Thursday, May 13, 2010

imagine that...

I wrote this review for Amazon, so I thought I'd share it here, too. I've gotten to know the author, Manuel Luz, and I'm happy to recommend his book, Imagine That.

For too much of my life, I didn't understand the connection between my creativity and my Christianity; after much studying and prayer, I came to realize that art can be an outpouring of my faith and an integral part of my relationship to God. Reading this book, Manuel Luz takes the reader through much the same course of questioning, study and prayer, pointing to our Creator God as the source of our creativity.

Manuel shares his heart while digging into the relationship between the artist, the church and God, with all of the follies and joys that come with any set of human relationships, then points toward a way for understanding on all sides. In the chapter "Art and the Spiritual Disciplines," the reader learns how art can be a spiritual discipline in and of itself, bringing the artist closer to God.

"Imagine That" has become one of the touchstone books in my collection on art and faith, a book that I devoured cover to cover and that I am now leading a group of artists through as the basis for study and discussion. The questions that Manuel poses at the end of each chapter have led to some of the most profound and stimulating discussions I have ever had with my fellow artists.

I've also compiled a list of books on Art & Faith you might be interested in reading, which I add to now and again. jm