Renew the Arts Podcast

Allison and Michael discuss some of the features of realism and impressionism, and how these movements represent the first murmurings of “modern” art. Additionally, they address how and why female artists began to enjoy greater representation in the mid to late 1800s. Special thanks to Dr. Sachs for his contributions, and stay tuned at the end for another classical guitar piece from Philip Hodges.

Allison and Michael discuss the important transition from the Baroque to the Romantic era. Why did Nature vs. Civilization become such a central theme of Romantic artists, and why does it still matter? Special thanks to Dr. Sachs from Kennesaw State University for his contributions on the relationship between the Neo-Classical and Romantic movements. And stay tuned at the end to hear Philip Hodges play the first movement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” arranged for classical . . . [ Read More ]

Your hosts Allison and Michael unpack the transition from Renaissance into Baroque art with an emphasis on the impact the Reformation had on culture in its time (and beyond). Stay tuned at the end for a Bach Cello Prelude played on classical guitar by Phil Hodges.  

Your hosts Michael and Allison discuss the birth and rebirth of Greek and Roman values in ancient and Renaissance art, discussing the history and impact of Platonism on culture and the church. Stay tuned at the end for a Renaissance lute piece arranged for the classical guitar played by Phil Hodges. Special thanks to Dr. Sachs from Kennesaw State University for his helpful contributions.  

Is art history important for anyone but museum managers? Michael and co-host Allison Knight talk about the substance and importance of our season 3 theme for everyone—artists, consumers, leaders, and taste-makers. How does art history differ from just plain history? How does it direct you and your culture even if you remain ignorant of it? Listen to the end to hear sponsored artist and classical guitarist Philip Hodges play Opus 35, No. 13, by Fernando . . . [ Read More ]

Join your hosts, Justus and Michael, as they field your questions and discuss your comments from two seasons of the Renew the Arts podcast. What was our most controversial episode? What’s so great about raw milk? Were we wrong about Tolkien? Stay tuned through the end to hear the lyrics-included version of the Season 2 theme song, “Sounding Brass,” by Civilized Creature from Of the Uncaused Cause.

Clearly, artists within the church need greater support from Christians, but what about artists outside the church? Should Christians support or receive art from unbelievers? And if so, how? Special thanks to Bryan John Appleby for allowing us to close this episode with “Noah’s Nameless Wife” from his record Fire on the Vine.

Given the degree to which Renew the Arts supports art and artists, it might surprise you to hear Justus and Michael talking about how some aspiring artists should be discouraged from pursuing their dreams. In this episode, they pitch some practical ideas on how you can determine if God has really called you to the arts, and what that might look like. Wait until the end to hear “Songs for Friends” from Physick’s Songs for . . . [ Read More ]

What do prophets have to do with art? Throughout the Scriptures, the prophetic calling is closely associated with the arts, especially with music, poetry, and prophetic theater. In this episode, Justus and Michael explore the way in which this close association persists today, closely following the discussion of this in Steve Turner’s excellent book, Imagine. Special thanks to singer-songwriter Drakeford Lanier for permission to end this episode with the song “Whitewash” from his record, The . . . [ Read More ]

Does church architecture matter? Does it do anything more than house people and programs at the lowest possible cost with the potential side goal of attracting new members? Or should we be aiming higher and deeper? Justus and Michael discuss what our architecture says about our priorities and why we should be giving greater leadership to visionary artists in this crucial area. Stay tuned at the end for another excellent track from Warbler off of . . . [ Read More ]

Why devote any time to craft? If the information being communicated is all that matters, wouldn’t the quickest, cheapest, most direct form of communication be best? In this episode, Justus and Michael are joined again by Rusty Hein to discuss why good craft makes art hospitable and why that’s so important. Stay tuned at the end for “Testimony” by Warbler off of Sea of Glass.

Why does it seem like the same churches that dismiss the arts also tend to marginalize the material world and the other profound implications of the Incarnation? Is it possible the evangelical church has become overrun with Platonism and its rationalist offspring Gnosticism? Justus and Michael point to some signs of this growing problem and discuss how art can be part of the solution. Stay tuned at the end to listen to “Utah,” by Brock’s . . . [ Read More ]

Most unbelievers will not go to church, so it seems pretty obvious that the church needs to go to unbelievers. But is this done only through street preaching, personal evangelism, and apologetics? In this episode, Justus and Michael explore what we can learn from the Court of the Gentiles and the parables of Jesus about how to introduce unbelievers to God. Stay tuned until the end to hear “People Change” from I Have Seen the . . . [ Read More ]

