“Art is no fringe attached to the garment, and no amusement that is added to life, but a most serious power in our present existence.”
Abraham Kuyper
Often times words are tricky things; we think we know what they mean – and then, when listening to others use the word, assume we know what they mean – when, really, the fuller meaning has evaded our grasp. Sometimes this is through our own willful ignorance, or because we were misled. Either way, a kind of mistreatment has taken place. I think that the word “art” is an especially good example as one that has often suffered from mistreatment. This unfortunately means that artists, too, can be misunderstood. However, in the last number of years, and with the help of bright minds and hearts, the word “art” is becoming more fully appreciated.
This issue of Radix is all about art – including actual art, that we think you’ll really enjoy. Along with that we have interviews from people who are either artists themselves, or who think deeply about that field. We have for you John Franklin, the director of Imago, an arts initiative in Canada, who shares his thoughts on the power of imagination and the biblical and theological grounding of art; Betty Spackman, a multifaceted artist who shares insights about creativity, the power of hospitality, and the courage it takes to be an artist; Arthur Aghajanian brings into the mix some inciteful thoughts on the contemplative realm of visual culture and spirituality; Sharon Henthorn-Iwane, an iconographer and spiritual director shares some of her insights on the history, creation and theological import of icons; and to mix it up a bit, we also have Jan Lermitte who is a Dorothy Sayers scholar (think British detective author and Christian apologist who was good friends with C.S. Lewis) who, along with providing some interesting biographical material, also talks about Sayers’ ideas on women and culture that are still relevant.
Speaking of relevant – and we are especially excited about this new venture – Radix is introducing a fiction section. Those of our readers who go way back (like, to the 70s) will know that this is an area that Radix hasn’t previously touched. But we are now – and we are stoked. Jessica Walters, the fiction editor, provides the following introductory thought on the importance of fiction:
As children we learn from well-meaning adults that nonfiction is true and fiction is fake. While the mnemonic device (f for fiction, f for fake) works neatly, any reader of fiction soon discovers that the line between true and fake is far from neat. Fiction isn’t true in the literal sense, but cuts straight to emotional truth, satisfying a craving for story. The very best stories invite us inside them – first as a guest, and then as a participant. We become part of the story, and if we allow it, the story becomes a part of us. Fiction entices us to care deeply, to become more empathetic, more generous, and more humane. This is, perhaps, why Jesus told stories. In the telling of the story of the Good Samaritan, he invited us to imagine ourselves not just as the obvious hero, but as the fearful priest, the rushed religious leader, the vulnerable man left flayed on the roadside. Fiction allows us to imaginatively enter a story, to have compassion for the hero and the villain, and ultimately come to terms with both the light and dark aspects of ourselves.
Lastly, we are happy to announce that there will be a season 2 of Arthur Aghajanian’s Visually Scared podcast. Check out his latest podcast episode, “William Dyrness: Protestant Aesthetics, Modernism, and Theopoetics.”
With all of that, I invite you to crack open the latest issue – M