Christian Fiction Discussions Around The Web

OK, I'm only one day late ;).

Sometimes the discussion going on other places is too good to pass up.

Mike Duran, as usual, has some great, thought-provoking posts this week. He posted at Novel Rocket about Christian fiction marketing toward men. That started some chatter, so he continued his thoughts on his own blog Decompose. He wonders if the CBA is doing a good enough job reaching men with Christian fiction, both male authors and the readers. Is it a responsibility of religious publishers to reach out to men more effectively? Those are the questions asked at the two posts, and as a male reader and writer, they are very interesting to me. Check them out if you can.

Another post was by Jeffrey Overstreet, author of the Auralia's Colors series. He brings up the idea of artistry versus message in fiction. I've agreed and disagreed with Overstreet on various aspects of this debate in the past. He is eloquent in his post and the comments below are worth the time to read. My friend Becky Miller makes some good counter-points there.

Both are good fodder for some deep thinking.

An Image in My Head

Most people don't wonder about a body floating in the water.

Unless you are a writer.


The body is just to the left



That's the image that came to me many moons ago. I saw in my mind a body floating in the water, in the ocean to be specific. Then I saw a boat run into the body, and the shocked fisherman frightened by his find.

Did I mention the man was from Thailand?

This is how my work in progress started. An image in my head. I started asking questions. Who is this person? Why are they dead? How did they end up here?

I learned that it was Travis Dawson, and that he was a missionary in Thailand. I discovered he had a sister named Jenna who was in medical school. She was a spunky younger sister type, and she didn't take too well to the news of her brother's death. She was impulsive enough to jet off to Asia to try and figure out what happened. Oh, and her slacker friend Derek Stephens, who had done a backpacking trip in Thailand previously, decided to tag along.

I don't know how other authors come up with their story ideas, but I usually have images that beg to be explored. Yesterday for the end of the CSFF Tour I talked about whether a writer has their basic thrust as message-first vs. art-first. The responses from Dona, Becky, and Morgan made me think about my own process.

You have the set-up for my novel above. I thought for a time that there would be an aspect of spiritual warfare between the Christian missionaries and the strongholds in SE Asia. That didn't fit the story though. Then I saw how Jenna had been estranged from her faith due to family trials when younger, and she would be challenged in them while dealing with something bigger than she could handle in Thailand. Travis uncovered a human trafficking ring, and this lead to his death and would be a major challenge to Jenna.

It seems that I had the story kernel that wanted told at first, and the themes of faith and human trafficking came out from there. I believe there's always a theme when we write - otherwise what is the point of writing? Even if a writer says there's not, there is something of their worldview getting in there.

Both the message and art pathways are valid ways to begin, and both have their strengths and weaknesses. Like I said in yesterday's post, a message driven book must have a strong story and sparkling writing to not be bogged down by the message. It may not appear organic. But the "let's see where the muse takes us" approach can end up with a wishy-washy theme that doesn't give a work of fiction the power only a story can bring.

What say my writing buddies? What is your approach, and why do you do it that way?
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Thoughts on Violence in Word and Deed

It seems in the blogosphere there has been new conversation on the topic of language use and violence in Christian art. Note that the ideas presented aren't necessarily new, but a healthy conversation is brewing in a few different sectors. 

Mike Duran is always up to stirring up contention, discussion on his blog Decompose. He uses the example of the counting of different potentially offensive terms in the movie The Blind Side to springboard into a discussion of language in Christian fiction. His recent novel The Resurrection had a jaded construction worker, who couldn't say damn or hell because it was produced for the CBA market.

In the recent issue of Relevant, Dan Haseltine of Jars of Clay asks if "offensive art can be Christian." He starts off talking about a secular band declaring their allegiance  to Jesus in a song that also drops an F-bomb. Does the fact that they used such a word demean their otherwise Christian content? For a little more food for thought, check out this quote from the article:

We have come so far from reflecting the rebel Jesus in our art and cultural engagement that we do not recognize Him when He surfaces. I still wrestle with the fact that Jesus hung out with prostitutes not simply to tell them what they were doing wrong, but to love them where they were. He was in the world, and His agenda was to love. He was not looking for reasons to be offended. He was not looking for reasons to stay home, safely out of harm’s way. We weren’t set apart in order to live apart. We were called God’s own so we could confidently go into the world. 

