The Rabbit Room

Wait… the world DOESN’T need more cheese spread? Are you kidding me?

Thank you for sharing this with us, Mr. Pete. So well said! (Read the whole article, my friends. It’s short and well worth it, and the photo is beautiful.)

Just finished reading it. Except for the cheese spread comment, I whole-heartedly agree. Do everything to the glory of the Lord. Something I struggle with, though. I definitely feel a disconnection between things I do that might be described as “secular” or “sacred.” I’ve been working on looking at them all with the same eyes instead of engaging in a mild case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

Great quote. I wonder, though, if there is a tendency to make this kind of topic a bit too orange and white (just staying with the analogy). We should champion the kind of faith-shaped art Camp describes, but also the kind of faith-driven art that might get labeled as “Christian art.” Both are important in the artistic expression of faith…making art that shines light directly on God’s truth, and making art that reflects light indirectly from God’s truth. One of those is not more important than the other, although I think that is sometimes the unintended message. What I take away from Camp is that we should be creating, supporting, and consuming fine, aged cheddar, not mass-marketed cheese-like goo in a can. Evangelical culture, to the detriment of its heart and health, has taken to sucking Christian goo straight from the can. We can’t change that, but we can serve up the real thing one savory slice at a time until tastes change.

As a marketing professional, I see something of a viscous circle involved in the production of “cheese spread”.

Believers, surrounded by non-edifying media, are hungry for encouraging art. The “Christian” market rose as a result, and from a consumer’s perspective it’s not all bad, any more than having a ‘kids’ section on Netflix is bad. I’m glad my 4 year old doesn’t have to look past “Kill Me Softly” to find “Kipper the Dog.”

But being part of a target market encourages us to be lazy and un-engaged. It’s easier not to ask, “Is this honest? Is it beautiful?” when we can just flip the radio dial and soak up whatever comes through, no matter how trite.

Let’s not pretend the Christian target market have a monopoly on this behavior; I think popular radio and novels are more to be avoided for their triteness than any sinful agenda. It’s the democratic drag of the least common denominator.

But unlike any other target market, we have eternal cause to be committed the True and Beautiful. We have a reason besides snobbery not to settle. And this is where the issue circles back to the artist.

There is a defined “Christian” market. And like any other market, it has standards and characteristics based on what sells. I agree with Clay that we shouldn’t act like we’re too good to be lumped in with the Christian market. As Jason Gray has said, Christian soccer moms have broken hearts too. But if you set out to make a “Christian” film, you take on a set of goals that have nothing to do with you telling a true story as beautifully as you can.

I’m no sage, but my business experience tells me that creating for the market almost always produces mediocrity, whether you make t-shirts, TVs or music. Nobody knew they wanted an iPod until after Apple made one. Nobody knew we wanted an album about a songwriting spaceman until Andy O made one.

We all eat our share of cheese spread. But, as Clay said, nearly everyone is delighted to discover the real thing – if only artists aren’t afraid to serve it.

I agree with Clay. I was thinking about this today while listening to Gungor’s fantastic “A Creation Liturgy” live album. In their case, their music is definitively Christian. But what they have brought into it is a desire for artistic excellence and creativity. I think that’s the critical thing in whatever we do.

Excellent quote. Thanks for pointing it out and sharing the link.

Along the same lines, I read another blog post today questioning the division between secular and sacred:
http://blogginoutloud.blogspot.com/

I’ve always thought that Madeleine L’Engle writes about this well in “Walking On Water.”

“Is it true?” seems to be the most important question. Then, “Is it edifying?”

After that, I think the questions are more geared towards finding a target audience. Questions like “Is it family-friendly?” “Will it appeal only to Christians?” “Will most Christians like/appreciate/enjoy/learn from this work?” etc. And (sometimes unfortunately) it is these questions that seem to define — at least from a marketing stance — whether or not a work is “Christian.”

Philippians 4:8 seems a good guide as to what kind of art I should enjoy and create.

Great quote and I agree with Clay — while much of the beauty we produce is bound to be labeled “Christian” by those who understand our message, it is to be art that “penetrates concrete reality,” in the words of Flannery O’Connor. I have experienced this myself, finding that some anti-Christians have expressed appreciation for some of my work that is undeniably Christian, because the beauty in it is not merely the beauty of the Message that is so lovely to those of us who believe it, but also the beauty of the messages He has scattered throughout the universe and which every artist sees to some degree. This is my great aim — to produce work that clearly bears the stamp of His image and yet penetrates the heart of things as though those reading were not already aware of what they heart of things is.

Flannery O’Connor writes,

“The sorry religious novel comes about when the writer supposes that, because of his belief, he is somehow dispensed from the obligation to penetrate concrete reality. . .But the real novelist, the one with an instinct for what he is about, knows that he cannot approach the infinite directly, that he must penetrate the natural human world as it is.”

This to me is such an interesting topic. Thanks Clay and James for illuminating more of why I’m so discomfited by stereotypically “Christian” art, as opposed to “secular” art.

There’s something about that “family friendly” tag on Christian radio stations that really does not sit well with me, perhaps because that in and of itself is not really an endorsement for the kinds of Truth and Beauty I want in my art. James, however, does bring up a good point that there is a place for “family friendly” content.

What really lights things up for me is when we go beyond “this is safe for our Christian ears/eyes” to art that reflects on Truth (capital T), and asks the deep questions inside us all. That’s the beauty of the Rabbit Room, I think. Here we encounter individuals who are masters of their craft, and who, out of that mastery speak to our common experience in a way that reflects the values most of us who visit this place share.

In conclusion, thanks to our Proprietor and Friends who really get this and offer up work that shines because of the priority you all place on being true to your worldview and to your craft. Incidentally, very often this seems to lead to a place of “family friendly” without that being the main goal. (Although I certainly believe in edifying, beautiful, grown-up only art, too).

I have been contimplating this article for a couple of days. My wife and I even discussed it on one of evening walks; especially this thought:

“There is not a space or part of life called “secular,” with another space or part of life called “sacred.” All of life is sacred, because it is all a gift of God. The question is whether we have rightly ordered the varied parts of life toward the good purposes for which they were created.”(This and well, the cheese spread theory as well)

At first I agreed with it and thought it clever. But something gnawed at me and so I continued to meditate on this. I then realized I do not totally agree.

God is 100% Holy. We who have come to trust in Him as our Lord and Savior are Sacred ( set apart ) for His purpose and glorification to to help others to understand the Truth (Him). If some of them have been gifted to create “art”, That art will automatically come from the heart that is full of God and His Spirit and give glory to Him.

No, there is no “sacred” or “secular”. There is Good and Evil though.

In today’s mind-blowing speed of information and media, we almost need some sort of mapping and labeling to help us not waste our minds, time and most importantly money on stuff that is not good for us. There is alot of stuff out there and sometimes safe is a good thing.

I do not care for all art. Some of it is garabage to me Christian or not. I can appreciate the work someone went through to make it, but I don’t like all of it. Some, I thoroughly enjoy. I like some art that happens to be made and produced by christians. Some art by christains I do not care for at all. You may or may not like my favorite art. It is all subject to each own liking.

But it would be sad to see Christian films done away with, or Christian music off the airwaves all because it is considered embarrassing to some christians and “cheesy”. I guess I see it as a light. Without it I am afraid that all that would be left is evil. I would be cautious to anyone who considers themselves christian and is “embarrassed” of Jesus being proclaimed in whatever fashion or art form.

So I say please do not hinder the cheesespread; I will bring extra crackers.