Begin at the Beginning

In trying to find a balance between participating in pop culture and staying true to the call of God in our lives, it's helpful to refer to the start.

When God created the world, and its inhabitants, he used every bit of divine creativity he had. Whatever idea of the beginning of time you ascribe to, know that He who created it created you. And not just as another show off move he had up his sleeve. He could simply have kept on with the various derivations of monkey, giraffe and aardvark, but he went big with humans.

Really big.

For one thing, he created us last. I like to think of this as leaving room for dessert. He created us in his image and likeness. He created us to have authority over the earth. And he created us to be in relationship with him.

No other creature on Earth can boast those claims. But what does it mean to be created in his image and likeness? It means, according to my research, that humans are gifted with some characteristics of God, although we do not possess them perfectly, or use them flawlessly.

The character trait that pertains to a discussion on faith and art is creativity. Perceiving his world and responding by creating ourselves is one of the most natural things. Experiencing life and expressing our attitudes about it through music, writing, theater, painting or other media seems like just the reaction God, the Creator, would expect.

What do you think? Is creativity an aspect of the Creator? If so, how do you use yours?

Does Christian Art Exist

Our church has embarked on a study of Christians and pop culture. As you can probably guess, I have some strong opinions on this, and I'm sure some in our study group will have strongly held but disparate opinions about how people of faith participate in and consume popular culture. I look forward to lively debates about what music, TV, and movies mean to believers.

I'm interested in what defines "good" art, what kind of work represents God's glory, and if it can only do so if the artist intended it. I want to know what "Christian music," means and if it's important.

Over the next few weeks, I'll be posting about books I've read, music I've heard, movies I've seen that I think pinpoint what critically thinking believers can find about God in works created without that express intent.

In the meantime, what do you think? Is there such a thing as Christian art? What makes art good? How as Christians should we participate in the world around us? And if so, how?

Broken Stone

One of the exercises in the first week of The Artist's Way is to list enemies and friends of one's creative process. I am a rule-abider (as long as I agree with the rule), and so I dutifully did my little exercise in my pretty little brown leather embossed journal.

I had an incredibly hard time coming up with enemies of my creative process, with one glaring exception: my very own little self!

What a discovery. This had never occurred to me before. The only person getting in the way of my artistic discovery is myself. Without a doubt, each person I've ever held dear, each person who has bee the beneficiary of my goodies, each friend, family member, or friendly stranger, has edified my craft.

This is extraordinary. It makes it so much easier to try the things I really want to try. I have been liberated from the thoughts that have become more like feet in concrete than simply passing ideas. Well, I qualify, not so much liberated, but the gates were unlocked.

Now I can make my slow progress across the way to the gate and push my way outside. There is some fear, some defiance, some complacency. But there is a tiny little feeling in the pit of my tummy. I believe it is called joy.

The lesson was to be to put off those people who could not encourage one's artist. What if that person is yourself? If everyone else believes me capable of beauty, then why would I not have that same expectation for myself?

I suppose it can be difficult to erase the tape recorder in my head that says all those mean and nasty things to precious me. But, at least I know it's false and that I am endlessly capable of re recording that loop.

I like this feeling of joy.