story of redemption but unbelievably Hosseini tops his previous writing performance.

Every year it never fails that I pick a few duds along with all the great books. There was only one truly magnificent dud. And to my surprise it was the novel Wicked. I only read the first 75 pages or so before loosing all interest in the story. The premise is interesting, how do you make one of the greatest fairy tale villains of all time into someone likable enough to read about and route for. But since the story begins with the wicked witch's abandonment to two hapless and clownish step parents it does, to my taste tickle your interest. I had better luck with two of the the Ancient-Future series of books Ancient-Future Faith and Ancient-Future Time. The two books in what seems to be an ever expanding series of books looking at ancient Church practices as guides for the postmodern present are not dud readings in of themselves. Rather reading these books proved more dull then dud. Webber's books are a valuable resource, the books are complete with easily understood graphs and tables that make the somewhat strange nature of the church calendar (for instance) make sense. Although there is mysteriously little in the why it is the way it is verse the what of its shape and aim. Often in the margins of both books I was writing, "and your point is…" and "But why is _____ this way and not another?" I have some of my liturgy guru buddies tell me that the liturgy is thee right way of doing worship and often when I press asking, "But why?" there answer is because it is how the church fathers said to do it. Which for me is never an adequate answer. Worship whatever else it must be must be the work of the people (place, time, race, culture) not the work of people long dead who once saw meaning in a form of worship this way rather than that way.

Finally, I would like to give to particular thumbs up to two books. The first is C.S. Lewis's The Discarded Image one of Lewis's academic works. The book is an introduction to medieval and Renaissance literature. In other words it is a study of medieval man's worldview. My undergraduate history focused mainly on Medieval studies but nothing quite gave me the insight into the medieval mind as much as Lewis's monograph. The second book will be another one that is already back on my reading lists for the future--Glittering Images by Susan Howatch. A friend of mine, David Taylor mentioned it in passing in a talk given to pastors of artist and that was enough for me to put it on my reading list. I am grateful that I did. The story of a young Anglican church cannon facing his inner demons and the spiritual awakening that results from it is an emotionally gripping saga. I highly recommend the book.

Next week I will be previewing the books on my reading list for 2011.

I) History
1 John Adams David McCullough
2 Elizabeth I Alison Weir
3 A long Way Gone Ismael Beah
4 The Histories Herodotus
5 The Victors Stephen Ambrose
6 Eisenhower Stephen Ambrose
7 How Rome Fell

II) Fiction
1 The Odyssey Homer
2 Henry the IV part 1 and 2 Shakespeare
3 Love in the Time of Cholera Gabriel Garcia Marquez
4 A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini
5 The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien
6 That Hideous Strength CS Lewis
7 Wicked Gregory Maguire
8 Life of Pi Yann Martel
9 Glittering Images Susan Howatch

III) Theology and Philosophy
1 The Discarded Image CS Lewis
2 Experiment on Criticism CS Lewis
3 Everyday Theology Vanhoozer
4 The Sacred Journey Fredrick Buechner
5 Prayer Hans Urs von Balthasar
6 Ancient-Future Faith Robert Webber
7 Ancient-Future Time Robert Webber

IV) Leadership/ Pastoral Ministry
1 Made to Stick Chip and Dan Heath
2 Switch Chip and Dan Heath
3 The Monkey and The Fish Don Gibbons

V) Other
1 Our Magnificent Bastard Tongue: The untold history of English Language John McWhorter

What are people For? Wendell Berry's Counter-cultural Challenge

2010-12-20T11:51:00.006-05:00

One of the many books Eugene Peterson recommends in the area of Spiritual Theology is Wendell Berry's collection of essays entitled "What are People for?" ( I am attempting each year to read one or two books from Peterson's list which can be found in his Christ Plays in 10,000 Places.) Berry is a writer, lecturer and farmer from Kentucky. I discovered Berry to be deeply concerned regarding the destructiveness of our modern world and challenging the prevailing tenants of Modernism. One of the major themes throughout the book is man's place on the land and man's connection with the environment. He asks in one essay: "How can we imagine our situation or our history if we think ourselves superior to it?"

I wish it had not taken so long to discover Wendell Berry's writing. He insists that we are embodied not simply by our flesh and bones (that notion itself is counter-cultural) but also in our place. The fact that our character and personality is shaped by our geographical location is one that resonates with me deeply. Having moved from Wisconsin over 25 years ago I still identify myself with that part of the American landscape and culture as opposed to Florida or South Carolina.

Throughout the many essays Wendell Berry articulates the dangers in productivity verses sustainability, individual self verses the needs of the community. "We must have the sense and the courage . . . To see that the ability to transport food for hundreds or thousands of miles does not necessarily mean that we are well off." It is refreshing to read Berry avoid simply proposing new government programs as an answer or denying the small town residents own complicit behavior in the destruction of the rural landscape. He understand the situation to be far more complex to be answered by any one program or changed of behavior.

Ironically, sadly even, what I admire most about Wendell Berry's lifestyle and writing is the very item I feel least capable of implementing in my own life. Berry's willingly ties himself to the simple life on the farm land he owns. For example one of the essays is entitled "Why I Am Not Going To Buy A Computer?" I admire his willingness to unplug from our technologically driven culture, another example being his use of draft horses instead of a tractor. And to the extent that I can I prefer not having network or cable television and do my very best to severely limit my time texting, facebooking or heaven forbid twittering. There is an implied question to Berry's writing: Are we better off in any tangible measure with our technological advancements than those who seemed to flourish without them?

But it does not negate the fact that I am for better or for worse a city boy. No matter how much I agree with Berry's assertion that "we must achieve the character and acquire the skills to live much poorer than we do." I can't imagine myself following in his footsteps. I do not believe I would survive as a farmer and I can hardly keep my lawn up let alone try to keep a small garden behind the house. But I suspect that Wendell would have the upper hand in the argument as he writes in the next to last essay, "The great obstacle is simply this: the conviction that we cannot change because we are dependent on what is wrong."

3 Prayer Requests

2010-12-13T09:07:00.000-05:00

I just have to come out and say it. I am not very faithful to my blog. I would like to write something once a week at least but it feels as if months go by without anything being posted. It is certainly not intentional but somewhere down the line the little steps toward CMCA fail to gather the energy and momentum necessary for me to put fingertips to keyboard or pen to paper. However long the absence, progress has been made toward realizing CMCA as a legitimate force for cultural making good in the Carolinas. Slowly I am building a network of people who are supportive and encouraging my vision. Admittedly one of the greatest hurdles to CMCA has been my own internal struggles. And there has been progress in that direction as well, as difficult as it has been to measure.
But here are three ways to be practically praying for me.

1. I have produced a list of 700 or so names of artists, pastors, patrons and civic leader I will be inviting to what I am calling an "Evening of Faith and Beauty." The evening is a chance to present the vision for CMCA to a wider community enlisting financial support along with establishing a board of directors and a board of reference. The date for this event is yet to be determined. However I do have someone mentoring me through the various steps of establishing a non-profit ministry such as my own. Please be praying that I am a good and faithful student of this man's ample experience.

2. I have my first opportunity to preach coming after the new year. Pastor Jaye Morgan and The Church at Dutch Fork invited me to preach in February concerning the arts. My text will be Exodus 31:1-11. The greatest temptation as I prepare is my wanting to say to much about the arts. I need to narrow the scope of my topic so as to present the core of my passion and not the universe of my thinking.

3. I find myself at Christmas time unemployed. A week prior to thanksgiving my boss informed me of the decision and in the next breath told me he wished he had 10 people with my work ethic. To be honest I am somewhat relieved. I was working at times as much as 60 hours a week, and 8 days straight. But as the adage goes out of the fire into the frying pan. I have had a couple good leads but it is difficult getting a new job during the holidays. I am actively searching for work. Pray for two things here. One is I might simply find another job. Two, I will use the time that I have wisely in working toward the ultimate goal of CMCA.

Here is to hoping I can be more faithful with my blog.

Filling the Heavens

2010-06-02T15:34:00.004-04:00

My latest read has been CS Lewis's The Discarded Image. It is an introduction to the literature of Medieval Europe. It provides the contextual clues to understand the language and pattern of poets from Chaucer to Dante. One effect of this investigation is to create an artful description of the worldview of Medieval Man. I choose to read this book because indeed I really do enjoy the writings of Chaucer, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and Dante. But the book was fixed firmly on my radar by Planet Narnia by Michael Ward. Planet Narnia is a groundbreaking work whose thesis states that Lewis arranged the 7 book of the Narniad around the 7 heavenly bodies of the medieval world: Sun, Moon, Mercury, Mars, Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. A good part of Ward's research is found by carefully examining The Discarded Image.

I have to say for most of The Discarded Image the analysis went over my head. Lewis quotes freely from poets I have never heard of (only to make me want to go out and get their books) and often times leaves them in their original Middle English, Latin or Greek. I find myself once again wishing I had had at least one decent class in Medieval Literature at USF.

The first thing that struck me is how full medieval man's concept of the universe was. Lewis comments "The other is the Principle of Plenitude. If , between aether and Earth, there is a belt of air, then, it seems to Apuleius, reason herself demands that it should be inhabited. The universe must be fully exploited. Nothing must go to waste" (The Discarded Image page 44). Our own conception of the universe is, well, empty. Space in our collective imaginations is a region cold, desolate, void of anything that would make humanity feel comfortable. This maybe a true, scientific depiction of space nevertheless it is an uninspiring understanding. As Lewis would state we fill libraries full of books and speak glibly about all we don't know. It seems to me one reason we need to fill that same cold universe with Luke Skywalker and James T. Kirk to humanize, to tame, to make it a place in our imaginations less fearful.

For the Medieval man, every nook and cranny of the universe was filled with creatures even the spaces in between worlds all of which is controlled and created by an Trinitarian God literally above it all. The world was populated by creature who existed on the border of the human and the spiritual world. These creatures weather unicorns, nymphs, dwarves or fairies where creatures of great power and grace but "as long as the friaries remained at all they remained evasive." This was a world organic and surprising while retaining an order and rhythm we do not find in our own world. Medieval Man looked heavenward and found comfort. He was not alone and he was a part of a larger order that made sense of all he saw and did. On the other postmodern man looks to the heavens only to get lost in its vastness and wonder if what we do on this planet actually matters. Lewis states that throughout this time man was "neither proud nor lonely."

One often hears of the middle ages as a time when man is at the center of the universe and the western world believes it to be itself the center of the center. In reading Lewis you find out that in both cases the Middle Ages conceived of a dramatically different view of themselves from our perceptions of their views. In the Medieval model we are, in a manner of speaking, the lowest point in the sink, the cosmic drain. Humanity finds itself in the lowest point in a funnel where the dross and unspiritual have settled and pooled creating a strange mixture of the heavenly and the base. "The spatial order is the opposite of the Spiritual, and the material cosmos mirrors, hence reverses, the reality, so that what is truly the rim seems to us the hub. . . . The Medieval Model is, if we may use the word, anthropoperipheral. We are creatures of the margins" (The Discarded Image page 58). In the Medieval concept of things Earth is the furthest away from what is most pure. In Medieval maps the center of the world is not, as you would first expect, Europe, but in fact Jerusalem. I do not doubt the movement to make Europe center was a thoroughly modern invention.

