(c) 2010 Grassroots Films, Inc.
The long-awaited world premiere of Grassroots Films first feature film is coming!
The gorgeous award-winning docudrama, “The Human Experience,” first became public after initial editing in 2007, including the pre-screening we were blessed to co-host in Madison, Wisconsin in November 2007. With each screening, Grassroots garnered more and more popular acclaim and support, gaining momentum to eventually begin winning film festival prizes, totally twenty six to this date, including thirteen official selection awards, the top award at any film festival.
If you’ve seen this movie, you undoubtedly loved it. If you’ve not seen it, you must go.
GF is an immensely talented group of filmmakers and artists. They’re Christians, and though their work is not always explicitly religious, their work is profound and supernatural. Believers love the message of the beauty of human dignity imbued in this film, but the response of non-religious people has been tremendous as well. GF’s crew have a gift for portraying universal truth in an engaging way that is just simply beautiful. Please support them, tell your friends, and go to this film.
(Q&A with Grassroots Films at select locations.)for Colorado–Denver’s Northfield 18
Here’s a clip of friend David Clayton, artist in residence and lecturer at Thomas More College, on EWTN speaking about his Way of Beauty program.
From the University of Manchester Society for the Study of Theology:
THEOLOGY AND THE ARTS
12 TO 14 APRIL 2010, UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER
www.theologysociety.org.uk
CALL FOR PAPERS AND BURSARIES
I am writing to announce the call for papers and bursaries for the Society for the Study of Theology’s fifty-ninth annual conference, on the theme ‘Theology and the Arts’. We shall be exploring issues such as: How are the various arts related to other modes of theological interpretation? Is art true, or subjective, or both? What are the limitations of artistic representation? How may art be employed in teaching, whether in church or academy? What are the places of art in prayer and liturgy?
We invite proposals for SHORT PAPERS on the conference theme. Although we welcome discussions of specific artists and media, proposals should address theological questions such as those just listed rather than being confined to surveying the lives or works of particular figures. Papers should be delivered in a maximum of 20 minutes, followed by 20 minutes’ discussion, and should be no more than 2000 words in length. To submit a proposal, please visit www.theologysociety.org.uk/short.asp.
We also invite proposals for SEMINAR PAPERS on a range of ongoing topics. Seminars running in 2010 will include: Church, Theology and Ministry; Doctrine after Christendom; Philosophy and Theology; Theological Ethics; Theology, Feminism and Gender; and Trinity and Christology. To submit a proposal, please visit www.theologysociety.org.uk/seminar.asp.
Our Society operates a generous BURSARY FUND in order to make the conference as accessible as possible. Details of this fund and how to apply are also available on our website at www.theologysociety.org.uk/bursary.asp.
The deadline for receipt of all paper proposals and bursary applications will be 18 FEBRUARY.
Bookings for the conference will open on 5 January and I shall be writing again then to confirm this. In case your decision to attend the conference depends on acceptance of your paper proposal and/or bursary application, you will be notified of the outcome of these by 25 February in order to be able to book online before the early booking rate closes on 4 March.
Please feel free to forward this message to anyone who might be interested in submitting a paper proposal, such as colleagues, postgraduate students or anybody else with graduate-level interest in theology.
By all accounts, Stratford Caldecott is an unassuming man. Reserved in public, he dresses the part of an English intellectual–an actual English intellectual, not the over-tweedy stereotype. He thinks far more than he talks, the mark of a true philosopher. A cursory review of his work or a judgemental observation of his person might even lead one to assume he’s a conservative, a traditionalist, a reactionary of quietly strong pedigree. In a phrase, one who is “stuck in the past,” yearning in the present to return to something better. If one didn’t know better, one might accuse him of intellectual and artistic nostalgia.
But one would be utterly wrong.
There’s nothing glittery or avant garde about Caldecott or his new book, Beauty for Truth's Sake: On the Re-enchantment of Education, but this pivotal piece in contemporary thought simply shines.
This luminous and restrained quote by Jean Leclercq (quoted in Caldecott), illustrates the difference between those who know beauty an those who merely quote it, the difference between a universal philosopher of beauty, and one who feigns it by cultural curiosity rooted in the contemporary,
They loved the authors of the past, not simply because they belonged to the past but because they were beautiful, with a beauty which defies time.
I urge you to read this book. It quietly stands for the renewal in art, culture, education and faith that is the mission and vision of Ruah. I’m grateful for Caldecott’s vision, intelligence and quotidian grace, because it’s through the ordinary lived with great inspiration that beauty will save the world.
But don’t take my word for it. Friend, art historian and fellow blogger Matthew Milliner summarizes his thoughts on the book here:
…there is Stratford Caldecott’s Beauty for Truth’s Sake, which places these more vaulting projects in immediate reach. In addition, it’s far more wide-ranging. Caldecott aims to not only redeem theology with beauty, but quite literally everything with beauty – hence his book will appeal to those outside professional theological circles in ways that the aforementioned books probably (and most unfortunately) won’t. My review of Caldecott’s book was put up at Public Discourse yesterday. I urge you to read it simply because I think it’s a very important book. Better yet, skip my review and just buy the thing[my emphasis].