 In a contrary grain, another author writes in Relevant that "Christian artists should (not) use violence." He uses the term "violence" to include gratuitous sex and language. His contention is that the world is so jaded that using rough violence or stark violence or sex doesn't faze the world anymore. When our morals were on a similar level, works like Flannery O'Connor's provided a shock that hit complacency. Now when modern art tries to find new levels to shock and awe, then perhaps the answer  for the Christian artist is to paint a picture of beauty to be the contrast.

Whatever should be done, it is clear the Christian artist faces a peculiar enemy today: the expanding boredom of the modern age, which has the power to wash out even the severest expressions, and violence is its latest casualty. It is the constant duty of the Christian artist to outwit this amoebic tendency to consume and excrete, to make retail of riches. She must forge new paths of expression and restore old ones. When the world builds for itself a Tower of Babel, then she must paint a pile of rubble, and then when it is knocked down and the peoples wander in the refuse, she must paint a glittering city with jasper walls and foundations of precious stone. 

 A very intriguing article, and if you have to pick one, I think this would be it.

Finally, the flavor du jour here has been The Civil Wars. In an article in the Los Angeles Times, Joy Williams describes the freedom she now experiences being out of the Contemporary Christian Music realm.

“The process of being with John Paul  (White, her band partner) is this wonderful discovery of creative freedom that I didn’t know that I had,” she said. “I started in a very restrictive genre of music. But the reality is that I’m able to write a lot more about the world around me, if it’s about faith or about cigarettes, or about murder or adultery, or about a movie that I saw, or a book we’ve both read.”  Emphasis mine.

I like to put out interesting thoughts and articles for people to explore more. If you have thoughts on it, I'd enjoy your comments here as well.
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Creating Our Own Idols?

In this blog I've been an advocate for Christian artists to have the freedom to make art for beauty's sake, that our creativity can give glory to God even if it is not specifically relating Jesus or other aspects of Christianity. I made the argument of Francis Schaeffer, that if you look over a Christian artist's work over time, you would see their worldview coming out, even if a specific work did not seem to have a Biblical worldview. This post has the links to my longest run of posts concerning Christianity and art, and it goes into greater detail and nuance.


Made to worship?



Having said this, lately I have concerns. I love to see thoughtful creativity, and I think it is an act of worship to emulate our Creator. However, I think like everything else, it can become an idol.

 

We can't sacrifice truth or faith for creativity.



There are different types of creative people. I believe I'm creative, but I like a certain amount of structure and I do well in a circumstance where I know the expectations and can shoot for a level of achievement. Some creatives are *very much* creative. Their whole personality is geared toward experimenting, pushing, exploring, and having a sense of freedom. They can be great people to be around.



The problem can be they put too much on the freedom. They start to clash with standards, guidelines, boundaries. This can become a problem area for Christians. If too much emphasis is put on creativity and the freedom to explore it, they can lose sight of what we are called to in the Bible. They end up worshipping the creative process over the Creator of it all.

I'm not necessarily talking about their art. I can see a musician writing an angry song that doesn't seem to be Biblical, or an author writing a character or story that don't have any apparent redeeming value - as long as what they do isn't directly advocating sin. In a grander scope of their body of work, there may be a point being made by such work that continues to show a Biblical worldview, but it isn't as apparent taken out of context.

I see more of a problem with their lives getting caught in the "creative life", and the artist leaving behind the Kingdom life. Instead of following Christ and doing art in the wide beauty of His creation and Kingdom, they follow "the muse" wherever it takes them.

This may be an idol...

I think an example of this would be Katy Perry. It is well-known that she started in Christian music, but has evolved into a secular artist that likes to sing and dress provocatively. In reading articles about her, I think she also has let ambition and a desire for fame to drive her life as much as her "art", but I'm sure her creative side contributes as well. 