I am struck by the thought--- a slight variation from my last blog how much we have lost as well as gained by subsuming ourselves under the scientific and enlightened modern worldview. We think too highly of ourselves while finding ourselves less secure and more nervous concerning our surroundings. I watched Faith and Doubt at Ground Zero not to many days ago. I was struck by how many people felt the shear randomness of the event and the lives it took added to its tragic nature. For many it strengthen their sense that God was absent. Now contrast that with the Middle Ages even after the Black Death, the Hundred Year War their was still a belief in the order and pattern of the universe. The shift into a Renaissance, Humanist understand took decades if not hundreds of years to develop. It took a great deal to dislodge the Medieval concept of the universe from its place in the heavens. And despite how short the life of those living in Medieval Europe where one sense (and only senses no proof in this) that they were overall happier human beings.

Privatized Religion, The Book of Eli, and the Modern World

2010-05-14T22:57:00.003-04:00

There has been in the pass two weeks a strange and I believe divine appointment of events. All of which come into focus after John Heflick and myself viewing the film, The Book of Eli Friday last week. The aim of this post is to articulate those connections as well as to articulate avenues for further probing.

The first piece of the puzzle has been the interview conducted by Ken Myers on Mars Hill Audio with David Hunter, a sociologist at the University of Virginia. His latest book is a study in how the church in America-----Evangelical, Liberal, and Neo-Mennonite have capitulated or have been fundamentally shaped by modern culture. This formation in all three cases explicitly counter to the Gospel. For example, Evangelicals understand the great evil of our time to be secularism. As a result Evangelicals combat secularism with a combination view of man as primarily economic and political. Evangelicals assume Mass equals cultural power. Combine enough individuals in the right direction and numbers alone will be enough to prevent secularism for achieving its goals. However the evidence runs counter to Evangelical assumptions. Poll after poll show 80% of Americans believe in God yet most of those same 80% would be hard pressed to consider America a Godly let alone Christian nation.

The interview challenged me to reconsider church. Am I guilty of thinking in the is economic and utilitarian frame of reference? I have caught myself on more than one occasion articulating the following about the arts. "If we just find ways to create art to standards the modern world to except." Or just as damming "If the Church just had more artists in Hollywood. . . " This past week I have been reevaluating the place of the artist "out in the world." Are the standards of Wholeness, Harmony and Radiance Biblical standards first and the world simply has come to them in the process of general Revelation?

Add to this interview the fact that I have been listening to Eugene Petersons's Eat this Book on CD driving back and forth from work. Peterson's thesis--- the way we read scripture as the Church is in contrast even open opposition to the way the world reads. Modern readers read for information and facts or moral advice or finally inspiration. Christians read the Bible for relationship- the text a living letter to the individual as well as to the corporate body. The Church at its best does as much listening to scripture as it does talking about it. The Bible is, in Peterson's words "not about telling as about showing." What we do as church both is intensely relational and internal. The title of Peterson's book comes from the book of Revelation where John is instructed to "Eat this Book." But this view of the Bible is also profoundly as already hinted at counter cultural.

This is how the Book of Eli plays into this past weeks events. The plot of the movie is moved forward by Denzyl's character traveling west with the last Bible on earth in his back pack. He openly tells a fellow character that he has heard God speak to him calling him to take the Bible west and bring it to a community that will insure its safety. Eli has committed the entire text of scripture to memory makes it a part of his daily routine and commits to following its teachings. But alas the movie which I first thought to be a treatise on true religion verses false and manipulative religion fails to deliver the goods (sort of speaking) at the end of the movie.

Spoiler Alert

Eli arrives at this community the community takes the book and promptly puts it in the Library alongside other religious works. The viewer is lead to believe that the Bible would become the new foundation for a society digging itself out of the rubble. For Christians, it would indeed be the proper place to find the Bible. The film instead ends with a muted nod to the Bible's importance to the western cannon. The film does not discredit the Bible's personal and subjective importance to Eli who believes he was on a mission from God. In the end the film fails to deliver the punch hoped for when the film first started. The Bible to paraphrase C.S. Lewis is revelation, fable or fraud. If revelation it centers and gives meaning to all else--weather public or private. The Bible for the confessing Christian, in contrast to the Book of Eli, can not be a private document that has sway over some matters and not other matters.

I have been quietly wrestling theologically over a growing re-evaluation of what I believe about the Church in the world. I would describe it by saying that my Ecclesiology is growing. It is in and through the Church where education, medicine and the arts have any basis for being. Only through the prism of Christian faith does anything else have any meaning. The medieval Church whatever else we say about it knew this in its bones. Should a Christian look to Hollywood for its standards, its themes it meta-narrative? Does not scripture provide this and more over provide a better standard because it, unlike Hollywood, the Bible's standards are true? And are original to scripture. Could my long standing complaint that Christians look to Hollywood to learn how to make a movie is simply in the end asking a copier to copy a copy? I once wrote a paper entitled the Modern Assumptions in Evangelical Aesthetics. It might be good to look more closely not only at the paper but the thesis. The Christian movie (such as Left Behind and Fire Proof) places its emphasis one element of the film making process (the message) over against the remaining elements. The Christian film maker tends also to treat individual elements separate from their context in the whole, a very modern notion. As a result the films suffer, appearing cliché and hap hazard rather then whole, full works of art.

For an Evangelical Christian artist, James Hunter seems to imply would do better if he ignored the secular sacred divide and focus on more fundamental questions of the incarnation. How do I embody truth? How does my own creation mirror that of God's creation?

The past two weeks have re-invigorated my thinking concerning culture and the arts. This blog post is only the first step. And nothing will get resolved tonight but it is certainly worth giving more thought to in the coming weeks.

reflections from Good Friday

2010-04-19T10:52:00.002-04:00

It has been just over two weeks since Good Friday's Stations of the Cross.I know for me the initial question as early as Friday night was? How do you measure the impact on people? How do you gauge, sense the results when so much is the unseen work of the Holy Spirit in People’s lives? Finally today I give up that question. It is the systems analyst in me that would like the hard data to measure and quantify. But as my own father is fond of saying “God keeps the books.”

Here are a few of the things I personally learned from this year:

• The Congaree room is a great venue for the Stations (as long as the bag piper corps does not play “Scotland the Brave” in the atrium).

• God is in control. Obvious one I know. But consider for a moment that we had 6 stations make prominent use of hands in the art work and another two had you doing something with your hands. None of the artist communicating with one another about it.

• What you plan is not always what you expect. This year’s Way of the Cross actually resembled closer the vision I shared with Aaron and Kirkland last year. But this year seemed less of the emotional high than last year and seemed less of an “event” then last year.

• The booklet of poetry and prose was amazing! Thanks for all you writers. And a special shout out to Christy Goodman (once again) for all her help in making that happen.

• I found it surprising, even a bit difficult with people coming up to me telling me how impressed they were with the paving stones. From an idea in the shower, simply to fill three difficult stations to something that had real impact on people.

• My essay was for those who read it, pretty personal. But it felt good to write it. It has spurred me on to write more along the same lines. There is no being anyone but yourself but I would like to come close to Fredrick Beuchner’s honesty.

Pictures thanks to Rod Lewis.

One week to go

2010-03-28T07:29:00.001-04:00

Today marks one week before Church of the Apostle's Good Friday/Holy Saturday worship service based on the Stations of the Cross. This will be the Stations second year and is greatly expanded from what it was a year ago. Different people are involved. Five of the artists who participated last year do not have works submitted for this year's gallery. It is a testament to the creative pool of people Apostles has in its body. We have a booklet of creative writing, essays, poetry and short stories. Fourteen submissions in all.

I have been amazed at how different this year's preparation have gone. I can honestly say the toll emotionally, physically and spiritually has been greater this year. Part of the reason for this has been I am far more engaged this year from last. I have written a personal essay for the booklet and created three stations involving Christ falling on the way to his death. There have been a number of miscommunications and misunderstands taking an emotional toll out of me. Coming to the brink of damaged relationships is nothing you can simply walk away from unscathed. Spiritually speaking this year is different. Physically, I have not had the same amount of time as I did last year. I have been working nearly 40 hours a week the past 5 weeks. Great for the pay check, not so great for getting work done on the stations. Last year there was not one single bump in the road as I remember it. This year has felt like standing against the gale, buffeted by the winds. The positive of this resistance has been its drawing me to prayer, calling me to cry out. But neither has it been without my share of defeats in this season as well.

This past week was a good example of the paradox of this year's journey. The process of creating the works of art I am submitting for this year's stations required me to create a large quantity of fake blood, spreading this blood on my hand and arms and then placing my body against paving stone creating the effect of a bloody street. I remember in that moment, my head against my forearms, Why did Christ get up? Already pushed to the point of exhaustion; why stand up and continue walking? The thought was there only for a moment, but I keep coming back to it through out the week. I did not expect for Christ to meet me in the Creative process. I am not, was not doing these stations for my spiritual enrichment. But yet it happened. Then there was Thursday. I will not go into details, but let us just say mid way through the day I knew the depths of my own fraudulent heart.

For those of you who might be reading there are a few things to you can pray about.

• Details, details, details. I have to make last minute arrangements for transporting my stations as well as providing for the set up of the worship space Friday afternoon.
• This coming Sunday morning we will have one last meeting for the stations.
• I have yet to finish my own stations. One last step and it will probably be the most time consuming step of the entire process.

First post of the year and a good start.

2010-03-02T14:11:00.000-05:00

Every once in a while I will remember that I have a blog and need to get busy writing for it letting people know what is going on in my world and how the drive for the Carolina Movement for the Arts is going. But as often as I remember to write life happens and I forget to plunk down my ideas on the keyboard and type them out for others to read. However, this week has been particularly good writing material.

First, on a personal note, I submitted a prose essay for the Chap book that will be part of the Stations of the Cross at Church of the Apostles. The essay entitled "The Easter Body" is very personal and marks the first time I will have put my feelings on paper concerning my Cerebral Palsy for the general public. It is a process that is certainly more nerve racking than I expected. The essay ended up being longer than the maximum, however, we are low on submission so we aught to be all right with the essay in its current form. Speaking of Stations of the Cross, it appears as if all the fourteen visual art stations have an artist attached to them now. It may even end in me taking on a visual art station to fill out the list which is certainly not my forte but will be a good stretching experience for me in the end if it indeed happens.

Second, Monday the 22nd of February the South Carolina Arts Commission held the first in a series of open forums. The purpose of the forums is to gather public opinion on the direction the Commission should take in the future. This was the first time attending such an event. Present at the forum were about fifty people representing various artistic disciplines. The event was largely a question and answer session. I resisted saying anything but when the question was posed, "What are the Challenges facing the arts Community in South Carolina?" I could not help but speak out and mention the churches in South Carolina. How many of the church's in the state narrowly define art as music. Not that I wanted that to be my answer. It grieves me. The great patron of the arts the Church has now lost its way. Oh, for the day the Church reclaims that position once again. After the meeting several people came up to me eager to continue the dialogue. One being a staff member of the South Carolina Arts Commission. I would ask you to pray for these relationships to develop and that time can be set aside to continue the conversation.