More reviews here:
Fr. Dwight Longnecker (Standing on My Head blog)
Matthew Milliner (Millinderd blog)
Hello, friends of Ruah! Welcome. This is just the very beginning of a more formal web presence for Ruah, a non-profit for the renewal of faith, culture and the arts. For more info until this site gets up, see www.ruah.stblogs.com.
Via Matthew Alderman at Holy Whapping (self-plug for Matt, but we approve), Loome Theological Booksellers, one of the most rockin’ places to get your God read on, will be featuring sacred gifts, to include Mr. Alderman’s lovely illustrations.
If you’re in the Twin City area of the US, go to Loome’s for a launch party this Sunday, from 2 to 4 PM at their store 320 North Fourth Street, Stillwater, Minnesota. Support Loome’s–Chesterton would be proud:
In an age dominated by big-box retail in books as well as everything else, it is refreshing to see that such a dominating institution as Loome’s is still in many respects a local, mom-and-pop sort of place, and that the man behind the cash register believes in the truths that are stacked up high on his shelves.
If you haven’t checked out the new design redux over at St. Austin Review, do so! It’s simple, creative and I think perfectly in tune with their goal and mission is–it’s not trying too hard to be what it’s not.
One feature of the new web site is the StAR blog, the Ink Desk, featuring snippets of the faith and culture conversation.
After quite a long hiatus and infrequent posting for the last two years since the advent of Ruah Movie Nights and the Human Experience screening, Ruah is back!
My husband and I have wanted to reignite this effort for some time, but things have never quite been right. Until now. A number of circumstances–crosses, joys, encouragement and signs–have aligned, all pointing towards the re-launching of Ruah, this time as a non-profit rather than just a club of loose associations.
We’re currently praying over John Paul II’s Letter to Artists, networking with friends in similar work and with a similar passion, doing the non-profit legwork (incorporation, 501(c)3 paperwork, bylaws, board, etc.), and trying to find part time jobs to keep us afloat until we can get status and apply for grants.
Please pray for our discernment, tasks, networking and especially for benefactors. As you may have heard, this is not the best financial time to begin a non-profit, as nearly all non-profits are struggling.
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Speaking of which, I just got an email from the Foundation for Sacred Arts, and they’re two shakes of a lamb away from cutting and shutting, so please strongly consider sending them a sacrificial gift:
Dear friends,
Since 2002, The Foundation for Sacred Arts has tirelessly worked to revitalize the sacred arts, both by cultivating a demand for beauty in these arts and by supporting those artists who create works of beauty today. During this time, the Foundation has established a seven year track record of important and consequential events and activities, including two national traveling exhibitions, lectures with distinguished speakers, and most recently, the stained glass tour Spendors of the Sacred and the art exhibition Picturing the Rosary.
Though we have been actively developing a number of fundraising initiatives in order to fund basic operational expenses as well as Foundation-sponsored projects, our efforts have been hampered by the still weak economy. Our appeals and outreaches have generated only enough income to sustain us through the end of this month! At that time, without additional funding, the impoverished state of the Foundation will force us to suspend all activity until further notice.
The Foundation has been blessed with a team of dedicated volunteers, and we are eager to continue our efforts to revive the sacred arts for the glory of God, the life of His Church, and the transformation of culture. But our organization, like many others, is in need of funding to cover basic operational expenses: approximately $5500 per month. However, your check or online donation of $1000, $500, $100 or $50 will greatly contribute to this financial need.
With your generous assistance, we will be able to complete our projects already in development for 2010, including the launch of our online archive of artists, architects, and music composers as a resource for patrons; a seminarian arts formation program to equip priests with the tools necessary to direct commissions and restorations within their own parishes; and an expansion of our resources to include segments dealing with art and catechesis.
Please help us in our mission to revive the sacred arts. It is through beauty that man will see God. “In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art.” – Pope John Paul II
Faithfully,
Ann Marra
Executive Director
I received this via the SAF’s email newsletter:
Greetings!
The Foundation has reached a critical financial moment. We still need an additional $20,000 to cover operational costs through the balance of this year. Without it, the Foundation will be forced to cease activity and close its doors by mid-September. Yet, if each person on this mailing list offers a contribution of just $50, this financial need will be more than satisfied. The Foundation depends entirely on the generosity of its friends for the support of its programs. We urge you to consider helping us continue our vital mission to evangelize the world through art.
“In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the Church needs art.” – Pope John Paul II
Contact Us!
1413 K Street NW
Suite 1000
Washington, DC 20005
202-898-1288
info@thesacredarts.org
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