What is an artist to do? As Christians, we need to offer fellowship and prayer for those who explore the creative life. The beauty that can revealed about God through wonderful art is a true gift we all can and should enjoy. The temptation is letting ourselves go into the creative act so much that we lose our moorings. I've had very creative friends that have been misunderstood. Evangelicalism in America especially can have trouble with the questions raised by these type of people. The artist must choose to stay within the boundaries of Kingdom life, but we can do our best to love and encourage them so they can use their curiosity and imagination without losing themselves to the process.

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Art House America

I've been a fan of Charlie Peacock and his music since I first found out about him in 1991 (sheesh, that sounds long ago...). His music is intelligent, creative, risky, and often has a great beat to dance to.

He's taken his love of God and his artistic nature and fused into something that sounds pretty special. The Art House is the ministry in Nashville with his wife Andi where they host artistic types of all kinds and nurture them in creativity and faith. It has spun off to a physical location in Dallas as well, plus the internet home at Art House America. You can find out more of their vision on the About page.

Not all of us will get the chance to go there (though I'm holding my breath). The website has articles from thinkers on subjects of artistry (music, books, film), justice, creation care, and hospitality, just to name a few. I really enjoyed an article by Andi on raising artful kids, from her perspective as a grandmother. Neat stuff there!

I encourage my creative friends to check out Art House America. Maybe God has something to speak to you from there.
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Beauty and the Church

No, I'm not quite dead yet.

(May have felt close recently, but that's nothing y'all want to hear about...)

Between being busy, having *ahem* issues, and having the first two items here sap my inspiration, I haven't had the chance to post. Don't give up on me though. There's still some new stuff rattling around my cranium.

For instance, in reading Christianity Today from May 2010, I cam across a little segment they have at the end of the magazine entitled "Who's Next: People You Should Know." This month talked about W. David O. Taylor, an arts pastor in Austin, Texas, who has his first book entitled For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts just released.

Now, I've talked a lot about creativity and the Christian artist, and the importance of encouraging this as a form of worship and expression that the church needs. I've also promoted letting a Christian artist have freedom to produce what they have in mind without expectations. (Here's a selection of posts of mine on the topic). I've usually gone to Francis Schaeffer as an authority on this, and how his book Art and the Bible shows that there is beauty created in the Bible for beauty's sake, not for an evangelistic purpose.

In reading the short interview with David Taylor, I realized a bit of corrective needed to be applied to my argument. He makes this profound statement:

We shouldn't stop with classical ideas about beauty; we also need to think about beauty Christologically. The moment we sever beauty from the death and resurrection of Christ, we risk sliding toward idealism or petty-ism.

I thought that was very important, and a point I have not made well enough in the past. Now, I still believe that art can be made for art's sake, for beauty's sake. But for the Christian artist, if we are truly walking in a redeemed mindset and a new life, then Christ needs to inform our work. The work of the cross affects what we do. I still don't believe it has to be blantantly Christian, but a Christian is not free to do "whatever." Not if we're true to the One who gave us our gift and redeems it.

So add Mr. Taylor's great statement to my previous positions about Christianity and the arts.
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"Mass"-ive Storytelling

In my last post I gave a couple of highlights from a podcast featuring author Dick Staub and film producer Ralph Winter. They talked about a world shown in film (but applicable to novels) that draws in the viewer so much that they would want to live in and explore it. That was a quality of a great movie.

Storytelling has evolved from fire-side epics, to the written word, to immersive 3-D visual films. But what if you could watch AND interact in the story?

An example of a new possibility in storytelling is in the world of video games. I don't think Pong had much of a backstory, but all games nowadays do. However, few offer the type of experience that comes from Mass Effect 2, from BioWare.

Obviously video games have an aspect of interactivity, since the gamer controls the main character. There are also limitations, as the gamer can only do things that are within the parameters of programming.

BioWare has been known for producing some of the highest quality role-playing games (RPG's) in the last decade, including the award-winning Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (KotOR). They have been able to evolve the storytelling mechanism to new heights with Mass Effect 2.

The game is a science fiction story where humanity has just recently joined the galactic community by discovering old technology called Mass Relays created by an ancient race. You control Commander Shepard, a human (either male or female) who is Earth's finest soldier, and the first human inductee into the special unit of Spectres, a group that is the Galactic Council's personal force to deal with situations.

