Imagine: A Vision for Christians in the Arts (Paperback)

~ (Author) "In 1970 I was a student at L'Abri, a small learning community founded by Dr. Francis Schaeffer in the mountains of Switzerland, where people came..." (more)
Key Phrases: renewed mind, Old Testament, John Lennon, Bob Dylan (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Imagine art that is risky, complex and subtle! Imagine music, movies, books and paintings of the highest quality! Imagine art that permeates society, challenging conventional thinking and standard morals to their core! Imagine that it is all created by Christians! This is the bold vision of Steve Turner, someone who has worked among artists--many Christian and many not--for three decades. He believes Christians should confront society and the church with the powerful impact art can convey. He believes art can faithfully chronicle the lives of ordinary people and equally express the transcendence of God. He believes that Christians should be involved in every level of the art world and in every media. Yet art and artists have not always been held in high esteem by conservative Christians. Art rarely seems to communicate clear propositional truth, rarely deals with certainties and absolutes. And the lifestyles of artists too frequently seem at odds with the gospel. So the arts have often been discouraged among Christians. Throughout this stimulating book, however, Turner builds a compelling case against such a perspective. He shows that if Jesus is Lord of all of life and creation, then art is not out of bounds for Christians. Rather it can and should be a way of expressing faith in creatively, beautifully, truthfully arranged words, sounds and sights. This stirring call is must reading for every Christian who has been drawn to the arts or been influenced by them. Features & Benefits

* a fresh and positive perspective on Christianity and the arts

* shows how art can faithfully represent both "real life" and divine truth

* challenges common Christian objections to the arts

* encourages Christians to be involved in every level of the art world and in every media

* written by a poet and journalist well-known in the popular music scene

About the Author

Turner is a writer and poet living in London, England, where he regularly contributes to newspapers such as The Mail on Sunday and The Times. His many books include Conversations with Eric Clapton, U2: Rattle and Hum, Van Morrison: Too Late to Stop Now and A Hard Day's Write: The Stories Behind Every Beatles Song.

Product Details

• Paperback: 131 pages
• Publisher: InterVarsity Press (May 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0830822917
• ISBN-13: 978-0830822911
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5.3 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #52,919 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

85 of 88 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars a very honest look at the life of the artist of faith, June 12, 2001

By	johnw (Dallas TX) - See all my reviews

This is, quite simply, the best book on the issues surrounding the life of a modern day Christian artist that I have ever read--period. I say this for several reasons:

1. It is uncompromising, both in its descriptions of the artist's mind, dreams, and motivations, and also in its exacting analysis of what it means to be a Christian. Turner pulls no punches in describing the incredible dichotomy between the gift of new life we have been given as a result of faith in the death and resurrrection of Christ as atonement for our sins, and the very emotions, dreams, insecurities, and passions that drive the artist in his or her creative endeavors. It is true, at least in my experience (and as Rory Noland has written in his very good book, "The Heart of the Artist"), that Christians in the arts are often more prone to temptation since they allow their feelings and passions to not only enter in to their work, but to drive it.

2. It puts out a call for artists to not only do art in the church to glorify God, but especially to do art OUT in the world to carry His message of salvation to those who do not yet know Him. How often do we hear the statement that the "real" work of the Christian is religious in nature, or takes place in and around the church? But, as Turner writes, "Jesus is Lord" over the WHOLE of our lives, even and especially those parts that are very 'unreligious' in nature. We are called to live for Christ minute by minute.

3. It is also honest in its assessment that the church often does not know what to do with the artists in our midst, let alone present an atmosphere in which they can flourish in their gifts and talents. It is my sincere hope that books like this one and the aforementioned Noland book can serve as a wake up call, letting the modern day church know that there is a powerful group of servants here, and that we need to both minister to them and more importantly allow them to minister to us and to God with their creative talents.

4. Rather than a simplistic "Christian vs. secular" explanation of art in the world, Turner submits a very well-conceived philosophy of five concentric circles of varying degrees of the mix of faith and art. I found this very helpful both in better understanding the art I see in and out of churches around me, and developing my own philosophy of art and faith.

I am the Worship Arts Pastor for a medium-large (approx. 2000 members) Bible church near Dallas, Texas. This book makes statement after statement that my own heart (after nearly 5 years of leading artists, and creating worship services at our church) really resonated with. I found myself underlining sentence after sentence, and often entire paragraphs or pages! This stuff is really that profound.

I hope and pray that the book will help both church staffers and artists find their way to utlizing ALL that they are in the pursuit of God through their gifts. May the church once again become the incredible storehouse and "town square" for the arts that it has been in centuries past; and may more and more Christian artists embrace their gifts and calling, rather than feeling confused and dazed at the apparent lack of understanding by the world in general and the church in particular as to just what makes the artist tick.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It has already had a large impact on my thinking, and helped to clarify issues that have been clouded and murky for so long.

33 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Refreshing, April 4, 2002

By A Customer

Steve Turner has shed some refreshing light on an age-old controversial subject. Should a Christian's art be obviously Christian or is there room to fudge a bit? These and many other types of questions are answered by Turner. Perhaps the greatest insight he shares in the book is that a Christian artist is also a human being. The art created by this person is affected by all things in their environment. To create only art that reflects an inflexible spiritual message is ludicrous. If the artist is touched by the power of God, the artist paints it. If the artist is hurt by a lover's rejection, the artist writes a song about it. If the artist likes french toast, the artist writes a short story about it. Christian themed or not, it's art and it's justified. Let the fundamental, backward thinking, Super Christians beware. Steve Turner is a champion for the cause of Christians in the arts.

24 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A call to the arts!!!, September 7, 2004

By	A. Lewis "skychase" (Gainesville, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This is the book for you if you feel called into the arts, work in the arts, and: (1) want some biblical and historical perspective, (2) want to impact secular culture, (3) wonder why there aren't more Christians impacting popular culture, and (4) struggle with how far to go with the gospel in secular arts. It takes no specific position on how agressive or overt to be in presenting the gospel. Rather, it gives you the wisdom to help determine where God wants you. But, it will inspire you. Absolutely incredible!