The Christian Imagination

Ever heard the terms High Culture and Low Culture? Whether you have or not, what do you envision when you think about it?

High Culture is usually associated with those that are refined, educated, and/or wealthy. The elite.
Low Culture is associated with the common people, those less educated and poor. The masses.

We recognize high and low culture, don’t we? Where the the following fit: rap music, classical music, bars, symphonies, homeless, Cadillac, pickup trucks, SUVs, cats, dogs, etc. How many of those are instantly associated with high culture? Low culture? Some things may not be clear cut, and some would argue that the lines are blurring, but we tend to know what a status symbol is.

How often is art associated with one of these paradigms? Where does your favorite art fall?

What of churches? What churches are high culture? Which are low culture? Rome is still high culture; St. Francis the epitome of low culture.

Let’s talk about jazz. Is jazz high or low culture? Some would say high culture, and that position could be defended. Jazz began as the music of the street, a prime African-American form of expression. It was low, very low culture. Classical music was high culture, had been for centuries. Which form of music was approved by the white community of the time? Which wasn’t? For that matter, where do the respective church services of an average white and average black congregation fall?

Whether the point needs to be stated or not, I’ll be clear. We judge all the time based on common cultural assumptions, and some of those assumptions change over time. Make sure your Christian world view isn’t too closely aligned with how a certain subculture views the world.

Everyday Joe’s Coffee House, based in Fort Collins, Colorado, has released a 19 song CD compilation in MP3 format:

“One part of the vision of Everyday Joe’s is to give back to the community as much as possible…whether that be monetarily, through in-kind donations, not charging for the use of the building, and now, through a free CD compilation for you.

Love, Everyday Joe’s- vol. 1: No More Gloom is now up for download by clicking here. This is an idea that had been brewing in our minds for some time and to see it come to fruition is fantastic. All the music on the album was donated by musicians who have played here. This will only be available for a limited time (until about Jan. 1) so don’t dilly dally. Get downloading!

Songs were donated by: Aboyandhiskite, Winderous Igloos, Eric Peters, Josh Dillard, Luke Flowers, Trace Bundy, Eva Holbrook, Kate Hurley, The Blackthorn Project, Tim Coons, Listener Project, The Apprentice, Jeremy Lister, Jonah Werner, Andrew Osenga, Katie Herzig, Aaron Strumpel, and Sleeping At Last.”

Today we talked about art and the Bible. The following are verses we discussed:

Visual Art
Ex. 25:31-33 (representinng real objects)
Ex. 28:33 (creating pomegranates that are not the normal color)
2 Chr. 3:6 (art for beauty – see KJV)
2 Chr. 3:16-17 (free standing columns that serve no useful purpose, form of abstract art)
2 Chr. 4:3-5 (altar and molten sea)
Num. 21:6-8 and John 3:14-15 (brazen serpent, art used for religious purpose)

Poetry
2 Sam. 1:19-27 (secular ode)
2 Sam. 23:1-2 (David inspired by God, and he was a poet)

Music & Song
Exodus 15 (song of praise for deliverance)
1 Chr. 23:3-5 (4000 Levite musicians appointed to temple)
1 Chr. 15:16-22 (template music performed by professionals)
1 Chr. 25:1, 6-7 (David appoints musicians)
2 Chr. 29:24-29 (Hezekiah)
Numbers 21:27-30 (song of the well)
1 Sam. 16:14-23 (David and Saul)
1 Cor 14:26, Eph. 5:19, Col. 3:16 (more informal and relational)

Drama
Ezek. 4:1-8 (Ezekial performs drama repeatedly)

Dance
Psalm 149:3
Psalm 150:4-5
Exodus 15:20
2 Sam. 6:14-16

Popular Culture
Acts 17:28 (references Greek Stoic poets)
1 Cor. 15:33 (reference to play Thais by Greek dramatist Menander)
Titus 1:12 (references Epimenides)

One of the missionaries we support through our church is Ron Neptune and his family. Ron and Jennifer, along with their kids Stephen, Marisa, Jeison, help run a ministry for homeless, drug abusing children, on the streets of Medillin, Columbia. They work with a great organization called Latin America Mission. I thought about doing their summer program when I was in college, which involved living with a family in Mexico City and taking language lessons.

The Neptunes are going to be moving to Brazil soon to work with ministries and street kids there. As Ron was speaking, my mind flashed back to the movie City of God (Cidade de Deus). The City of God is a real place near Rio de Janeiro. The movie itself was made in Brazil, is in Portuguese, and is based on the novel City of God, which is based on a true story. It was nominated for Best Cinematography at the Academy Awards, which is well deserved.

The story is brutal at times, as we watch gangs of children with guns killing those who get in their way as they build their drug empires. The gangs become families, and they look out for each other, and those under their protection. There are police, but they can only do so much, and are sometimes just as desperate. So, I ponder what it means to minister to street children in Brazil, and it melts me.

While on Pandora (the music service) this week, I came across their GlobalGiving Philanthrop Projects, one of which is to teach music to children in Rio de Janeiro, where “about 6,000 youth work for armed drug dealers in favelas. The project offers productive alternatives that promote self esteem and dignity.” Music, it stirs the imagination, something needed in places where there is little hope.