Singer-songwriter Jesse Murray joins Michael and Justus to discuss his upcoming EP “Trail of Tears,” a collection of songs written concerning the historical and present relationship between Native Americans and the United States. Along the way, they discuss the idea of collective repentance—is it possible for children to repent of the sins of their forefathers? And what good can it do? Also, Jesse plays two tracks from the forthcoming album live—the title track “Trail of . . . [ Read More ]

Never ones to back down from a challenge, your intrepid hosts Justus and Michael open up season 2 by tackling the age-old thorny question, “What is Art?” They are joined by Renew the Arts Creative Director Rusty Hein for this all-too-brief, but we hope productive, discussion. Stay tuned at the end for “Man Walked Out,” by Micah Stout from his record Without Reservations. A special thanks to Douglas and Siri Gregory for sponsoring this episode . . . [ Read More ]

Are the arts as trivial and inconsequential in and for the church as their place in the Protestant church would seem to indicate? Being an arts organization, perhaps Renew the Arts has overestimated the crucial value of the arts in the church out of some unwittingly self-serving desire to think of ourselves and our work more highly than we ought. We’re certainly willing to explore this possibility and examine again why we’re so dedicated to . . . [ Read More ]

Even though a redemption story composes the heart of every Christian’s personal history, so many quite talented Christian artists have found such stories sometimes impossibly difficult to tackle in fiction. In this episode, Justus and Michael discuss why redemption stories are so difficult to tell naturally and believably, bringing in a few literary examples along the way. Stay tuned at the end for a song off of Warbler’s Sea of Glass called “The Idiot,” a . . . [ Read More ]

Why does the contemporary church tend to reject its artists, and why do so many artists reject the church? Can we do anything about it? In the episode, Justus and Michael explore some of the bones of contention and roots of bitterness which keep so many artist Christians on the fringes of the church, and they explain how reconciling the church and her artists would be of inestimable benefit to both. Stay tuned at the . . . [ Read More ]

If the church removed non-biblical restrictions on art, would that create too much freedom? How far is too far? Michael and Justus discuss how censoring yourself, as an artist and as a consumer, is a necessary component in ensuring that artistic liberty remains constructive and encourages discernment. Freedom should never be license for sin. Stay tuned at the end for “Father Song” by Brock’s Folly off of I Have Seen the End.

Along with our first-ever guest, visual artist Joe Goode, Justus and Michael discuss the crucial difference between seeking unity and seeking uniformity in the church. One crushes diversity, while the other necessitates it. How could the arts play a part in this? Stay tuned at the end for “Primary Issues,” by Brock’s Folly from their sophomore effort The Great Commoner, a song borne from the hope that there can be unity in the essentials of Christ’s . . . [ Read More ]

Why do most professional critics and unbelievers hate “Christian art”? Is it because they’re prejudiced against the Gospel? Should their opinions matter to Christian artists or Christians in general? On this episode of the Renew the Arts Podcast, Michael and Justus talk about the God’s Not Dead movie franchise, the dubious label “Christian art,” and why Christians need to listen carefully to what unbelievers think and feel about the creative work the church creates and . . . [ Read More ]

The story most American Christians have believed concerning the national abortion epidemic is that, with Roe v. Wade, with a stroke of a pen, activist Supreme Court justices loosened the nation’s morals when they loosened the nation’s law. But the statistics tell a different story, a story which confirms that politics are downstream from culture. Join Justus and Michael as they explore this timely and surprising topic. And listen until the end to hear Warbler’s . . . [ Read More ]

On this episode of the Renew the Arts podcast, your hosts Justus and Michael will take you on a bracing conversational journey into what might seem at first like a strange topic—why the church should make more ugly art. What exactly do they mean by “ugly art”? And why is it so crucial to the church’s witness and ministry to unbelievers and believers alike? Ezekiel 23 is the very ugly passage Michael quoted. You can . . . [ Read More ]

With the passing of Billy Graham, who is going to reach the next generation with the Gospel? It’s probably not who you think. In fact, it might not even be one person at all. In this episode of the Renew the Arts podcast, Justus leads the way in a discussion of the changing landscape of Gospel missions in this media-saturated age. Stay tuned at the end for “Who Will Speak?,” a song by Brock’s Folly . . . [ Read More ]

Can art preach? Should it? For their first episode, Michael and Justus discuss the two biggest lies Christians believe about the arts: First, that all art by Christians must present the gospel. Secondly, that no art can present the gospel. Included at the end of this podcast is the song “Back Where You Belong,” from the album “Before the Bright Lights” by Anthony Quails. This is an album that we sponsored and funded, and we think it . . . [ Read More ]