Arts+Culture

Arts+Culture

We Are the Eighth Day, © Melanie Weidner

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Singing from one book

Why hymnals matter

May 01, 2013 by Mary Louise Bringle

Many churchgoers greet the announcement of a new hymnal with a single puzzled, even outraged question: Why?

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Debating hymns

May 01, 2013 by Mary Louise Bringle

In preparing the new PCUSA hymnal, our committee may have made some wrong decisions. But they weren't careless or cavalier ones.

Notes from the Global Church
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Port Talbot Passion

May 08, 2013 by Philip Jenkins

Recently, 20,000 residents of a Welsh industrial town participated in a play—and reaffirmed the residual power of Christian imagery in a secular society.

Music

Mercyland

Hymns for the Rest of Us

by Various Artists

Mercyland, by various artists

May 01, 2013 reviewed by Steve Thorngate

Growing up, my listening habits progressed from the evangelical subculture’s schlockiest pop to its Americana fringe to secular alt-country. One common thread: prolific sideman Phil Madeira.

On Art

Jesus the Homeless, by Timothy Schmalz

May 20, 2013 reviewed by Richard A. Kauffman

In an era when homeless people can be seen sleeping on city sidewalks and park benches, Canadian artist Timothy Schmalz wanted to convey the idea that Jesus too was homeless. It was said of him: “The Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.” Schmalz didn’t anticipate that his sculpture would be controversial. St. Michael’s Cathedral in Toronto and St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York expressed interest in displaying the work but were overruled by diocesan officials. Schmalz said he was told  that the image was not “appropriate.” Schmalz is negotiating with another church in New York City for a permanent home.

Books

Benediction

By Kent Haruf

Benediction, by Kent Haruf

May 17, 2013 reviewed by Jeffrey Johnson

All three of Kent Haruf’s novels set in the fictional farming town of Holt, Colorado, bear liturgical-sounding titles: Plainsong (1999), Eventide (2004) and now Benediction. Many of their characters are looking for a benediction: a good word of connection, closure, forgiveness or security.

In the World

(Re)writing songs for Pentecost

May 17, 2013 by Steve Thorngate

Somewhere in my queue of non-time-sensitive articles to write—yes, it’s been there a while—is one on the history and practice of making theologically significant changes to traditional American songs. Not just line-level edits like neutering/diversifying gendered language or using “love” in place of “wrath.” I mean re-imagining songs in a thoroughgoing way, while also preserving much of the existing imagery and language patterns. (I posted some time ago about one historical example.)

I write songs and play traditional music, but I haven’t actually tried this approach myself.

Editor's Desk

Gifted

May 16, 2013 by John M. Buchanan

I recently watched my granddaughter and other teens with Down syndrome perform Shakespeare—with emotion, wit and passion.

In the World

"Bricks and mortar will not stay"

May 10, 2013 by Steve Thorngate

I've always been immersed in music, and I never forget a song lyric. So a college friend used to call me "Verse Boy" and would ocassionally challenge me to come up with a hymn or folk song's lesser-known stanzas on command. "National anthem, verse three" he might say, and off I'd go with "And where is that band /Who so vauntingly swore..." (That one's a doozy, by the way. Compared to verse three, verse one might as well be "This Is My Song.")

Anyway, this week someone linked to an old Mental Floss post on subsequent verses of children's songs.