Redeemed Imagination

Amy Lee, one of the Anselm Society's Arts Guild directors, reads her short story, "The Ferryman," which was featured in the previous episode. You can find the story text at https://www.amybaiklee.com/2016/09/20/the-ferryman-part-1/.

Pastors: you want to get artists more involved in the life of the church, but where do you begin? Artists: how can you respond (or initiate)? Anselm Arts Guild co-director Amy Lee and her pastor, Kevin Boaz, share the story of what happened when Kevin asked Amy to read an original story in a Sunday morning service.

What does it look like to create for others? For community? How can people learn to interact with art, rather than just look at it or listen to it? How can we be people who are defined by seeking magic and meaning, rather than discouraging such behavior? Brian interviews Jonathan Pageau to learn from the ancient practice of icon carving. Find Jonathan Pageau on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/pageaujonathan.

In our continuing series discussing the unique call of the Christian artist ("centric genius"), Brian interviews Lancia Smith about her work with The Cultivating Project.

In our continuing series discussing the unique call of the Christian artist ("centric genius"), Brian talks with John Skillen about the ways in which the church used to create art together...and just maybe, how it can do so again.

In which Brian, Heidi, and Lancia summarize the concept of the "centric genius" and discuss its implications for both artists and churches. In this, the second part, we get into the implications for church, and whether we have to give up being "weirdos."

In which Brian, Heidi, and Lancia summarize the concept of the "centric genius" and discuss its implications for both artists and churches.

What is a centric genius? Why does Christianity need more of them? In this episode of director's notes, Brian Brown tees up our entire winter-spring content series.

Does Father Christmas belong in Narnia? Brian picks a fight, we continue Lewis and Tolkien's debate, and along the way, we hit on how to portray morality in literature, and even the true meaning of Christmas gifts.

After a trip to France ruins Heidi for normal life, the group discusses food, art, and why hospitality has always played a central role in Anselm Society gatherings.

Therapist, songwriter, and priest Josh Bales thinks Christians can get to a healthier place when it comes to bringing together mental health, faith, and science.

In this lecture from Anselm's 2019 Rocky Mountain Artists' Retreat, Lancia Smith explores the relationship between being true to your calling, and loving your neighbor--and reveals how relationships can strengthen our calling.

In this lecture from Anselm's 2019 Rocky Mountain Artists' Retreat, Father Jeromie Rand from Denver's Church of the Advent explores how learning how to love God through your craft can unleash the full potential of who you were made to be.

Fresh off the 2019 Rocky Mountain Artists' Retreat, we pick up some threads from the retreat: is "artist" something you'll be for eternity? Should you look inward or outward as you seek to answer the question, "who am I?" And what does it mean for God to redeem and perfect your creative work?

A few years ago, Phil Ryken wrote a satirical list of how to make your church an unhealthy place for artists. We noticed that a lot of the things on the list would also apply to pastors! In this episode, we explore the gulf that often separates pastors and artists...and wonder if it's not nearly as wide as one might think.

At Imagination Redeemed 2019, Amber Salladin led this breakout group in an interactive and song-filled exploration of the singing community. Amber joined us from Manhattan, where she is the music director at Emmanual Anglican Church, and pianist and conductor for various choirs and orchestras. 

At Imagination Redeemed 2019, Junius Johnson delivered this lecture on the "sacred theater" of art for the fallen world. We bring the divine to the ordinary, because there is no such thing as “ordinary.” 

At Imagination Redeemed 2019, John Skillen delivered this lecture on the historical role of art in shaping Christian communities. Skillen focused on how to move beyond the narrow bounds of the art typically used in church today, to a wider spectrum of art forms and uses, designed to do one thing: build the people of God.

At the Imagination Redeemed 2019 conference, Hans Boersma gave this lecture on the Psalms and worship to kick off the weekend. Boersma dwelt on sacred art, created for the central activity of the church for all eternity: corporate worship. In worship, we remember who we are, the heavenly tapestry in which we have been invited to participate; and we encounter God Himself, by Whom all things were made.

If an artist visited your church, how would they know they'd be welcome? How does a congregation become a place known for its hospitality to artists? How can church leaders foster ministries that nurture artists, so that the arts become not simply a fun add-on or gimmick, but an integral part of the life of the church? In this episode, we talk about five things we've seen churches do to become artist-friendly places.