The storyline through the first two games is epic, and isn't necessarily the scope of this post. I also don't intend this as a review. The game is listed as Mature, and it definitely has areas that people need to use discernment concerning violence, morality, and how it is played.

My point is the excellent use of storytelling to elevate the game from an exciting action-based shooter (which it is) or a standard RPG where one builds a character up throughout the game (which it is as well, perhaps more so in ME1 compared to the second). The point is that the developers have enabled the gamer to feel like they fully own what Shepard does throughout the series.

BioWare has long tried to explore choices and their consequences, back to KotOR where a player's choices would push the main Jedi character either to the Light or Dark Side of the Force. They've managed a new level in Mass Effect. The gamer can choose to have their Shepard to be a Paragon of virtue, a Renegade willing to do whatever it takes to achieve a goal, or somewhere in between.

In the midst of these choices, it drives how the story unfolds. The supporting characters, especially in ME2, are well-written and rounded personalities with their own strengths and hang-ups. Shepard's interactions drive how they respond, whether they are loyal to the player or not. If a character dies, there are consequences. If you were kind or mean to a secondary character, that can come back to haunt or help. The plot of the game can be altered, up to a certain framework, depending on choices made.

Overall, the settings, missions, and characters make it a unique universe that is immersive and very enjoyable. The alien scientist Mordin became my favorite. He was involved with a very questionable moral decision in his past, and Shepard has to work with him to deal with it. As Shepard I can support it or condemn it, and Mordin wrestles with his decision in such a way that I felt it. He didn't make a giant, easy flip to my point of view, but there was nuance in how he reacted.

The biggest development can be in how Shepard develops, if the player so chooses (definitely players can be calloused and just be in it for the blasting). It makes the story immersive. It creates an intriguing world. I have always been a Star Wars fan, since my childhood. I think the Mass Effect universe has actually supplanted the galaxy far, far away as my favorite sci-fi destination.

I'm not trying to just blow sunshine and rainbows at BioWare. I have a few issues with how some things are handled. Still, the game is an example of what quality writing can do for any medium, be it film, novels, television, or games.
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Art of Storytelling

I've mentioned Dick Staub and his podcasts on Kindlings Muse - a discussion of art and faith. He had a recent interview with Ralph Winter, who is a Hollywood producer. He's worked on several highly successful films, such as X-Men 1 and 2. He is also a Christian who has managed to have a long career in Hollywood though the ups and downs of the "culture war".

You can listen to the whole interview here. I just wanted to pull out a couple of points they talk about regarding the art of storytelling.

Ralph is talking about screenplays in particular, but he talks about the importance of knowing who the hero is, and how the most powerful moment in the movie is when the main character reveals "something about themselves they didn't know at the beginning of the journey." He feels this is when the reader or viewer is going to get emotionally involved.

Staub and Winter go on to discuss C.S. Lewis and his statement about a great book being one you want to read over and over. Winter relates this to movies, and talks about some of his favorites, like Ben Hur and Gladiator. He loves the journey, the choices the leads make, and he ultimately says he wants to live in that world.

So, how do we create a world that is engrossing enough we want to live there? How do we make our protagonists engaging enought that the reader is taken along the journey and experiences something when the protagonist has their "revelation?"

I think these are good points to ponder, but they also help me segue into the next topic I wanted to talk about...next time...
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A Depressed "Avatar"

I've seen Avatar.

So have approximately 10 billion people.

Or so it seems.

I don't always make it to the "big" movies, unless there are talking animals or race cars involved. When I first heard about Avatar, I wasn't all that interested in it either. Over time, the previews and early reviews changed my mind, and once it became a phenomenom, I was ready to go.

I enjoyed the movie a lot. The visuals were striking and immersive. It certainly was memorable. The story in my opinion, as many others, was recycled and preachy in a not so subtle (or accurate) way. Still, I appreciated my time in Pandora.

Apparently not as much as the people in this CNN article. The title for the article is "Audiences Experience 'Avatar' Blues." It quotes people as saying they so longed to live like the Na'vi (the tall blue skinned aliens in the movie, if you weren't one of the 10 billion) or in a beautiful place like Pandora (their Eden-like planet) that it depressed them.