CMCA is on the move

2009-11-13T13:00:00.002-05:00

I wanted to let everyone know about some exciting things in the works for the 2010 year as I step forward and into the leadership of the Carolina Movement for the Arts. This week on Tuesday I had an extremely early wake up call, 3:30 am. Yikes, that hurt. The reason for waking so early was to me my ride for a trip to Raleigh NC and a conference sponsored by the National Development Institute (NDI). NDI is a non-profit that helps other non-profits raise capital funds to support their work. The all day affair was attended by between 60-80 non-profits all looking to find ways to keep providing their services. At the conference I ran into several old friends and at least one knew one that have promised to help me gather operating expense for CMCA. The result is that I am very encouraged this week. And have made great strides toward having a nonfund-raising fundraiser. Sounds strange? Don't worry it will all make sense in the near future.

On another front. I have also had the opportunity in the last two-three weeks to build relationships. This week I meet with one downtown pastor that has invited me to speak to his church after the first of the year. And the relationship will only hopefully grow from there. The neighborhood in which his Church is located has been over the last 10 years gentrified into a thriving young diverse artistic community. While his congregation has coalesced into a elderly and traditional Caucasian community. The pastor, to his great credit is looking for ways in which to reinvent the Church to reflect the local community. The other factor is that this 100 year old church has a large building with many rooms going unused, Perfect for offices and studios. As the relationship build we both hope to meet the each others ministry goals. Time will tell.

Shock and Awe

2009-10-16T16:40:00.004-04:00

Awe- n 1. overwhelming feeling of reverence, admiration, fear, etc., produced by that which is grand, sublime, extremely powerful, or the like: in awe of God; in awe of great political figures
2. Archaic. power to inspire fear or reverence.

Grandeur- n.the quality or state of being impressive or awesome 2. The quality or state of being lofty or elevated in conception or treatment: the grandeur of a prose style.3 The quality or state of being exalted in some deliberate way 4. an instance of something that is grand

Tuesday night, (October 13th) I was invited by John Heflick a long time friend to attend a lecture by the world famous Richard Dawkins. John in turn was invited by a former member of his High School youth group of several years ago. Dawkins, for those who do not know is a Evolutionary Biologist teaching for many years at Oxford and a outspoken arguer for Atheism. His books include The Selfish Gene, and The God Delusion. Dawkins was in South Carolina to promote his latest book, ironically entitled (to me at least) The Greatest Show on Earth.

The lecture was held at the Carolina Coliseum in Columbia and well attended. Dawkins read excerpts from his new book. I enjoyed being the minority opinion and being one of two people (it felt like) who did not clap at the satirical jokes about how it was a sure sign of stupidity to believe in a God. But the honest truth is that I was disappointed by the evening. Dawkins at one point claimed to be the sledge hammer that was going to crack the nut of religious belief. I found his hammer blow as effective as a plastic children's hammer striking a railroad spike. I was hoping for something better. It would have been nice to see a debate between him and someone else. To see his assumption challenge and him forced to answer the metaphysical questions that were left unexamined.

There was plenty in the evening to knick pick. One of my favorite brain twisters came when Dawkins bemoaned that the smart people in the world (who came to the right conclusion that there is no God) did not have more children. Rather to his chagrin it was those who believed in a God who had large families. It made me wonder-- how smart can you be if after basing you hopes in the future of the genetic pool you fail to populated that pool with your genes? Isn't the traditional religious view of parenting; dedicating one parent almost exclusively to the process of parenting an effective strategy, even one that might be genetically programmed to one degree or another? Dawkins seemed to fail to draw the logical conclusion even from his own arguments.

The most memorable moment in the evening came at the end of his time. Speaking of the beauty of nature and how there was no other way in which creation could have come about he urge the crowd in attendance to stand in awe of nature be amazed by the grandeur of the cosmos. Really? Awe and grandeur? How does religious language find a place in a argument by a man committed to a closed system of the universe? Are those not words I am supposed to use in arguing for Theism? Creation is so vast, so wonderful, so amazing that to deny the hand of a creator is to be blind to the obvious? Dawkins does anticipate this argument and called it the argument of personal incredulity. And dismisses it as illogical and ignorant of the facts. He is satisfied by the notion that the facts stand for themselves and need no deity to explain the world.

But isn't that the rub of the issue? With the same set of facts I see a God at work while Dawkins see's nature in a mathematical improbability that turned reality? The difference being Faith. I have faith in a personal God. Dawkins's faith in the reality of a world existing of its own accord.

Art and Craft Festival Recap

2009-10-02T15:33:00.000-04:00

On September 26th Carolina Movement for the Creative Arts had its first public event. The event, an Art and Craft Festival in Lexington had been in the works for months. The results were positive while also not being all that was hoped for. The rain had much to do with that. A whole week of perfect weather was followed on Saturday by overcast, cloudy skies with a light misty rain for a good portion of the morning. Thanks are given to all the venders who made the day possible. Special thanks to our host Simply Southern Catering and to Wendy Webster who did so much to make the event possible.

Pretty cut and dry, Right? If only the event could be summed up like that without leaving the guts out of the entire day.

Yes, it was raining. The weather which had been so good all week turned sour on us Saturday. But the rain was not a down poor and we were still able to hold the event and people still came. The weather that day is a great metaphor for what happened Saturday. Could it have been better, yes of course it could have. But like the weather the more time passes the better it my assessment of the weekend gets (and so does the weather).

Did the weather stop me from learning lessons or taking the very risk of the Festival? No. Did the rain prevent us from aiding artist or stop us from connecting with them and building relationship with them? No. Did the rain prevent me from learning lessons of my leadership and the need for me to develop my leadership? No.

I am growing into my leadership. It honestly not something I have done much of and the title "leader" just as much "executive director" is an intimidating title. The title, responsibility, and the mindset of a leader is different from what I expected. I am naturally passive, so I am learning to be pro-active and take initiative. Relationships is another item I learned from this weekend. Again, intentionally fostering good, honest, and strong relationships.

I am thinking a lot about Moses in connection with my own growing leadership and calling to be a leader. Moses and I have a lot in common I feel. We both did(do) not feel equipped to lead. We have both used our disabilities as excuses to avoid leadership. Both Moses and myself look back at our past sins as disqualification for leadership. Moses killing Pharaoh's servant, my own litany of sins, many connected with my disability. And I believe there are similarities in the nature of the people we are called to shepherd as well.

I am growing in my confidence that I indeed can lead. That I will indeed be a leader. This past weekend was a notice that I have to find my "sea-legs." But I don't doubt that I will find them.

I want to recognize again Wendy Webster and all the work she did with this event. She brought the idea to me found the space, the venders, the tents we used, and talked to many of the local Lexington Churches. It is such a total understatement to say that without Wendy this weekend's events would not have taken place. I am deeply in her debt for teaching me a great deal this weekend and keep the momentum moving forward with CMCA.

Cleve Gray at Columbia Museum of Art

2009-08-20T16:15:00.005-04:00

"Meaning in the visual arts and images occurs in duration and sustained attention."
Ken Burns

This last Saturday I attended the new temporary exhibit at the Columbia Museum of Art. The exhibit is entitled Cleve Gray Man and Nature. The exhibition focuses on the painter's last 30 years of Abstract Art. I was not alone at the Museum, Ray and Jason joined me as we walk through the exhibit. Ray attends Apostles with me and Jason just moved back to Columbia from Nevada where he had been for the past 3 years. Both are Columbia International University grads.

The Ken Burn's admonition above is quickly becoming one of my favorite touchstones of meaning making for me with regards to the visual arts. I find this to be especially true of Abstract art which requires you to work at the art in a very different way than you would a representational painting. For example "Jonquil" is a large 9'x9' work of art that when I first saw it made me, as I wrote in my journal "nervous.' I viewed the entire exhibit before returning to it. I sat on the ground took out my journal and wrote what the painting evoked in me.

From my Journal. . . "Ray Hendrix thinks of a sun spot. I guess that is a good way to think of it. It exudes brightness and energy. The bright yellow border [editorial note: alas you can not see in the photograph below] really conveys that. The Black spot in the center is what's disturbing about the work. The spot is left of center. Its not uniform, it’s a distorted shape neither square or circle and appears to cover up something (that same bright yellow that makes the border is barely visible behind it). The painting feels to me like an abstract of Gandhi or Martin Luther King Jr., bright moral men who shed a light on dark times and evil but then who themselves had an seemingly inexplicable dark spot on their character. A dark spot that drew your attention and would not let you wholly embrace them. The flaw was not the center of their character but it was still a distraction." The painting and the men seem to share an unredeemed area of their existence. Don't misunderstand me I am not speaking of either man's place in heaven or hell. Just that even in the great moral center's of our history often come very dark and sin tainted areas of their lives.

"Dispersal of a Square #9" is a very different work of art. Again in my journal I wrote "senses to me as to be transformative, freeing itself. Like one of those movies of a blooming flower but instead of a movie it is caught in a painting with each 'frame' on top of the other."

In the museum's audio guide to the exhibit one of the commentators stated "abstract art should be heard as music as much as it is seen as painting." After one gets done laughing at the seeming silliness of the suggestion and takes the commentator's suggestion seriously it does indeed open up a thoughtful way of engaging abstract painting. Well it at least did so for me. There were three paintings on the subject of lovers; "Autumn Lovers," "Night lovers," and "Diana and Actaeon" (shown below). When I ask myself, What music do I hear from this painting? My answer are the sounds and intense energy of Dizzy Gillespie and Charlie Parker. The hot jagged triangle shapes seem to correspond well the Charlie's incredibly fast chromatic improvisations.

Thoughts from Eat Pray Love

2009-07-25T10:59:00.000-04:00

If you have spent anytime talking with me about the arts you would quickly learn that I am fascinated by one idea over against all others when talking about theology and the arts. The relationship between pain and creativity. Look to the history of the arts and you will find people with gruesome, horrifying stories. C.S. Lewis left on the battlefield, Billie Holiday raped as a young women, and given the time one could go on citing example after example.

I have recently been challenge to re-think this tried and true axiom. The catalyst for my thinking has been a TED talk. TED stands for Technology Entertainment and Design ( www.ted.com). It is a host sight for hundreds of "talks," brief lectures on important issues and ideas. Speakers have included Al Gore, Gordan Brown, Rick Warren, Amy Tan and J.J. Abrams (the creator of Lost). I recently viewed a talk by the author of Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert. She dares to ask the question "Why do we assume to be creative is to be self destructive?"

Through her talk I have been challenged to think about creativity in a new way. I imagine that at times I sounded to some as if pain were a prerequisite to creativity. That you had to have pain in order to have creativity. Not only is that singularly depressing but it is both logically and theologically flawed. Genesis begins with God being creative. The Bible speaks of God creating out of his abundance not his woundness. The gospels record numerous times in which Jesus feeds large crowds and is left with baskets full of leftovers. Secondly, Adam creates pre-fall, remember he names the animals, an act of creativity. How in his sinless state could he have pain? The fall is what brings pain into the world. Creativity is not the exclusive province of pain.

