Today I am interviewing Sam Mahlstadt, author of Creative Theology. Sam writes a blog on faith and creativity at creativetheology.com. His book is now available in digital form, and the print edition is available for pre order. You can follow him on Twitter at @sammahlstadt.
In your book, you say that beauty inspires us to create. Tell us about what inspired you to write Creative Theology.
I tell a story in the book about a hiking trip I took through Rocky Mountain National Park. I witnessed the incredible reflective quality of nature on that trip. Some of those moments have stuck with me, as I’m personally compelled by the beauty found in nature. I also tell a story about a writing class in college where we were tasked with observing a piece of art for an hour, and then writing a poem in response. This is a key concept in the book, and that moment largely shaped my thoughts about creating in response to beauty. I don’t go into this in the book, but the art piece I looked at was a huge Jackson Pollock painting, Mural, at the University of Iowa Museum of Art,
and I was sitting in an Eames lounge chair. I’ve been captivated by both Pollock and the Eames lounge chair ever since. It may seem ridiculous, but that writing exercise deeply influenced my reaction to art and beauty. These moments, and the fact that I get so annoyed with the lack of creativity, reverence for beauty and spiritual connection to art in the church, inspired me to write the book.
There are a few groups of people who might be interested in this book, but who did you have in mind when you wrote it?
I wrote this for a primary audience and a secondary audience. The primary audience is made up of those who create art for churches (corporate worship). I wanted this group to walk away with two messages: one, get over yourself, and two, take what you do very seriously. The two may seem contradictory, but I think they play off one another and create a healthy tension. Ultimately it’s about finding a place in our faith where we recognize that everything comes from God, and we’re merely a fickle vehicle to carry his message. At the same time, we are created to reflect and display the very image of God. It’s a challenging, beautiful tension to live in, and create out of. It both relieves pressure and adds urgency to our work.
The secondary audience is made up of those who would refute the idea that they are creative. These are the folks who would acknowledge that they are created in the image of the Creator, yet just aren’t creative. I try to take that on in the book, making a case for how that’s not possible.
You claim that everyone is creative, but would you say that everyone is an artist?
No, I wouldn’t. Part of my working definition of creativity is that creativity is innate. We all use creativity to navigate our lives. Art, on the other hand, is creating something that is designed for consumption. A very basic example would be that, while we are all creative (and we are all creating a body of work with our lives), we don’t all have the desire to paint or write or make music to share with those around us. Some would argue with this definition, but it’s what I used to differentiate between creativity and art while writing the book.
What are your thoughts on the intersection of art and the church?
I think that the major struggle the church faces is that somewhere along the way, we stopped drawing out the artistic potential from the pews. I briefly discuss the Byzantine era in the book. While I am definitely not an art historian, the Byzantine era was known for setting the stage for the Renaissance, and the church was extremely active in commissioning work during that time. Art was commissioned and also celebrated. It seems that many churches now only use art as a way to supplement a sermon, which weakens the art. In these instances, the art is turned into propaganda, which does a disservice to everyone involved.
I loved what you said about the disconnect in our original responsibility to “serve the garden”. While it is clear that you are saying our role is to take care of nature, are you talking about more than just environmental activism here?
Yes, this goes well beyond what has become known as “creation care.” I think our response to nature, and our mandate to serve it, is a microcosm for how we react and treat our relationship with God. In the book I talk about how man was created to serve the garden, but how that got turned around so that man used the garden to serve himself. While this certainly applies to nature, the heart of the issue is how man responded to God. Nothing has changed when you look at our culture. We still use nature to serve ourselves, but it’s a bigger issue. It’s a heart issue. Creation, destruction, and restoration are the three movements of the book, which align with the story of the Bible, and ultimately, the story of our lives. We all witness and take part in destruction even after we witness the beauty of creation. This is devastating, but it’s not the final word. In Jesus, we are invited to take part in the renewal and restoration of all things. This is good news. I hope this part of the book challenges people to search their heart, and look honestly at how they respond to God.
You talk about the team that helped you write the book. What are your thoughts on creating and community?
While I wrote the content of the book by myself, I worked with a team of designers to really create the book. It’s very clear after a quick glance at the book that the design really drives the content. This was, as I mentioned, very intentional. I owe so much to the designers who had a hand in the book. The tough part was writing the book in a way that deliberately took a back seat to a different medium. That in itself taught me a lot about myself and the way I create. It’s a humbling experience to take a step back and acknowledge that your book could be better if it showcased less of your work and more of someone else’s. I really only had a few face-to-face meetings with the designers, everything was done through email. Lots of email. Even then, I feel that the creative process was much richer for me knowing that it was a group effort. This is something I fear many people don’t consider. It changed the way I will approach my writing in the future, in that I will seek out collaboration early and often when approaching a project. In fact, I have an idea for an ebook that has already been heavily influenced by a few conversations I’ve had with artists (I’ll be revealing a bit more in my January newsletter). It’s easier to unpack complex issues like faith and creativity with the help of others.
What did you learn through the self-publishing process and your Kickstarter campaign?
I finally became convinced that I could actually publish a book with dignity and without a publisher. And this didn’t even happen until after the campaign was well over. I have been watching the publishing world change the past couple years, and have been watching very closely this past year with the introduction of Seth Godin’s Domino Project, and some mainstream authors’ leaving their publisher to self-publish. Even with all that, I still had a dream of landing a book deal. I wrote a book proposal, sent it to an agent and was rejected. The agent didn’t think the book was marketable. (I hope to prove him wrong!) After I got the “thanks but no thanks” I decided that instead of continuing to pursue the self-publishing option, when push comes to shove, I wanted to create something that impacts readers more than I wanted to be validated by a publisher. But this was a long process that required a lot of getting over myself.
How has writing this book changed you?
I think it’s changed me in a couple of profound ways. My pastor introduced me as an author a couple weeks ago to a guy I had never met. That was a proud and humbling moment for me. But it’s true I guess, and I love it. I’ve been carrying the book around inside of me for a few years now, and to have it out and in the world feels great. Now that I’ve done it once, I feel like I can do it again. As soon as I become taken by another subject, I will start writing book #2.
It has also changed how I view myself in respect to the Church. I have served on staff at a couple of churches, but this is an entirely different way to serve the body of Christ. It has helped me reconcile my writing and my desire to see the Kingdom move forward, which is very exciting. I may not be a thought leader in the arts or in theology, but if I can help some people wrestle with their faith and their creativity, it’s a win in my book. I hope and pray that the book will start and/or continue conversations about faith and creativity.
Do yourself a favor and order Sam’s book for your coffee table. It is both beautifully written and beautifully designed. Thanks for talking with us, Sam!
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