Some thought there was no reason to go on, since humans have pretty much trashed Earth at this point, and there's no way to reverse things. A couple of the people contemplated suicide, as everything seemed "meaningless" since watching Avatar. One wanted to "escape reality." Another thought if he killed himself, he'd be "rebirthed" in a place similar to Pandora.

Thankfully those quoted have seemed to find a little comfort in online fan communities for Avatar. I was surprised by the depth of feeling that people had in the article.

Perhaps according to my friend Becky Miller, I shouldn't have.

She's been posting for over a week on the movie. She enjoyed the movie as well, but had concerns that Christians weren't showing discernment over the worldview espoused in the movie (panentheism, slightly different from pantheism).

I certainly agreed with her over the need for discernment. Nothing comes from a vacuum - James Cameron has a certain worldview, and whether he is actively promoting it or thinks he isn't, it is still going to come out. Christians (and everyone really) should realize this and use a little analysis when doing anything from voting to watching movies. You won't convince me that is "is just entertainment."

Still, she and I debated somewhat in the comments of one post. I suggested that Christians take the movie as a "Mars Hill" moment (the time when Paul, visiting Athens, used the idol to the "Unknown God" to explain Christianity to the pagan philosophers). There are certainly some aspects of the movie that can be used as conversation starters, even if the thrust of the movie is contrary to a Christian world view.

After reading this CNN article, I'm a little more disturbed. I don't think James Cameron's intent was having people take his movie quite so seriously, but Holy Unobtanium, Batman!

I think I'll take up some of these thoughts in the next post or two...

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The Body and the World

This quote is from Nigel Goodwin, an actor and commentator on The Kindlings Muse podcast I blogged about last week. The last podcast I listened to was a discussion of Bob Dylan and "the new spirituals," artists such as Sufjan Stevens and Fleet Foxes.

The context is talking about artists who speak on spiritual issues but don't operate under the umbrella of "official Christian" music. I think this can apply to any artist, whether acting, writing, music, filmmaking, etc.

"There's often too much of the world in the body, and not enough of the body in the world. We're not out there engaging the marketplace, and so...we want these people to be our voices and we squeeze them into boxes and we beat them up and bully them. And even when they come into the sanctuary, we behave...more vulgar than the world out there in some cases...

[Dylan] knew this went on out there...but didn't really expect it to go on in here. We are bums being redeemed. Now if we stay bums, that's dumb, but if we're in process, that's good news."

Thoughts?

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The Ted Dekker giveaway is coming soon. Keep your eyes out!
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The Kindlings Muse

I'd like to highlight a resource I've been turning to for the past few months. The Kindlings Muse is a ministry of Dick Staub, the author of The Culturally Savvy Christian (required reading for followers of this blog).

Dick has been involved with faith and culture for many years now. He's a radio host, pastor, author, and champion for the arts. The Kindlings Muse is a weekly podcast from Dick, along with various special guests. I finished listening to a series by Os Guinness this morning (an excellent talk on "You Only Live Once-Calling, the ultimate game plan for life").

Topics generally focus on faith and creativity in some way. When the Oscars rolled around, there is an annual "theology of the Best Picture nominees" show that was very interesting. Other topics I've listened to include theology of the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer and an excellent interview with Anne Rice.

You can subscribe to it for free at iTunes, or just see the site regularly for the updated podcasts. As the tagline for the show states, it is "an intelligent, imaginative, hospitable exploration of ideas that matter in contemporary life."
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Themes in Art

I hope everyone around here read about Jeffrey Overstreet and his Auralia Thread books last week. They are intriguing books, and they managed to spawn some interesting conversation. (I started this post the day after the tour, but it has taken me time to finish my evolving thoughts)

Blog posts looked at the "Christian" aspect of these books, and asked about the process an author comes up with themes for their work.

Steve Rice had some strong opinions of the books. If I understood him correctly, he felt that a Christian artist ought to visibly show their faith in their works. He quoted a few verses about a light not being put under a basket and speaking from the heart (that if Christ is in your heart, how can we not help but speak of what is there).