I am not denying the obvious, people in pain create. However there is more to the story. People can create out of joy, contentment, love. Might we argue that the reason there is a dearth of quality, art is that we have lost this sense of creating out of having? Makoto Fujimura in his latest blog speaks of the gospel and of art as a gift, something given out of the abundance of what one has. To the extent that our lives lack contentment in circumstance so we are hindered in our creativity. Or that we believe our lives to be so painful that we only create works that mirror the pain we experience? When is the last time you saw a truly joyful movie out of Hollywood? Slumdog Millionaire, is a problematic claimant, one, it is not a Hollywood production and two, one needs to ask just how genuinely joyful the movie really is. To provide another example, how many pop songs can you name that is not characterized by anger or escapism? One of the things I so enjoy about Matishayua is that it lacks that angry edge which characterizes so much of modern Rap. The French composer Olivier Messiaen states "Joy is a great deal more difficult to express than pain." And he says that having spent most of the Second World War in a German POW camp.

In another direction altogether, Elizabeth Gilbert, provides a tantalizing clue to the way a healthy individual aught to view personal creativity. She notes that in both Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome individuals believed creativity was not dependent wholly on the individual artist. Rather both cultures saw spiritual forces (a Damon in Greece and a genius in Roman culture) aiding in the creative process. Her whole point is that it is an unhealthy western response to center creativity in the individual. To do so places to much pressure on the individual. As a believer in Christ I can't second that notion loud enough. We need to look toward God as the enabler and sustainer of our creativity. Romans 3:24 states that we are "being justified as a gift of his grace." we might as easily say that we are "being creative as a gift of his grace." Creativity we might see in the light of partnership. God endows us with talents and inspiration while we are responsible to be disciplined and faithful use the gifts God has given us.
We might begin our creative activity by first asking ourselves how we may first bring God into our studios?

Malcolm Boyd's Bach

2009-07-06T17:28:00.000-04:00

Malcolm Boyd's book was brought to my attention first through an article I read in Christian History and Biography over two years ago. It was hailed as the best shorter biographical works on the composer. Bach is one of those creative genius who is constantly talked about in the interplay of faith and art. Jarislav Pelikan wrote Bach Among the Theologians and Karl Barth was extremely fond of the composer. And since I am always looking for more examples of artists who create out of their spiritual convictions this book on the famous Lutheran composer seemed a good place to start.
The book, as I have read through it could be described as two books in one. A chapter on Bach's life and career is then followed by a chapter on his music, which is then followed by another chapter on his life. This pattern is followed until the very last chapter which is a summary chapter of the previous chapters plus brief comments on miscellaneous matters which in the words of Boyd can be considered "exegetical" in nature. Boyd wishes to "present as coherent an account as possible of Bach's life and works in the light of current knowledge"(x).
This book was not at all what I was hoping it would be. Though I learn much of the raw facts of Bach's life and a window into the world in which Bach lived I was left with more questions than answers. The sections on Bach's life seemed dry and perfunctory rather than alive with a sense of Bach in the "flesh" which I think helps create a great biography. Rarely did I get a sense of the man's temperament, likes and daily routine. Bach was married twice. The second wife outliving him. Between those two marriages where 20 children most dying at an early age. Unfortunately Boyd never discusses how these profound loses effect Bach personally or professionally. And the names and dates get lost in what feels like a rush to tell the story of the musicians life. My tepid review of this book I believe is, in all fairness, is not wholly the author's fault. I found the chapters on Bach's music particularly frustrating because I lacked the understanding that would have made them profitable. Simply because I played in college assembles at USF does not substitute for music theory which is what I believe would have made those particular chapter's rewarding and helpful. I will also say that it would have been nice to have had a CD of Bach's music that I could listen to that corresponded to the various chapters on Bach's music. And here too I don't believe it is the author's or publishers fault---there is always you tube.
However I am glad I did not give up on this book. The last chapter was worth the investment and frustration. In the last chapter, where he seems belatedly to arrive at the question of Bach faith (And then only giving a perfunctory nod to Bach's beliefs. Boyd seems uncomfortable with the notion of Bach's personal faith and I wonder if this is not the modern split of public and private worming its way into a life that had no notion of such a split). Boyd in this last chapter describes what made Bach such a great artist. As a result I think this can become a tool, a bench mark for looking at other artist toward an eye to evaluation of there work. Boyd describes five features of Bach greatness. One, a deeply held worldview. Bach's seems to have had a sincere and devote faith, despite Boyd's lukewarm treatment of it. Bach's convictions lead him to express his faith through his music both in his secular and sacred music. Two, Bach was extremely talented and skilled. One of the more interesting stories Boyd retells is of Bach's ability to predict how a simple theme could be expanded upon and how, after hearing a simple theme he could than perform a fugue almost extemporaneously. Third, is mystery and secrecy. One area of Bach scholarship is intrigued with the question of how much of Bach's works were created based on numerology. The number of notes, measures etc. meant to mask the meaning of the composition. I am reminded here of the Narniad and Michael Ward's "discovery' of a hidden meaning in each of the seven books of the Chronicles of Narnia. The forth trait is that of complexity. ". . .the music itself, which has a weightiness and complexity of texture, harmony, and counterpoint that encourage one to look for layers of meaning even in works that make a direct appeal to the listener. The richness and complexity of the music is, in fact, one measure of its greatness"(235). And finally, Boyd talks of Bach's willingness to learn from others as a sign of his artistry and greatness.

As I have said Malcolm's book left me with many more questions than answers. This is particularly true of Bach's faith. Reading through Boyd I kept wondering, "How does his Faith influence his music?" As it happened I turned to the next book on my reading list for 2009--- Resounding Truth by Jeremy Begbie. Begbie's book is explicitly about theology and music and devotes an entire chapter on the music of Bach. In contrast to Boyd Begbie states "But the fact remains that he was well informed biblically and theologically, and his musical out put shows he could penetrate the most demanding theological issues with a remarkable acuity, so much so that a growing number of Bach scholars are prepared to recognize that any serious treatment of this composer cannot avoid engaging theological issues." Begbie quotes another scholar, David Bentley Hart as saying "Bach's is the ultimate Christian music." I believe Boyd's book is incomplete failing it seems to wrestle with maybe the key driving factor of Bach's creativity his faith. Begbie summarizes Bach achievement this way, " he is content to combine secular and sacred styles, to write for church and court, to write vocal music for God's glory and see instrumental music as able to honor the Creator in its own way. His theological outlook is hospitable to both music and word, allowing both to make their contribution, and often together" (138).

2009-06-03T16:12:00.001-04:00

On May 9th I finished reading Michael Ward's new book Planet Narnia. The book is a convincing argument that the 7 books of Narnia represent the 7 celestial bodies in the Medieval cosmos; Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, the Sun and finally the Moon. Each book, Ward argues, takes on the "atmosphere" or the characteristics of the planet they represent. So for example The Horse and His Boy is dominated by the planet Mercury. Michael Ward makes note of the following connections;

"Cor and Corin, are not just twins, but reflections of the twins: Gemini. This constellation is relevant to Lewis's theme because, in astrology, Gemini is ruled by Mercury. Gemini consists of the stellated brothers, Castor and Pollux, where the models for Shasta [ie Cor] and Corin. . . . To hesitate is to be lost in [the Horse and His Boy], for speed is of the essence of Mercury. . . Of course, Mercury was not swift for the sake of swiftness, but because he was the messenger of the gods. Shasta, as the fleet footed messenger to the king of Archenland is reminiscent of a traditional picture of Mercury. . . . Shasta's forthcoming education in itself another aspect of Mercurial influence, for Mercury inspires the studious and clerkly . . . Shasta's name is based on the Hindu word Shastri, 'one who is learned, who teaches.' Mercury is the patron of pilferers, and accordingly Shasta several times goes 'raiding.'"

Each of the books received the same scrutiny with varying levels of success with making the connection between planet and book. In my opinion the weakest argument is made for The Silver Chair (which by the way corresponds to the Moon). Granted the notion of Lunacy is prominent within the story many of the finer details are lacking where Ward is able to provide them for other book (in particular The Lion Witch and the Wardrobe and The Horse and His Boy).

I come away from this book much as I did when I read The Narnian, that is with a greater sense of the genius that was C.S. Lewis. I have always assumed that Tolkien was the greater creative mind. But once again I am confronted with a strong argument to see their minds as equally creative but shaped and aimed in two different directions. While Tolkien's genius might have been to create a new world in full detail. One might say to provide the weight of reality to the fiction he wrote. Lewis's mind was bent on creating a world that imparted, to use Ward's terminology an atmosphere, a sense of a reality that shed light on the depth of the human condition. All the while creating this atmosphere so that the reader at the same time breathes deep and breathes effortlessly.

As if I did not need any convincing this book highlights to me once again one of the troubles of evangelical art. The best art will often understate and even omit telling you its significance. The best art will make you work for the meaning. In such a work finding the meaning is made all the more personal and significant by the effort of the viewer or reader. As Lewis knew that which a person learns for himself/herself becomes of particular importance rather than meaning being forced fed to the individual.

Evangelical art typically "blurts" out the meaning in their attempts at art. Evangelicals on the whole create art that mirrors the style of preaching they expect from their pastors. That is to say direct, uncomplicated and faithful to certain strictly held ethical behaviors. A sermon entitled "Seven Steps to a Healthy Marriage" becomes an all to simplified story of a married Man's struggle to love his wife and how his wife, turning to her local church and Faith in Christ helps the Husband become the poster boy for Husbandly love. C.S Lewis if anything demonstrates how the unstated objective can be woven into a work of art and have lasting impact on the reader, even unawares.

Pastor's Retreat at Laity Lodge San Antonio Texas

2009-05-26T09:45:00.000-04:00

One of the reasons it was such a long time before I wrote anything on the Good Friday service at Apostles was the necessity to down shift into the next big event coming only 2 weeks later. On the 20th of April I bordered a plane for San Antonio Texas. Laity Lodge, a retreat and conference center just two hours outside of San Antonio, sponsored a retreat for Pastors of artist. I have previously spoken of the retreat in past a blog. The money for the trip seemed to fall into place and I ended up spending only half of the money I expected to. The other half came in via donations or scholarships.

The trip attracted me for several reasons. First, the trip would give me the opportunity so shortly after Stations of the Cross to receive feedback from men and women engaged in this type of ministry much longer than I have been. I was looking forward to receiving advice of how to not only to "do it again" but to receive advice on ways of doing it better. Second, was simply the chance to talk with the two main speakers, David Taylor and Makoto Fujimura. Third, this was hopefully a chance to bring to God my concerns and frustrations as it regarded the adoption process Tina and I are currently in. To have some space so as to look inward and try to hear my feelings.

