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on church, culture and language…

I spent four days this last week at the Kindlings Fest conference up on Orcas Island. Kindlings is an organization dedicated “to rekindle the spiritual, intellectual and creative legacy of Christians in culture.”

The theme of this year’s conference was “turning mourning into dancing.” Most of the art centered around how we deal with grief and suffering while moving toward healing and rejoicing, toward dancing.

I struggled during this conference because I expected a far different experience than I had. Previously I attended Kindlings Muse events in Seattle focused on discussion of pop culture and theology. In contrast, I found the overall tenor of the conference, along with much of the art present, to be very safe, conservative and out of style.

This is not to say it was lacking in technical excellence, though. Simply, it did not resonate with me as a young creative in the church because what I saw and experienced in many ways represented the art of older generations. It spoke a language I did not understand.

Tongue-tied

I am glad we are no longer fighting about whether or not there should be drums in church. I am glad the conversation has shifted now to a discussion of style and artistic merit. A conversation not about should we use art, but how best to use art. But I fear the conversation has become a stalemate between artists who want to take more risks, try new ideas and styles, and a greater church body that has become comfortable and sees no reason to change.

We are called as Christians to engage with the world outside of the church. Unfortunately, many interpret this as the proverbial Jesus fish bumper sticker and playing Christian radio at work. Clearly there is nothing wrong with either of these things, but to think somehow they speak meaningfully to a non-churched culture? We might as well speak literal Greek!

The church and the culture no longer speak the same language. Fortunately, this coming generation of artists of faith is bilingual. They speak both the language of the church and the language of the culture. There are ways our worship in the church can be enriched and brought to new depths with this new language; not just in our musical styles or powerpoint slides, but our entire Sunday morning church experience. Poets, photographers, film makers, dancers and creatives all want to be part of the discussion now.

One of my favorite film makers is Wes Anderson. I bring Christ to the culture when I see his films with friends and talk about the brokenness of people and families, and ultimate redemption and grace. I don’t bring Christ by forcing my non-Christian friends to watch Kirk Cameron’s latest Left Behind movie.

Much of the art I engaged with at Kindlings Fest was, to me, of the Jesus fish variety. It was art, and it was fine in a technical sense, but there was little depth or relevance to the world I encounter outside the church. Had I invited a non-Christian, non-churched twentysomething to attend, I fear they would have been rather put off by the seemingly out of date styles and sounds.

Teaching the Church to speak

My struggle at this conference was not aesthetic in the sense I thought the art was “bad art”. My problem was much more with language, or more specifically the perceived lack of a language I understood. During the discussion after Septien a women mentioned the church has no language for mourning or trauma. But it does–the church just has forgotten about it or isn’t listening to it.

After my friend Katie’s fiance died, I posted a reflection and video of The Opiate Mass performing “I heard the bells on Christmas day”. I highlighted the words of the final two stanzas:

Then in despair, I bowed my head
“There is no peace on Earth”, I said
Cause hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on Earth, good will to men

Then peeled the bells, more loud and deep
God is not dead, nor doth he sleep
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail
With peace on Earth, good will toward men

A new style breathes new life into words that have rung true across generations. No generation has a monopoly on truth, nor does any generation have a monopoly on style. We are at a time when the traditional church is confused about why young people are leaving, and young people are confused about why the church won’t change.

The Christian titans highlighted during the conference–Lewis, Bonhoeffer and Wilberforce–have powerful voices and are all cornerstones on which we should build. However, with a new generation comes new language for mourning and new language for dancing. Our language is different and often more nuanced, but the message is the same. We are finding our voice and yearn to speak!

Organizations like Kindlings (of which there are precious few!) are doing good work, but the road is long and they can’t get us there alone. The church and the culture no longer speak the same language. My prayer is for an artistic movement in the church that acknowledges the traditions of thousands of years of believers, but continually translates that liturgy into the language of the present culture.

So I leave you with a simple question: Are you bi-lingual?

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Filed under: Art, Church by Jonathan

  • http://www.TakenInTheMovie.com Chris White

    Jonathan.

    Really dig this post. You’ve said so much I’ve been feeling the past several years. Love that you’re willing to speak this, too. I want to send you a copy of my new film. I think you will see that even though we’re 2,000 miles away from each other…in many ways, we’re thick as thieves.

    Send your mailing address to me at parismtscout@gmail.com.

  • http://www.counterpointcafe.com Ruth

    Thanks for this post — it’s a topic I’ve struggled with myself. I agree that there’s a stylistic divide within the church; though I’m sure each generation struggles with this. Unfortunately, the trend I see is the younger generation breaking off to form their own, more “culturally relevant” gatherings. There’s a time and a place for these, but in a broader sense everyone loses when we let artistic/stylistic differences divide the body. I wouldn’t want to trade the wisdom I receive from worshiping regularly with older Christians, even if I have to sing a few ’80s praise choruses. (Not that I haven’t complained about that…)

    I think there does need to be a certain amount of compromise from both sides — i.e. the younger generation accepting the fact that change takes time and the older generation recognizing the need for change. What do you think are some healthy ways to promote dialogue about this within the church?

  • Anonymous

    Ruth, you are right that each generation probably goes through some kind of transition or “rebellion” of sorts. I think I read somewhere once that Issac Watts was considered avant guarde during his lifetime, though you probably know more about that than I do. :)

    I certainly don’t want to go off an form a “new church”, which I think a lot of young Christians are doing. I have huge respect for the work of church communities like COPA, Church of the Beloved and SCUM Church, but I also don’t think we should give up on the traditional church.

    I think organizations like Kindlings are a good start. I also think artists in the younger generations are going to have to be teachers to a degree. They are going to have to educate the church on how art functions in more than utilitarian. I think established, older churches can also play a mentoring role. Maybe churches treat new “contemporary” services more like semi-autonomous church plants rather than a pet project of the “young people”.

    I think this conversation very quickly gets away from art at this point. In a lot of ways, even churches that are doing a “good job” incorporating art still struggle with what to do with young, post-college adults.

    In the end, I think the two most important things for both sides to realize is that at the end of the day they aren’t two sides, everyone should be working together for the glory of God and the church. We can always improve. I think you hit it on the head, it is a process that takes time and humility.

    This takes time, but it will happen I think. Even if the conversation just starts with a couple people over coffee. Build consensus and slowly add new perspectives and people and see what happens. Not every church has to be the some, some will naturally look more traditional and liturgical, and some may even continue to revel in those 80s praise choruses, but we can always do better, worship better.

  • http://www.facebook.com/sophiakristina Sophia Agtarap

    Spot on, Jon.

  • Pingback: Resonant Images » on grace and beauty…

  • Pingback: Initial musings on #KFest2011 | not all who wander are lost

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  • about me

    My name is Jonathan Assink.

    I'm a writer, photographer, baseball nut, foodie & lover of indie bands you've probably never heard of. I wrote a theology of justice for artists & love to talk about the intersection of art, faith & social justice. I am passionate about words & images. I have a heart for the city, for the church (in whatever form it takes) & for artists.

    Though inspired & influenced by many different people and experiences my words here are my own & do not represent the views of any organization I might be involved in.

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