Like many kids growing up in late 20th century America, I loved superheroes. Particularly Superman. In my young head, Superman was the picture of what I wanted to be. I knew, short of falling in a vat of super-soldier juice, there was a good chance I’d never have superpowers, but the image of a good guy spending his life doing something meaningful by using his strength to help others, preserve goodness, and fight evil appealed to me at a young... Read more
Art and creativity is an intrinsically human inclination that is one of the primary evidences of humans being created in the image of God. Humans have an innate desire (unlike animals) to create out of their creative imagination, ex nihilo (meaning out of nothing), things of beauty, goodness, joy, and entertainment to then sit back and enjoy. Both of these traits are in the likeness to the God described in Genesis. From the very first passage of scripture we see... Read more
Keelia Clarkson is an actress and novelist who has a passion to tell and be a part of stories that matter. Originally from Los Angeles, she grew up right outside the lights of Hollywood, where Keelia first came to love stories and see the power they held, especially in defining our understanding of love and purpose. As a writer, Keelia’s words have been seen by millions in both print and online magazines writing about culture, art, and relationships. She recently... Read more
There have been multiple times throughout history art centered around faith has risen to the forefront of the cultural landscape. We had one of those moments not long ago. Unfortunately it didn’t last long. Why did it happen? Why did it stop? More importantly, will it happen again? Once upon a time, Christian art was on the forefront of some of culture’s best. It was interesting, experimental, deep, connective, and beautiful. And I’m not talking about the classic religious art... Read more
I can still remember the excitement and joy I experienced as a kid as my family and I snuggled up on the couch in front of the TV during the Christmas season. There would be smells of Christmas cookies in the air; the white lights from our tree reflected in the glass of our screen. We had family movie nights all year long, but there was something different, something special, about watching movies like Miracle on 34th Street, It’s a Wonderful Life, The... Read more
Evangelical Christians have long held video games at arm’s length, largely dismissing them as violent, sexualized, and even demonic time wasters that have no place in a believer’s life. But what if the church has too quickly judged this art form that just might have the power to bring us closer to God? I can still remember my unadulterated pre-teen joy the day I discovered a used Sega Genesis in a basket underneath a pile of mismatched remote controllers at... Read more
Religious movies have a long and rich tradition in the span of film history, with brilliantly made films like The Ten Commandments (1956), Lilies of the Field (1963), A Man for All Seasons (1966), and many more (see the list of The 20 Best Films About Faith here). These films, in telling compelling and artistically elevated stories, reflected the beauty and drama of faith in ways that invited audiences to see religion as something worthwhile and meaningful. But in recent... Read more
Everyone, it seems, is trying to both understand and connect with today’s culture. Corporations do it in hopes of selling products, politicians do it in hopes of getting votes, and Christians do it in hopes of winning souls. But even though it’s something of high interest to many people and groups, the track record for success from most seem to be markedly inconsistent. I had the opportunity to sit down with academic, Editor in Chief of the online magazine The... Read more
Poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow once wrote “music is the universal language of mankind.” He rightly saw the intrinsic power that music holds across all tribes and time. Throughout history, every known culture has created their own music, used for celebration, grief, and most often in the context of religious custom. Be it the choral voices echoing in cathedral halls or rhythmic drums around a fire, music seems to be both intrinsically human and tied to our religious instincts. Today, almost... Read more
Art and faith have been two of the most powerful forces throughout history. Both have the power to inspire, instruct, teach, transform, and ultimately bring us closer to the transcendent. They offer us cohesive narratives and give definition to the reality we inhabit. This being the case, one might think they would blend seamlessly within culture. There have been times throughout history when the church and the arts have worked in tandem to produce some of the most beautiful works... Read more
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