When the money started to come in before my departure I knew I was meant to be at this retreat. But once at the retreat, the retreat itself seemed to silently scream, "Right place! Right time!" For example my good friend from Charlotte, Dianne Collard was the first person I saw as I awaited my luggage. It was nice to see a familiar face and help put me at ease. Second, my roommate, just happened to be Kenyon Adams. An African-American on staff with Redeemer Presbyterian in New York City. Kenyon was recently married to his white fiancé and was starting to understand the blessings and challenges of being an interracial couple. He is an incredibly talented actor, musician, singer. His album reminds me of John Legend or Brian McKnight--smooth, clear, soulful.

The lodge itself is on 200 acres of land and not surprising out of range of any cell tower. The main meeting room and dinning room overlook a river sunken into a canyon. I would describe the sight of it as a masculine beauty. Rather than inviting you to rest, pause or be nurtured the canyon seemed to me to call and beckon my heart toward adventure. It was a sight that seemed made to John Eldredge's specifications and tailored to all those wild at heart. This was true even of the road leading to the retreat center. Once off the main highway you turned onto a dirt road winding your way though the foothills. In the brochure they let you know that you will have to drive "through the river." All those in the passenger van we road in figured this was to cross from one side of the river bank to another. Oh, how wrong we all were. Once in the river the driver turned left and drove a mile or two before existing hugging the near bank as he went.

The very first night there I was in for a wonderful surprise. Who happened to sit next to me but Makoto. What was even more surprising was the fact that he remembered me from our 1st meeting at the Arts Alive conference in Tennessee. Makoto has been to me a model of what a Artist following Christ can be. Engaged in the larger culture, faithful to his church, working with integrity and innovating. He is not simply copying what the secular culture is doing but is setting the pace and leading the way. Both his writing and his talks (like the one he gave at this retreat) are typically non-western. But as with his paintings if you can "tune in" to how he is saying it the what he is saying is more than worth the effort and will often surprise you with its depth.

Besides having dinner with Makoto I was able to arrange lunch with David Taylor. David up until this year was the Arts Pastor at Hope Chapel in Austin Texas. He is now headed to Duke University to start his PhD with Jeremy Begbie. My first meeting with David was last year in Austin at the Transforming Culture symposium and since then I have seen him as a model for the type of ministry I wish to engage in. He was impressed with Stations of the Cross and encouraged my efforts to engage the city of Columbia artistically. His move to Durham makes it possible, though no telling how likely, he and I might be able to meet on a regular basis while he is at Duke. There is much from me to learn from him and thankfully he is willing if the things work out for both of us.

David spoke three times during the week to the gathered participants. In his first message he provided a synopsis of sorts on his experience at Hope Chapel. A testimony if you will. I was deeply encouraged when, off the cuff he mentioned his Myers Briggs personality type INTJ, which just happens to be the same as mine. (For more information about personality types see /www.keirsey.com). It’s a relief to know that I am not the only, Christ following, non-artist, deep thinker who is also interested in the arts.

One of my great take-a-ways from the week was something David said in this first talk. He described how in his early years at Hope he organized event after event but left his artist as he stated "un-shepherded." Coming on the heals of Stations and with dreams of a dozen other events for the coming year it was a solid warning to pay attention to the people God has placed in my life. The relationship between doing events and shepherding those doing events has certainly been something I have been thinking about since my return.

However it was not the content of the week's messages that I consider the highlight of the trip. The trip will always stand out in my mind for the relationships I built during the week. Each meal provided me the opportunity to talk with a different group of people. Kenyon introduced me to the entire Arts staff of Redeemer (Indeed more than one, in fact it is a team of three people) and it looks like that is going to be an ongoing developing relationship that holds out the potential of an internship in New York. It is along way from anything definitive but it is something to pursue. I meet several people from the Atlanta area and Chez Seigner who has a ministry called pictable. He paints while the pastor is preaching tying his painting in with the message.

Finally, I know this blog is getting long, I am bringing home with me a sense of being appointed and being loved from the Father. The word that may sum up my experiences the best is "commissioned." As I shared with people Stations, and received positive feedback (including from Makoto) I realized that I was joining this group of pastors and artists as an equal not as a novice. There is one moment in particular (which I do not share for privacy reasons) during the week in which I felt "called" to speak into the situation and seemed to have a profound effect on those involved. I came away knowing I was meant to be there in that place in that moment. And I feel more sure that I am meant to be here in this moment and in this place.

Stations of the Cross

2009-05-16T21:16:00.000-04:00

Once again I am guilty of promising a blog posting only to drag my heals and have it written way latter then expected. As a result instead of a preview I am writing a recap over a month later. Oh, well God is Good.

I guess the first thing to say is WOW! What a tremendous evening. Where do I begin? One of the reasons I did not at first blog anything is that I was overwhelmed. I did not realize how invested I was in this service until the night was over and I was emotionally and physically spent. In fact one of the minor miracles of the day was that I did not pass out. I did not eat anything that entire day until 30 minutes before we opened the doors.

The Stations consisted of 14 stations representing 14 points in the Good Friday passion. Twelve of these Stations were represented visually and two were represented through original music. The event was held in the State Museum's Atrium. Groups of people went to each station in five minute intervals. The idea was to give people time to reflect on each station without having groups of people running into each other or distracting people.

Over 400 people attended the evening's service and with the exception of one minor mishap everything happened without a hitch. The evening was the first time I have ever been fully able to take the vision in my head and bring it into reality. From the first group to the last group everyone had positive things to say about their experience during the evening.

I am not sure whose words I appreciate more. The artists who were able to contribute and who were grateful for the opportunity to share their gifts or the those who viewed the show. The words of the artists involved are more personally felt. The fact that so many "got" the concept and effect of the evening were the most encouraging or hopeful (not sure those are the right words but they come close). Chip Edgar the Rector of Church of the Apostles called the service "the best Good Friday service he has been to in 18 years." And if that was not high praise enough Easter Sunday he called the experience "One of the proudest moments in his pastoral career." For me those are words that fuel the fire. They make me hungry for more events more opportunities to organize artist to share their gifts. And yet, I am reminded to be mindful of "pastoring" artist. To do so may not mean doing more but investing more, and taking my time to build relationships.

I want to highlight four of the twelve stations. These are the stations for me that meant the most to me personally and do not reflect a judgment of quality. These are works that stirred my soul or gave me a chance to pastor. There are more stories from the artist and those that viewed the service than I have room to recount in this blog.

Nancy Smith Station 2 JESUS TAKES UP HIS CROSS

Christ Takes up his Cross was the responsibility of Nancy Smith. What makes her piece standout in my mind is the privilege I was given by Nancy to encourage her in work on her station. I think it is fair to say she had not done anything quite like this (but in all honesty no one had) but for her in particular, displaying her art work was daunting. Nancy served me by helping to fulfill my call as shepherd. The other element of this pencil drawing is the missional quality of the work. It reminds those of us who are looking at it that Christ died not only for our culture and people group but for all of humanity.

Ray Hendrix Station 9 JESUS IS STRIPPED OF HIS GARMENTS

Bold and Daring. You can't escape Ray Hendrix's painting. The red color warns you of the danger of the event and of course the blood. Equally powerful is the feeling you can not escape participating in the crucifixion. Ray left a wood bowl in front of his painting in order that you might role dice for Christ's clothing. Many who stood before the painting did so and found it helped them enter into the historical reality. In other ways it was a courageous work of art. Are we comfortable with a Naked Jesus? We sanitize Christ's humiliation and humanity. Ray's work challenged both.

Cookie Richardson & Ruth Ohlman Station 12 JESUS DIES ON THE CROSS

At Columbia International University they teach a class called Progress of Redemption. The class is a ten-thousand foot view of the story of the Bible and the redemption of God's people. When I first saw this painting the memories of the class lectures and thesis of the class--- the Bible is one large over arching narrative---came flooding into my mind. To me the whole history of God's plan is on display in one painting. To me the Tree at the center of the painting harkens not only to the tree in the Garden of Eden but also hints at the tree in the New Jerusalem.

Kirkand Smith Staton 13 THE BODY OF JESUS IS LAID IN THE ARMS OF HIS MOTHER

Kirkland's work was definitely, hands down the station that got everyone talking. The piece is half sculpture half painting. (If you can’t see it from the photograph her piece is made up of junk; remote controls, plastic pots, Barbie dolls and bottle caps. The further away you are the more you notice the image of Mary, the closer you are you see the junk.) The dimensions of the work alone made a serious impression on you. It was by far the largest piece of the night. People walked up close to the piece and then backed away to see the larger picture. The first time I saw it I was actually looking down on it from the second story of the State Museum. The piece took my breath away.

But for me it is also a powerful reminder of our two edge nature. Up close our lives are literally made up of all our personal junk; the disasters, disappointments and discontents that make up our life experiences. As we stand back we see the larger picture of what God is doing in our life. The picture he is creating with the cast off pieces of our broken lives.

I want to thank all of the artist who gave of their time and skill to create a truly unique service. I also want to thank Michelle Gentry who help create the space and choose how to arrange the stations for the maximum benefit of the viewers. And finally I want to thank Aaron Burt. Aaron believe in my crazy idea when many other pastor's would not. He help steer the ship sort of speak through the Church's culture and community. Without him nothing would have materialized.

Here are the Artist and the Stations they represented.

Station 1: Rachel Bertoni
Station 2: Nancy Smith
Station 3: Marion Hawkins
Station 4: Danny Oakes
Station 5:Melanie McGehee
Station 6: Sarah Goddard
Station 7: Marion Hawkins
Station 8: Patty Hatch
Station 9: Marion Hawkins
Station 10: Ray Hendrix
Station 11: Chip Altman
Station 12: Cookie Richardson & Ruth Ohlman
Station 13: Kirkland Smith
Station 14: Rod Lewis

Yo-Yo's, stations, a question and The Road

2009-03-23T17:04:00.000-04:00

Honestly folks, I have been trying to write a new blog for the past 2 1/2 weeks. But, although there have been items of interest, I have been staring at a blank page every time I do have a few minutes free in my schedule, which has become a lot busier of late. So, here are a few notes from my life.

Church of the apostles, Good Friday Service

April 10th Apostles will take an awfully large risk on my initiative. And I'm not unmindful nor ungrateful. I asked if we could incorporate the arts more expressively in the life of the church, suggested ideas and encouraged the leadership to take a chance. Good Friday service at our church will amount to individual artists representing through their artwork one of the 14 stations of the Cross in the Anglican tradition. The stations of the Cross (also known as the via Delarosa) marks the 10-14 (depending on tradition) places on the route to Christ's Crucifixion. More on the event next week (I promise). Other than praying for the individuals who have committed to creating something and asking how they are doing when I see them on Sunday mornings my role is strangely insignificant currently. I can only stand back and pray everything goes well.

One Nagging Question

A few weeks ago I followed up with, the person who works at if Art and attends Apostles. We sat down before she started her workday began and we discussed her interest in the arts and my passion for the artist. I presented her with a copy of Image and River Grace by Makato Fujimura, hoping to pass on resources that I still find are largely unknown in South Carolina. One of her comments/questions continues to burden me. How have you paid your dues?