He also brought up secularism, implying that Cyndere's Midnight was secular because possible themes or morals gleaned from the book weren't specifically Christian enough, undistinguishable from good messages from non-Christian books. I'm not quite sure how "secular" is the right term to use here.

Steve had passionate views, and I'm not trying to put him down, just to put out a point of disagreement. We may chalk this up to an "agree to disagree" type of issue. I have long felt and advocated on this blog that God is interested in beauty for beauty's sake, and not everything created in His name has to have a specific religious or practical function. I've gone to Francis Schaeffer's book Art and the Bible on this point a lot. One of his examples is a free-standing column in Solomon's temple that had no functional purpose from an engineering or spiritual standpoint, other than to add architectural beauty to the temple.

I don't think from the books themselves or Jeffrey's words about them that he is trying to hide any message. I think he is trying to write to a standard that he has set for himself regarding beauty of language and power of story. He has themes he sees, but he is reluctant to blurt them out and color what readers will take from the book. I certainly see Christian truths in his books, but it seems he's trying to let the reader decide what themes they see. What I do have a problem with is people judging motives without fully understanding what the artist is doing.

Also, what about Biblical books like Song of Songs and Esther. The Lord isn't mentioned in either of them, but we know the inspiration that comes from these books. The inspiration is derived from the interpretation of the books, even when it is not directly spelled out in the text.

I wish that Steve had taken more information from the fine interviews with Jeffrey. Robert Treskillard has a fine interview with the author, doing a discussion style back and forth. Then Shane Deal follows with a separate interview that further explores Jeffrey's style of writing and his purpose in his work. Make sure to read down to an extensive discourse in the comments, as there are points no one should miss.


The next point of discussion comes from my friend Becky Miller, in her discussion based off of Steve Rice's post from above. Becky and I have had a friendly disagreement on the nature of Christian art ;), and she talks about the intentionality of theme. Now, I agree with her that if there is a specific theme an author wants to communicate, and they do so skillfully, that it doesn't lessen the artistic value at all. In fact, I happen to believe that theme is very important to the structure of a novel. Otherwise the work is not going to have any strength to impact a reader. She mentions "backing into a theme," where Jeffrey talks about writing and letting the theme come to him rather than knowing it beforehand. I don't think I could fully do that (the control freak in me, I suppose), but I believe, if nothing else, from Jeffrey's experience, that it can happen.

My question is: if a Christian author writes a book that doesn't have explicitly gospel-specific themes, is that work "Christian fiction?" I see reflections of the "One True Myth," as C.S. Lewis termed the gospel, in Cyndere's Midnight? But I can't point to a specific Christ-figure or other allegorical character in the book. If the criteria to be called Christian fiction is to have a specific gospel feature, directly showing God, then I suppose Cyndere won't meet that criteria. I think Jeffrey's two books could have published by secular houses without changing the content, but I have to believe that he is trying to accomplish something in the market he's currently in.

I wrote a short story that doesn't directly deal with God, just in passing. Yet the themes of sanctity of life and fidelity in marriage are the points that make the story, IMO. The sanctity of life theme was what I had in mind when I started, but the marriage theme surprised me in many ways. Both points are informed and hopefully reflect a Biblical worldview, but the story wasn't the place to bring out all aspects of the Biblical narrative.

All art communicates something. Fiction is by nature more direct than other forms, such as visual arts. An artist fools themseleves if they think it won't communicate something. Sometimes an artist may choose a specific theme to explore up front, while others may see what emerges in the process. Both are valid starting points, and I maintain that a Christian artist, no matter their starting point, will reflect a Biblical worldview if they are truly transformed by their walk.


Becky has another post titled, Fiction Is... I had to laugh at her last comment this morning, because even though we've playfully seemed to disagree, she had this to say:

What I would like to see Christians come to is the idea that fiction can actually say something important. Does that have to be the plan of salvation? No. Does it need to be laid out overtly? No.
There is a third way, an artistic way of weaving in a theme so that readers “get it” without being told it.

And with this, we're in total agreement!

