Category Archives: civablog

William Catling and Nathan Huff January 2012 was a sunny day as we drove towards The Double R Ranch. When the sign for Highway 79 came into view, we turned off and continued driving, talking away the miles, enjoying the … Continue reading →

When I was a child, my parents instilled in me a reverence for books. Books couldn’t be stepped on, sat on, or abused, because they contained something mysterious and powerful. Beyond their mere physical composition of wood fibers and ink, … Continue reading →

On Skid Row in Los Angeles, there is no art, and you have to squint pretty hard to see the beauty. I am a balancer, so when I walk through places like Skid Row or homeless shelters, I think about … Continue reading →

Thoughts from CIVA Artist Bryn Gillette about how his art has been impacted by his experiences with suffering in Haiti. I’ve been painting my prayers for Haiti for over eight years. What began as a starving artist’s meager offering to support … Continue reading →

This post is the first in a series of snapshots meant to capture artists whose work engages issues of justice in one way or another. Check back weekly as we prepare for a larger discussion of art and justice at our biennial … Continue reading →

As I sat in front of the TV watching the horrific scenes of the marathon bombing unfold in front of me, I couldn’t evade the question of “what will we sing this Sunday?” This may sound crass or trite, but … Continue reading →

Why should artists move toward integrating their art experiences with theology? One reason is to combat the current approach to theology as solely an intellectual exercise. Knowledge also comes by way of embodiment – tacit information is just as valuable … Continue reading →

The incarnation, cross, and resurrection liberates the creation for human creative activity.[1] Colin Gunton nicely states the Christological dimension of creativity. With the freedom gained by following Christ what, then, is the nature of our creative activity? The artist should … Continue reading →

In Genesis 2 God animates Adam with his Spirit and places him in a garden to cultivate it. In Exodus 35 we witness once more God filling a person with his Spirit, then he sets him to work. Bezalel was … Continue reading →

In the first chapter of Genesis, God poetically fashions the world, engineers the propagating capability for all of life, and affirms what he has created. It is also here we learn that we are made in his image, imago dei. … Continue reading →