One might re-ask the question this way: Do the people you are trying to minister to know you and trust you? At first, I have to admit the question annoyed me. Now it bugs me. How does someone like myself enter the world of the artist when the first thing they think when anyone says "Christian" and "art" in the same sentence is bad art? Some who minister to artist are blessed with being one themselves. I am not so fortunate. I am a visionary and a theologian. How do I pay my dues?

Of Yo-Yo's

One of the items that has preoccupied my time in resent weeks is trying to buy an airline ticket. We were fortunate enough to have someone give us a check for the deposit on the retreat. My place is now secured. I have had a few people express their willingness to help and I am praying they are able to get back with me soon. Still the ticket loomed large. What has made the airline ticket stressful is that the prices are fluctuating in price. A week's difference was as much as $100 than the week prior. However, this past Friday Tina went ahead and bought the ticket and was able to purchase the ticket at what seems to have been a middle of the road price too. No turning back now.

The Road

I finished this week the novel The Road by Cormac McCarthy who also wrote No Country for Old Men. Both of which have been made into movies (No Country was an Oscar nominated film of a few years ago and The Road is in post-production). I will have more on this novel in a couple of weeks. I want to end the blog with a quote from the book. "All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in pain and ashes."

Another Year , another trip

2009-02-19T17:48:00.000-05:00

About this time a year ago I was expectantly waiting news concerning my application to Fuller Theological Seminary. Unfortunately I was soon to be disappointed, my big plans to move to California and pursue my doctorate fell through. As dark as that March night was for me, I soon stumbled upon a conference sponsored in part by the Hill Country Institute and CIVA Austin, Texas. The conference entitled Transforming Culture was April 1-3 and as it turned out it was an amazing consolation prize. As I told Tina afterward, "I was with my peeps."

This year, many of the same people who put out in last year's conference have sponsored a second conference. This year it is more of a retreat than a conference. Last year's group, came close to numbering 500 people. This retreat held April 20-23 will only have at max 75 people. It will be located just outside of Austin Texas at a retreat Center called the Laity Lodge. But it is the nature of what brings these people together that is of special interest to me. This group of 75 people all Consider themselves ministers, and yes, even pastors of artist. It might seem hypocritical--given my last blog post--but I'm praying to make this retreat.

It is not at all something I thought about going to. Not that it didn't have my interest from the first moment I heard about it. But the economy being what it is and myself still not fully employed (although there is positive news on that front) I figured, no matter how much I wanted to, the funds were simply not available. All last month I committed to forgetting about this trip, this retreat. Despite my best efforts, has simply failed to leave the inbox of my brain.

Last Sunday I mentioned it to Tina, told her that it would not leave my thoughts. Before I could get another sentence out Tina replied, "Yes, me too. I think you need to go." I could not believe my ears. We talked this over on the way home from church and latter that night. As of this moment Tina and I are planning on my going to this conference. The details have to be worked out including the minor detail of the cost. Tina and I figure with plane ticket, retreat cost and travel to the retreat center we are asking God to provide just under $600. The deposit is $100 and the plane ticket is $250 when Tina checked it on Monday. If we have these costs out of the way Tina and I are fairly confident that we can gather the rest of it.

So here is what I am asking; pray that God would make this possible. I believe that this retreat is something God desires me to be a part of. And I don't believe it has stuck with me and Tina for no reason. If he wants me there I believe he will get me there. I am asking that you lift it up in prayer with me.

Here is the information From the Retreat's website. Which if your interested is http://www.laitylodge.org/SchedulesReservations/

Whether you are engaged in the official or unofficial work of pastoring, this retreat is for all who love artists and feel a call to shepherd them. During the retreat, we will consider three aspects of this work of pastoring: 1) our own prepartion as pastor, 2) the pastoring of the artist as a person (their identity), and 3) the pastoring of the artist as a worker (their mission). Our hope is that our time of speaking, listening, praying, eating and playing together will equip and encourage us in our common work of building up the Body of Christ and the maturity to which He calls us.

Speaker(s)
Makoto Fujimura
After 20 years as a successful artist in Japan and the U. S., Fujimura has become a voice of bi-cultural authority on the nature and cultural assessment of beauty. He is the founder of The International Arts Movement, http://www.internationalartsmovement.org/.  For examples of his art and bio go to www.makotofujimura.com. Click here for information on his book, River Grace.
Steven Purcell
Director of Laity Lodge; Kerrville, TX.  Previously, a managing director at a Christian conference center in Europe for five years. Author of Even Among These Rocks. Click here for his bio.
David Taylor
Pastor, teacher, and writer; Austin, TX.  Click here for David's blog.
Musician(s)
Brian Moss
Director of Worship, Music, and The Arts, John Knox Presbyterian Church; Seattle, WA. He has been writing, recording, and performing music for over 15 years. Brian has toured with Michael Card, Jeff Johnson, and others. Click here for Brian's music.

Objective and Goals

2009-02-05T14:25:00.000-05:00

I have given much thought recently concerning what I wish to accomplish in my life. I feel personally that much of it has already been wasted just coming to terms with who I am (a not so handicap white man with a family history of trauma and dysfunction) and what I have done (the countless attempts to avoid, ignore or blame my sin on someone or something else). With my personality, the more clear the vision and plan the easier I find to trust it and implement the steps necessary for its completion. This is not at all easy when so much of what is required in a spiritually well lived life is faith and trust in the great "other" where I am merely the object rather than subject.

But nevertheless I continue to be driven to refine my goals and visions of the future. As recently as last year my stated objective for what I call my ministry resume was as follows.

OBJECTIVE

My passion is to teach, mentor and shepherd a community of artists: 1) sharing in their growth in Christ, 2) facilitating their service to the larger church community and 3) participating in the narrative of non-believing artists toward a relationship with Christ.

Not to bad, even if I do say so myself. It certainly is clear, though possibly wordy. It states the people group I feel called to minister (artists). It states how I feel gifted to minister to them (the teach, mentor and shepherd bit). The objective also make clear that I am embracing both those in the church and outside of it's four walls.

However, it just started to nag me over the last few months, something was not right, it did not describe me completely, or maybe it describes someone I am not. In particular the word "shepherd." I have had many a friend whose life passion was caring for people. Friends who saw nothing greater than to be a listening ear to the broken heart. They love to love on people and it did not matter how much love they pored out, how ineffective or unresponsive the object of that love was they simply felt no greater pleasure than to love, to shepherd.

Here is where it began to nag. Anyone that knows me very well knows that I am not the warm and fuzzy shepherding type. Confession: I have never wanted to be "pastor" if you must label me call me "teacher." To me its much easier on the spiritual ear drums. I am much to introverted and energized by big ideas to want to desire the title "Senior Pastor." I am much more apt to analyze and critique than I am to build and develop. I observe people rather than engaging them. You have to draw me out, and I have to learn to trust you, I am naturally suspicious and guarded with others, rather than the other way around. Do not get me wrong I have all the respect in the world for "Senior Pastor" but I never felt all that good at being a normal fallen Christian. And besides, if you can't pastor you get to teach. Isn't that how it works? That is how I thought it was when I started Seminary.

I say this all a little tongue in cheek. But the fact remains, I still do not find myself the pastoring/shepherding type. I get annoyed with Tina when she interrupts me in the middle of a thought. I relish, even covet, my time alone. And than there is the positive side of this all too negative a statement. I love to write, to fashion lessons and attempts at bringing those big ideas down to ground level so that someone might actually make practical use out of them. Quietness and solitude are not at all always bad things to gifted with.

The more I grapple with who I really am meant to be the more I come to feel that underneath it all I am a writer whose passion is to see ideas come to life and explored through words. To help people and particularly artists he does get to know with expressing of their gifts. It is high time I get myself writing again. Here below is the new Ministry Resume objective. I would love to hear what you think especially those who indeed know me the best.

OBJECTIVE

My passion is to creatively communicate the deeper truths of the gospel, especially as it relates to the areas of aesthetics and the life of artistically gifted people in and outside the body of Christ.

GOALS

By reaching my objective I hope to achieve three goals;

1) share in creatively gifted individuals growth in Christ,
2) facilitate their service to the larger church community and the common good,
3) participate in the narrative of creatively gifted individuals toward a relationship with Christ.

Christ Plays in 10,000 places

2009-01-21T14:08:00.000-05:00

This past April I attended a conference in Austin Texas. I meet such people as Andy Crouch, Barablar Nicolosi, David Taylor and probably the person that intrigued me the most, Eugene Peterson. Eugene Peterson, for those who are not familiar with the name wrote the Message translation of the Bible. He is a pastor, professor, speaker, and author. Out of the 5 plenary sessions he was the least informative but maybe the most life changing and personal. Let me explain. Peterson wove a narrative that featured several artists that were in or had been apart of his church at one point or another. The talk focused on their gifts, the lessons he learned from them. I learned more from how he spoke than what we spoke. Challenged. There is something in his walk that I can not begin to comprehend or say I have participated in. During the time in Austin I was able to speak to him one-on-one and found him no less inviting of "the more." In my walk I have meet many "fellow travelers" Eugene Peterson seemed to be a guide. Sounds extraordinarily silly and sophomoric but hopefully you will get a chance to put it in you own words if you are ever able to meet him.

As it tends to be with me, if it intrigues, I have to know more, read more. And of course the book table at the conference was all to willing to sell me one of his books, Christ Plays in 10,000 Places. I began the book on the 10th and to be honest have not progressed as rapidly through it as I do most of the books I read. Tonight I figured out why; it reads like I remember Eugene Peterson is in person; personal, humble, honest, warm and most profoundly deep. I can read no more than 10 pages or so before I have to close the cover and reflect on what I just read.
For example, tonight I read;

"'Create' is a word that is used in the Bible exclusively with God as the subject. . . . The words 'create and 'Creator' occur more times in the exilic preaching of Isaiah than in any other place in the Bible." page 64

I had two immediate questions:

• What does this mean for our culture? For our Church?
• What does this mean in connection with the 'call' of the artist?

Our culture has no roots. It is generally assumed that no one in our culture will feel genuinely grounded in their world. I recently looked at my High School friends. Very few are back in the area we went to school in. One is in London another in California, still many are at least 3 or 4 states removed. Further still many of them do not consider themselves from Florida. Their parents moved in from another state (as did mine). And this is not a new phenomena in our cultural history, everyone is from somewhere else. It is one of the few things we may consider bread into our culture or woven into the fabric of our collective sense of identity. We are groundless and rootless people. Is it so amazing as a result, that we, over the course of our history as Americans have had such numerous creative individuals? A nation of exiles. That in some strangely mysterious way our culture has bread a deep hunger for creativity and the new? Even if only to silence the ache we feel in our loss of place.

This loss of place and time, something Peterson writes in depth about in his book raises profound challenges to communicating the Gospel. We as ministers and Christ-followers are finding ourselves challenged with people who have no organic connections with one another. Rather than growing up in the same town together, (sharing both place and time) we form bonds because we share an interest. An interest born in our ego and is expressed in terms of the self.