If you're interested in this discussion of Art, Creativity, and how it plays out in Christian expression, I invite you to check out these different posts and perspectives. It has been a highly intriguing discussion!
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My Favorite Book from 2008

I posted last week about my favorite books from 2008, but I must confess that it was a list of my favorite fiction from '08. The book I read that meant the most to me was The Culturally Savvy Christian: A Manifesto for Deepening Faith and Enriching Popular Culture in an Age of Christianity-Lite by Dick Staub. It is a mouthful of a title, but it was a powerful book that encouraged and challenged me deeply. I blogged about it before I finished it, and it held true through the end of the book.

I'm very interested in discussing the intersection of faith and culture, as the dearly departed site Infuze Magazine used to put it. I've always tried to be serious about Jesus and His Kingdom, concerned not just about the "sweet by-and-by", but also the "nasty here and now." I learned about understanding life through a Biblical worldview at a fairly early age, so I've tried to view the culture I partake in through that lens. As I've delved into writing as a hobby and hopefully part of my vocation, I've become more focused in this area.

The Culturally Savvy Christian is a book that fully reaches the sweet spot of faith and culture, yet it is very worth reading for its insightful analysis of our current faith circumstances in the West as well as popular culture.

My original post for this started to break the book down, but I realized quickly that the book was too deep to properly address in one post. Check back over the next week or so as I attempt to break down the book a little bit, and hopefully we'll be able to discuss our own opinions on faith and culture.

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A Must Read

I haven't had much to say recently, but I am reading a book that is so impressive I have to give it a shout out right now. I've mentioned Dick Staub and his book The Culturally Savvy Christian before. I didn't report the subtitle: "A Manifesto for Deepening Faith and Enriching Popular Culture in an Age of Christianity-Lite." So far it truly is a manifesto, and I am highly impressed with it.

I heartily encourage anyone interested in the Christian walk to get it. It is a book about modern culture as well, but Staub is doing a great job in sharing what is needed - transformation from God individually, so we can go positively affect culture. Put it on your Christmas list, go to Amazon, or call your library, it is worth it.

I hope to discuss it more when I am finished.

Looking at Christianity and Culture

I've wanted to blog more about this topic, but I haven't had the time to sit down and come up with a coherent post discussing Christianity and Culture. However, there have been some recent articles and books out on this topic, and I want to at least bring them to your attention.

The Point blog discusses Christian art and movies like Facing the Giants.

Christianity Today has a cover article discussing "The New Culture Makers". There is an excerpt from Andy Crouch's new book Culture Making. There is also a review of the book Christ and Culture Revisited.

I've recently purchased Culture Making and another book on the subject, Dick Staub's The Culturally Savvy Christian. I've started Staub, and it already is quite thought-provoking.

If you're so inclined, check out some of these resources. Hopefully I can get my head around some ideas (head not so stretchy this month, it seems...) and discuss them with a little more depth soon.

New Resource for Christian Fiction

Welcome to a new week!

There's a great way to start the new week off right as well, if you're a fan of Christian fiction. I've been a member of the Christian Fiction Blog Alliance for 2 years now, and it has grown tremendously. There are books reviewed twice a week (not always here, of course), and there is a large community that talks about the latest in Christian fiction.

Now there's been a new expansion that is quite remarkable. The leaders of CFBA have started the Christian Fiction Online Magazine. I knew this was coming for a little while, but I didn't appreciate how much they had managed to put into this work. It is very impressive. From a cover story interview with Robert Liparulo to columns of fiction craft by Brandilyn Collins and funny stuff from Randy Ingermanson and Kristin Billerbeck, it is packed with content. You can browse in an alliterative delight, with categories of "Best," "Buzz," "Bizarre," and "Biz" awaiting you.

So if you enjoy reading good fiction or are interested in writing yourself and want an online resource, make sure to check out CFOM. The editors have put in a lot of work and it is well worth your time.

"Made for Beauty" Post at Breakpoint

Breakpoint is a favorite internet place of mine - I get daily emails from Chuck Colson's radio broadcast. This last week there was one called "Made for Beauty." It speaks of Francis Schaeffer's book Art and the Bible, which I've spoken about before here.

Here's the opening:

The neighbors watched the new church building go up in just one month—and what a sight it was! The church was a squat, square building made of unrelieved concrete. On the inside was garish red carpeting. A massive parking lot surrounded the church.

