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Recommended Books on Faith and Art
Books
Thomas Merton, Raids on the Unspeakable.(New
Directions books.)
In the sixties, Father Thomas Merton challenged artists to break loose
from cultural and religious agendas that hindered them from creating
freely and with excellence. He alerts us to the dangerous lies that lure
artists to pride, to hollow success, and to what we now commonly call
"selling out."
Gregory Wolfe,
Intruding Upon the Timeless
Jeremy Begbie, Voicing Creation's Praise: Towards a
Theology of the Arts (Harper Collins, 1991)
A critique of Protestant involvement and perspective on the arts.
Frank Ely Gabelein, The Christian, The Arts, and the
Truth: Regaining the Vision of Greatness (A Critical Concern Book,
edited by Dr. Bruce Lockerbie, Multnomah Press, 1985).
Gabelein takes a scholarly, organized approach to the subject, examining
Scripture's perspectives on the arts, and challenges readers to a higher
aesthetic standard, contemplating literature, music, education, the
Christian use of leisure, and the social responsibilities of "Christian
humanists".
Madeleine L'Engle, Walking on Water: Reflection on
Faith and Art (NorthPoint Press, 1980), Penguins and Golden Calves.
Two must-reads—the first, a journal-like contemplation on L'Engle's
personal experiences as a maturing artist and Christian, full of insight
on the relationship between childlike faith and artistry; the second, an
examination of the value of icons and the danger of idols, and how modern
Christianity seems to forget the power of icons out of the fear of
idolatry.
Dr. Bruce Lockerbie, The Timeless Moment
(currently out of print).
One of the best overviews and most challenging contemplations on
Christianity and the arts ever written.
H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture.
An examination of various Christian approaches of how to be "in" the
world, but not "of" it.
Chaim Potok, My Name is Asher Lev, The Gift of Asher
Lev.
Two classic novels about a young artist who seeks to pursue his art in
good conscience, in spite of opposition from family and community. A must
for any "persecuted" artist.
Hans Rookmaaker, Art Needs No Justification (IVP,
1978).
A Biblical defense for artists.
Leland Ryken, The Liberated Imagination: Thinking
Christianly About the Arts (Harold Shaw, 1986).
An overview of major issues confronting the Christian mind regarding
artistic pursuits.
Dorothy L. Sayers, The Mind of the Maker (Harper
San Francisco, 1987 reprint).
A masterpiece on the subject of creativity in service of the Creator.
Frances Schaeffer, Addicted to Mediocrity: 20th Century
Christians and the Arts (Good News Publishers, 1981).
Schaeffer takes a look at the lamentable state of the arts in the
Christian realm, criticizes the lukewarmness of the common fare, and
philosophizes about how we got to here from there.
Phillip Yancey ed., Reality and the Vision.
Wonderful. Challenging examinations of great writers by the Christian
writers who were inspired by them. (Featuring Stephen Lawhead, Phillip
Yancey, Madeleine L'Engle, and many others, considering writers from
Tolkien to Flannery O'Connor.)
Periodicals
Mars Hill Review
Three times a year, Mars Hill Review arrives and gives us thoughtful solid
reading for months to come. Featuring well-crafted poetry and short
fiction, these collections also offer bold interviews with philosophers,
thinkers, and writers. For good measure, they include revealing arts
reviews and meditations on popular culture. Each issue is like a
transcript for a conference on faith in modern society. To subscribe, call
1-800-990-MARS (U.S. only).
The Phantom
Tollbooth
A thorough, active page of news, interviews, and reviews of new music and
cinema. Highly recommended for any Christian music fans!
Resources on Individual
Artists
Chris Smith's
Madeleine L'Engle Web Resource.
For C.S. Lewis fans, go
Into the
Wardrobe.
A good site for Christian novelist
Flannery O'Connor.
To learn more about
Jeremy Begbie,
Chaim
Potok,
Hans Rookmaaker,
and Dorothy
L. Sayers,
go to their individual websites.
Frances A Schaeffer and his wife, Edith, are the founders of
L'Abri.
Further Reading
on Christian Perspectives
The
Christian Classics
Ethereal Library
at Wheaton College — A superb online Christian literature resource.
G.K. Chesterton
Orthodoxy
Thomas Howard
Chance or the Dance?
Madeleine L'Engle
The Rock that
is Higher
Anne Lamott
Bird by Bird
Traveling Mercies
C.S. Lewis
C.S. Lewis Foundation
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