Along with the challenge comes for me the positive optimistic side of our cultural landscape. I wonder what parallels exist between the faithful remnant exiled in Babylon and the faithful remnant of the Church in America? (No, I am not equating the two as equivalent or giving the American Church some divine blessing or primogeniture over and against the Church in the rest of the world.) As the Church in America experiences exile from the halls of political, moral, and cultural power what might God create in us? Just as God inspired Isaiah to write what is called the "Romans of the Old Testament" what new fashioning of the Gospel might we see in our midst? I wait with baited breath.

And then of course is our discussion of the call of the Artist. If God is the only one to 'create' in the Biblical worldview what do artists do? We talk so flippantly of "creating." I am guilty of it just as much as anyone else I know. How much is human Creativity, the expression and fashioning of objects that reflect the divine being? We are, after all created in the image of God. The artist focuses our attention to details and underlying realities, he is a mirror to the light of truth as opposed to the light itself.

if ART print exhibition

2009-01-21T13:58:00.001-05:00

Thursday, January 15 if ART kicked off their print exhibition which a reception at the gallery. The gallery is located on 1223 Lincoln St. in the Vista. if ART is conveniently located just down the street from a Starbucks. What is not convenient is the parking meter nazis and the quarter hungry parking meters. I have already lost count of the number of parking tickets I have received while enjoying a venti White Chocolate Mocha.

Ok, back to if ART. I hope attend more exhibitions and openings in the Columbia area galleries but this was a start. Attending these openings give me a chance to ask people questions and hopefully run into an artist or two to build a friendship with. I had an extended conversation with one of the employees who helps run the gallery. The irony of ironies is the person attends Church of the Apostles. I was ecstatic to hear the person mention Makoto Fujimura as a favorite artist. Three artists caught my eye that evening.

Mary Gilkerson's monotypes were the first to catch my eye. There are 4-5 in the gallery, each depicting nature scenes from South Carolina. The monotypes are expressive, and seem to capture the life of their subject. The prints that stand out in my memory are the ones that are monochromatic, done in shades of black and brown.

The untitled print by Ed Rice reminds me of the description of God as a "strong tower" (Psalms 61:3, Proverbs 18:10). I found myself looking up at it and wondering who lived in the tower and what it what protecting.

The final artist that caught my eye that evening was Steven Chapp. If Gilkerson's and Rice's prints leave me with an impression I was enthralled by the detail and visual contradiction in the works that I saw of his in the gallery. He in a written statement writes, "I am using the crow as a metaphor for mankind in my work." In the example of his work I have posted with this blog I wonder; is this crow representing a man dominating his environment, his city? I also wonder if this monotype is not commenting on how easily we forget the natural world (and its power and presence) in our man made environments.

A Defense of Scandalous Art

2009-01-07T15:20:00.000-05:00

I recently submitted two poems for publication in a local Christian Magazine. They let me know fairly quickly that one of them they were happy to publish in their pages. However, the second one they were not so sure about. Their reasoning prompts me to write this blog. But before I get there here is the poem in question:

The Shepherd and the Joker

“Safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.” C.S. Lewis

I who bring all things good,
Also disguise good and evil.

I who provides you rest
Am also he who brings distraction.

I who take you through the narrow mountain pass
Am he who makes the mountain treacherous and deceitful.

I am the Shepherd who gives comfort in the night
And I am the one who leads you into those dark nights.

I am the Shepherd that sets the riches of heaven at your muddy feet
But I was first to pronounced your feet unclean.

I am the Shepherd who guides you homeward
And he who waylays your journey.

What was their objection? The editors at first glance were concerned how God is left seemingly both the bringer of good and the bringer of evil. Theodicy, the problem of evil, is Christianity's one great philosophical weakness. How can we let a good God seemingly turn a blind eye to the evil done every day in this world (see Habakkuk 1)? The Christian's ultimate answer (one far to complicated to go into now) hinges on our understanding and willingness to believe that at his heart God is love (1 John 4:8,16).
However, it is misguided to believe God is one who brings good gifts to his people and nothing but good gifts. The scriptures are far to disturbing for the honest Christian to believe such Pollyannaish foolishness. Take for example the story of Jacob (Genesis 32). During Jacob's return to the country of his birth and youth, Jacob finds himself locked in a wrestling match with the almighty. The wrestling match goes on all night long and ends only when Jacob demands a blessing. God, before granting the blessing, cripples Jacob by "striking" him in his hip socket. From that point on Jacob walks with a limp and stops having children. In the midst of blessing is pain and loss which God is directly responsible for.
We can find a second story of God "wounding" those he loves in the life of Paul. Paul after receiving a vision of heaven, where he "heard things that are not to be told, that no mortal is permitted to repeat" (2 Corinthians 12:4). This faithful servant of God records three verses latter "a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me" ( 2 Corinthians 12:7). It seems to be a Biblical pattern God provides a blessing he follows it with some form of torment. Mary, mother of God, blessed to be chosen to bare God's only son, then has to watch as he dies on the cross, and by all appearances a widow. Here is what I believe C.S. Lewis was striving for when he describes Aslan in "The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe" when he has Mr. Beaver say to the children, "Safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good.”
Hopefully you see where I am taking this blog. If the poem were to be a theological, rational, and reasoned statement of theology I would be in trouble indeed. Such a statement would be like approaching a cliff by which one misstep plunges us into an abyss that can not be climbed out of. The delicate nature of the paradox in God's actions is something best left unexplored by the theologians. That misstep is all to easy to make. As such I would argue it is best left in the hands of the artists. And obviously in my case it means in the form of poetry. Art, poetry, music do not play by the same "rules" of exposition and exegesis that the theologian and rational statements of fact play by. As a result beauty is given a unique power. The power to exist in tension with itself to play in the paradox. The two, beauty, and reason exist in two types of knowing. The Greeks had upwards of four words for knowledge. Our English language has only the one and we are poorer for it. We know God is good. In the midst of our sorrow, over the death of a loved one, the break up of a marriage or longings gone unsatisfied God feels more the adversary.
One of my reasons for believing Art to have a valid place in the world and the need for a renewed place for art in the Church is Art's value to express our feelings and heart ache. Art at its best will shine a spot light on how often we hide behind our theology. Evangelicals, in my mind, have perfected this coping mechanism to such a degree we might want to consider it an art on to itself. Art can and will make us, like Jacob, wrestle with the relationship we have with God. Is such art comfortable? Certainly not, but than again who ever said Holiness was meant to be comfortable?

Social Justice and Beauty

2008-12-13T15:28:00.000-05:00

"A current manifestation of our hope for heaven is our passion for beauty. . . . Our desire for order is remnant of the garden and a reflection of our hunger to return. The hunger for heaven is entangled in our yearning for order, relief, rest, excitement, pleasure, and passion." These are the words of Dan Allender in his book Bold Love. Allender is noted for taking on the difficult task of rebuilding the lives destroyed by sexual abuse. In fact he has dedicated large amounts of his energy to helping those caught in the destructive sex trade in Southeast Asia.

Our world can be incredibly dark and ugly. I heard just the other day that there are 12 million people who are slaves, some 30 million women caught up in the sex trade and that every day 25,000 children will die because their parents cannot provide the food necessary to sustain their lives. Ugliness is all around us. And we need to face it head on. This is why film's such as Schindler's List, Hotel Rwanda, The Killing Fields and Mystic River are so important. It reflects back onto us the brokenness of our world. Humans do evil, and we need to face that head on. Films such as these challenge us to combat evil; to take up our sword and challenge evil wherever it maybe. Why? Because ugliness aught to be fixed, mended and redeemed.

But what happens when our efforts to combat evil fail. When the Holocaust is followed by the Killing Fields in Cambodia, the genocide in Croatia and the 8 weeks of terror in Rwanda? Why are we not able to learn our lesson? Why with all our resources do women go un-rescued in Thailand? Where do we turn to when we are so beat down and drained because of the evil we see? When we are given to exhaustion and despair? The answer as Allender points out is the necessity of beauty. Now of course we need to keep in mind, our sense of beauty's uselessness. That is its un-utilitarian value. You do not build roads with beauty; you do not cure diseases with beauty. But Beauty does remind us, the way the world is, is not the way it was, nor the way it will someday be.

Beauty for its part takes the brokenness of our world and challenges us to focus on the ultimate end of things. If we are to have hope because the evilness of the world is never powerful enough to ultimately win. One of my favorite quotes in the entire world comes from Tom Shippey, the Tolkien scholar who writes in The Road to Middle Earth, "Evil, that is, has every advantage but one--- it is inferior in imagination." Beauty, Art at its most powerful reminds us that there is more. The world may conceive of great evil, but God can conceive of greater good. Beauty is an essential sign post of this truth.

I imagine that for many in the general public, beauty is considered secondary and even unnecessary in comparison to the needs of broken people, and the realities of injustice in our world. But I feel compelled to argue that social justice and beauty are two necessary components to bringing about the kingdom of God on earth. Where we have social justice without beauty would leave us worn-out by the seemingly endless victories of evil, making a mockery of our attempts to bring about goodness and justice. To have beauty without social justice would be to empty beauty of meaning. Beauty without social justice would be to take the heavyweight of sin and to mock its devastating effects. Beauty would become escapist kitsch forgetful of the purpose of the incarnation and the chief end of man.

NT Wright and Art

2008-11-26T16:32:00.000-05:00

On the fourth of this month I finished reading NT Wright's latest book entitled Surprised by Hope. Wright, in the preface of the book states,""What are we waiting for? And what are we going to do about it in the meantime? Those questions shape of this book." The book is concerned with the doctrine of personal eschatology, and how that doctrine impacts our present actions. The books aim is to clarify what the Bible teaches about heaven and hell, and the final state. So it then seems, fairly natural to ask the question, how a book like this has any impact on how we understand the arts. The answer, quite simply is how we understand the world to come shapes our view of the material in which the artist works with. NT Wright touches on at least three separate ideas in which a clear understanding of the future hope impacts our work as artists.

Through the centuries Christians have been plagued by the heresy of dualism. Dualism argues that the material world is evil, or defective; while the spiritual world is perfect and good. However, this is true of Plato's philosophy rather than New Testament theology. Christ's incarnation is a clarion call of the goodness of the created world. Christ could not inhabit matter if it was inherently evil or sinful. NT Wright says, "The proper response to idolatry is therefore not dualism, the rejection of space, time, or matter as themselves evil or dangerous, but the renewed worship of the Creator God, which sets the context for the proper enjoyment in the use of the created order without the danger of worshiping it." NT Wright demonstrates convincingly, that part of God's mission through Jesus Christ, was to bring about the healing and restoration of the physical world.

Christians over the centuries have argued that the only holy or pure art form was music because it did not utilize physical matter in its creation. Thus, all other art forms, especially those concerning the use of the physical body (dance and theater) were subject to suspicion. When artists use the material world around us we are in NT Wright's words, Creating "a proper anticipation of that ultimate salvation, that healing transformation of space, time, and matter. The future rescue that God had planned and promised [is] starting to come true in the present."