Nothing could possibly have been uglier—and the fact that so many Christians build church structures like this reveals how far Christians have strayed from the place beauty and art are meant to have in our lives.

As the late Francis Schaeffer notes in his book, Art and the Bible, we evangelicals tend to relegate art to the fringes of life. Despite our talk about the lordship of God in every aspect of life, we have narrowed its scope to a very small part of reality. But the arts are also supposed to be under the lordship of Christ, Schaeffer reminds us. Christians ought to use the arts “as things of beauty to the praise of God.”

I've talked about what is in the rest of the article before, but it is nice to see the same message getting out. Check out the article here.

Consensus

Getting Christians to a consensus on a lot of things can be interesting. However, T.M. Moore from Breakpoint and Chuck Colson's Centurions project thinks he may have some suggestions on how to do this regarding Christians engaging the culture. This is along the lines of my Seven Spheres series from a week or two ago.

Breakpoint talked about it this week and had this great quote:

How do we do this? Our task is two-fold. First, we must participate in culture at the same time that we are engaged in a biblically based critique of culture. For too long, Christians have ignored the arts and have, thus, failed to realize that culture and the arts can be conduits of God’s truth, grace, and beauty.

Second, as the body of Christ, we need to support those among us who exercise their God-given artistic gifts. When we join together “for creative engagement in culture matters,” T. M. argues, we can “create a greater sense of unity in the body of Christ,” as well as increase our impact on culture.

Read the whole article here. I haven't read the book yet, but I'll be interested to check out Culture Matters down the road.

Art and Fear

Brandilyn Collins did a series of posts this week on a book entitled Art and Fear. It was a great series of posts. If you're not already keeping up with Brandilyn's blog, shame on you. It was a real challenge for any practitioner of the arts, in a good way.

I've ordered the book, so I may share my own thoughts once I get it. Looks like a resource that can help us keep going.

An Amazing Gift Idea for Christmas

Last Tuesday the movie Amazing Grace came out on DVD. I saw this movie in the theatres in March. Below I have posted my review of the movie. This would be a wonderful gift for anyone on your Christmas list (Christian or no, it is not preachy to turn off people). It is a very entertaining movie that touches the heart with the plight of the slaves and the performances given by the actors. To me it hearkens to Schindler's List, a movie that is quality art and also moves.

Also see John C. Wright's intelligent (as always) discussion about the DVD.

From March '07:
This weekend I saw the movie Amazing Grace, dealing with the story of William Wilberforce and his fight to end the slave trade in the British Parliment. Because England was the world power, especially on the seas, it could single-handedly end the slave trade from Africa by virtue of its naval might.

It was not a popular cause, because of the economic impact it would have on the country (sugar prices would go up - how would they enjoy tea!). Wilberforce was called a firebrand and even had it insinuated that he was a trator to the throne, due to the political turbulence of the American and French revolutions that affected England's affairs at the time. His health was not good, and he battled his body as well as powerful lords in Parliment.

The story of William Wilberforce is underappreciated in our modern world. Here was a man who lived to the highest Christian standards as well as fighting against the greatest human injustice of his day. His life truly deserves to be told to be an example for us today.

Thankfully, the movie is a highly entertaining vehicle for this! It starts out a little discombobulated, as we catch Wilberforce mid-life, fighting sickness and despair for not prevailing in the battle already. Soon the flashback/modern settings are clear, and it is exciting to see the development of events that lead to the ultimate victory.

Ioan Gruffudd (Horatio Hornblower, Reed Richards in Fantastic Four) does a masterful job both in Wilberforce's youthful exuberance and his measured responses as he matures and wises to the nature of the battle he is in. He brings a strength to the character, and he is a very admirable hero. Albert Finney gives an emotional performance as John Newton, the former slave ship captain who turned away from that evil and penned the immortal hymn, Amazing Grace (hence the title). I was near tears at one point when Newton and Wilberforce interact.

So? GO and buy the movie! Then, check out The Amazing Change site. This is a great movie that is worth seeing on its cinematic value alone. However, the people behind it have a greater goal: to inspire people to take action themselves. The Amazing Change is one opportunity to follow through in Wilberforce's legacy.

Enjoy the show. Impact the world.