Likewise, not only are the substance of what we create with legitimate, good and acceptable in God's eyes, so is the subject matter of our art. God's design is to redeem the entire physical universe. Portraying the brokenness of the world eager for the redemption to be completed and made whole or the imaginative creation of art that projects a vision of the world as it one day will be both have their place. As does creating art that simply reminds of the beautiful things God has created. My encouragement to the Still Life or Landscape artist is to have Romans 1:20 and a center building block of one's aesthetic. "Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. " Wright says, "I believe that taking creation and new creation seriously is the way to understand and revitalize aesthetic awareness and perhaps even creativity among Christians today."

Finally, art has a role in healing the wounds of broken people. NT Wright puts it simply, "when people ceased to be surrounded by beauty, they cease to hope." Further he states, "When art comes to terms with both the wounds of the world and the promise of resurrection and learns how to express and respond to both at once, we will be on the way to a fresh vision, a fresh mission." Beautiful Art directs our attention to the future that as believers in Christ we believe is coming.

Charlotte in Charlotte

2008-10-30T16:53:00.000-04:00

I promised readers a blog defining what I mean when I talk of transforming culture. If the truth were to be told I have neglected my blogging responsibilities for far to long. So I feel it necessary to write this shorter blog, in part, to summarize an event I participated in on October 3rd and also to kick start me blogging once more.

The event, a gallery exhibition for Charlotte Zweber , was held in the NODA district of Charlotte, NC. Yes, Charlotte in Charlotte. Tina and I first met Charlotte via Dianne Collard. Dianne describes herself as an Arts Advocate who also lives in Charlotte NC. The first time I met Dianne, was, when I traveled to Austin Texas to the Transforming Culture conference held in April. A few months later both Tina and I met Dianne in Nashville Tennessee having gone there for the Arts Alive conference sponsored by ACT International. Dianne was ecstatic because she was able to take three young artist from her church to the conference. And as you might suppose by now one of them was Charlotte.

I ramble.

Friday, October 3rd was Charlotte's opening night for her thesis exhibition. Charlotte is working toward her master's in fine arts (MFA) at Winthrop University. The gallery exhibition has the equivalent importance of a Master's thesis. So, it does take much for me to understand the importance of the evening. Her subject for the show was Spiritual Transformation. Much of her work for the show was beautiful abstract oil paintings. Taking paint and layering it on the canvas. The colors would alternate between running together toward a central point on the canvas or it would seem that the canvas is turning from one color into another. In many of her paintings you can also find visual allusions to butterfly's. That's right butterfly's. Butterfly's butterfly wings all being used as a visual metaphor for spiritual transformation. What I found so fascinating about the exhibit, is that despite being prohibited to use and traditional religious symbols she still managed to achieve her goals, conveying a sense of spiritual transformation. Below are several of her paintings.

When people ask what an Arts Advocate does I will point to this event as one example. An arts advocate takes the time to recognize the God given gift of the artist. Stepping out from the church sanctuary to find the artist in, what shall we call it, his or her natural habitat. I am also working toward arranging for my church, Church of the Apostles to display some of her paintings on a Sunday morning. Giving her a chance to testify to how God has used her talent to meet her in her life journey. I also hope that having her paintings in the church on Sunday morning will also encourage other in their faith journey as well. As an Arts Advocate this is how I bridge the gap between the art world and the church world.

Christ and Culture in a Post-Christendom context

2008-09-23T09:50:00.000-04:00

I am a voracious reader of books. In fact this year, I will read 27 books ranging from a biography of Albert Einstein to the Count of Monte Christo. My latest read, which I finished last week is a book entitled Rethinking Christ and Culture by Craig Carter. The title of Carter's book comes from another book written over 50 years ago by Richard Niebuhr entitled Christ and Culture. Richard Niebuhr set out to create a typology that would describe the historical ways in which Christianity has interacted with human culture. The five categories of cultural engagement Niebuhr created has become the bedrock foundation for most of the late 20th century thinking on the subject. If you want to begin understanding the relationship between Christianity and Culture your first step is to read Richard Niebuhr's book. Niebuhr argues Christians to engage in what he labeled as transforming culture, and provides the historical examples of Calvin and Augustine. For Niebuhr those engaged in transforming culture work from within the pre-existing culture, contextualizing the good news of the gospel. Those engaged in transforming culture are generally hopeful of success and take their cue from the theology implicit in the incarnation. As a result of their positive attitude and their understanding of the incarnation they generally perceive creation as good, not sinless but retaining some measure of God's original design enough to be put into service transforming culture.

Craig Carter's book re-examines Niebuhr, and his categories. He argues that Richard Niebuhr placed his model within the framework of Christendom. Carter defines Christendom as "the concept of Western civilization as having a religious arm (the Church) and the secular arm (civil government), both of which are united in their adherents to Christian faith." Christendom has been a constant companion in Western Culture arguably since the fall of Rome. Times have now changed and Christendom is quickly fading into the past. Why is Christendom crumbling? Numerous reasons can be cited, but generally as modernism and now postmodernism attack the fundamental assumptions of Western thinking (philosophical, ethical as well as spiritual), Christendom (which built much on the same foundation) has also been shaken. Carter's central argument is that Niebuhr’s typology is essentially outdated; Western Culture and Christianity are currently at odds with another.

At its very core Christendom, according to Carter is the conviction that the Church has conceded its place in the world by condoning state violence. In other words, for Carter, a follower of Christ will reject violence completely. Stated differently, Carter argues that pacifism should be the hallmark of the Church's response to war, diplomacy and criminal justice. I disagree with Carter on three points. One, is violence in of itself evil? There is the obvious Old Testament accounts (which Carter dismisses too easily) but consider also Christ's response to the money changers in the temple or the fact that in Christ's second coming he will be robed as a conquering King. Second, in a fallen world, where sin and evil are the unfortunate norms, violence in the protection of the helpless must always be an instrument in a society’s toolbox even if it is the last instrument reached for. And finally, I am not convinced by Carter's argument that violence is the hallmark of Christendom. One might consider that the more fundamental problem with sinful Christians as they interact with nation-states is the sin of idolatry. Indeed idolatry would seem to be the most basic sin in the human experience (see Genesis 3:4-5 and Romans 1:20-26). Whether this idolatry is to one's culture, material possessions or family it seems to me that idolatry plays a larger role in corrupting the Church then violence does.

Due in part to Carter's definition of Christendom his conclusion is the very opposite conclusion from Richard Niebuhr's earlier exploration in Christ and Culture. For Carter transforming culture necessitates unwanted, unwarranted, and unnecessary compromises with culture. Carter argues for Christians to avoid these entanglements by distancing themselves from culture. In this model to separate from culture, means to build the kingdom of heaven on earth as best as one can while avoiding the fallen world. When Carter defends his position, which Neibuhr labeled "Christ against Culture" Carter inadvertently reveals just why his position fails to radically redeem or change culture.

Carter provides numerous examples of people engaged against culture. The one contemporary example Carter provides are Mennonites and the Amish. Carter argues that these communities have chosen to separate themselves from the larger culture to pursue holiness and a Christ centered community. Indeed these groups beg the question, how are they having an impact in a post-Christendom culture such as America? Somehow, the absence of thousands of repentant sinners running to Amish communities beating down the proverbial barn doors is not a stumbling block to Carter, nor his argument. Less sarcastically one might ask; how are the Amish or the Mennonites changing the type of films and television shows Hollywood is producing? Carter also showcases the Benedictine monks of the Middle Ages as a separated group of Christians who changed European culture. Medieval monasteries changed culture all right but in large part because culture was in a free fall, and more then changing culture they were attempting to save all that they could in a period of cultural upheaval that has no parallel. One might also argue these monasteries change later Medieval culture because they left the monastery and took up residence in positions of power where we hope they influenced the broader culture for the good of those they served.

Ironically, I would conclude that both Niebuhr and Carter possess one half of the solution. Niebuhr is correct; Christians must be engaged in culture making and in the process transform culture. It is simply impossible to escape culture. Those that attempt to do so end up yelling at culture to change (for example angry fundamentalist preachers) or sheepishly abdicating their duty in pursuit largely in personal holiness (medieval monks or the Amish) neither strategy ever really changing culture. In the end Carter seems to inadvertently work at cross purposes, showcasing just how difficult it would be to remove yourself from culture in the name of Christ only to claim you are changing culture by doing so. His own examples show how helplessly flawed this notion is. But on the other hand Carter is correct when he writes, "The demise of Christendom opens the door to genuine Christian missions and evangelism in Western culture. . . . The Church must accept its new situation as a minority subculture within a pluralistic world with grace and quiet confidence." Individuals and Church who realize they are in this cultural situation and willing to minister out of it are finding great success at changing people’s lives and the communities around them. This begs the question then, "What does it look like to be a cultural transformer in a post Christendom age?" And for the answer you will have to wait for my next blog. . . .

INTRODUCTION

2008-09-08T19:36:00.000-04:00

This past week I sat down with a local artist, a painter, who happens also to attend the same church where I currently attend. During our conversation over deli sandwiches she noted how strange it was that a non-artist like me would be so committed to the development and promotion of the arts in our church. It is one of great ironies of my life that I tend to see the power of the arts to transform culture more clearly then even many of the artists I come into contact with. Art, I believe to be an essential hallmark of what it means to be human. Art guides culture like no other culture making object can. For instance how many of you have actually read Kant’s Critique of Pure Reason? That one book has done more to shape the enlightenment, modernism and postmodernism than any other work. Kierkegaard, Nietzsche, Sartre all write responding to Kant. How many of us would really feel it’s impact if it were not for the countless poet’s, painter’s and even movie makers who raise the central question of Kant’s critique in a way we can understand? (Just in case you are wondering Kant’s philosophy forces us to question whether or not we can truthfully claim to know anything) One of my favorite quotes is from Tim Keller, pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City. “Christians try the true, that’s church growth and sound theology. They try the good, that’s politics; get your people in office. But [churches] have ignored the beautiful and as a result no one is really listening to them.”

I imagine myself as a frustrated football coach.( I know its a sports analogy to describe something arts related--hey its creative.) I see the opposing players on the field, the state championship on the line but my team has forgotten that they are wearing uniforms, forgotten the rules of the game and has yet to capture the significance of their role as players. My great gift is to think deeply about the role the artist plays in the church and in the larger community of people struggling to make sense of the world around them. Why am I here? How am I to behavior toward my neighbor, to one who opposes that which I would hold dear? And even to raise anew Kant’s question; How do I know what I know?

My goal is to write a new blog every two weeks. Generally you can count on me to discuss some aspect of the interplay between Faith, Beauty and Culture. What should a committed follower of Jesus Christ make of Culture? What should be the thoughtful Christian's response to evil in culture or beauty in culture? How does a Follower of Christ who is also a gifted artist live out his calling to, in the words of the International Arts Movement, re-humanize culture. My goal in each entry is to give the reader something to chew on, to be challenged by, or to investigate further on his or her own. I also plan on having blogs concerning, the local art events that I have the chance to attend, movie reviews, book reviews, etc. I hope to have people stirred to action beyond the typical denunciations of what they feel is evil or sinful but rather stirred to create good art that is worthy of the first artist, God himself. My goal in life is to see artist to live out their divine calling faithfully and to see the church embrace artists enthusiastically.