Disney-Britton

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS  By TAHLIB "Crosses" by Robert Longo C. 2010

The new Matt Damon/Clint Eastwood film, Hereafter begins with the most thrilling tsunami wave since 1972's Poseiden Adventure and ends with a tearful uniting of broken souls: a psychic, an author, and a little boy. It is the long "inbetween" of slowly unfolding those broken lives which will keep most American audiences away. To the dismay of many, there are no answers in this movie about what is waiting or is not waiting for us after death so neither Christian fundamentalists or Humanist extremists will be satisfied. Instead, it's a simple telling of the stories of people impacted by death, and is played by a wonderful cast and led by a masterful director.

Three Faiths: Judaism, Christianity, Islam  leads the  The New York Public Library ’s fall 2010 exhibition schedule. The exhibition explores these three religions through 200 of the texts they have produced. Three Faiths is on view from October 22, 2010 through February 27, 2011 at the Library’s Stephen A. Schwarzman Building at Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street in Manhattan.

Poster for “ Script of Kindness ”, an exhibit of calligraphy works to raise funds for the flood-stricken people of Pakistan. Hosted and organized by Tehran’s Imam Ali (AS) Religious Arts Museum.

Following the PBS series, " God in America " it only makes sense to explore what is the state of Faith in America, state-by-state? This is different from the question posed by Pew about "religion knowledge" but about identification. Not surprisingly, the Barna Group found that 3 of 4 Americans self-identify as Christians even if they don't have a church home. In their short summary on the groups webiste, they also explore a few of the cities where there are extreme differences. I've sent an email to the Barna Group to find out if there is more I can share about more cities.

"This is a pagan celebration, not Disneyland!"  ~ ANONYMOUS MAN,  the Burning Man Festival

BYU | MAGAZINE By Alicia M. Moulton (BA ’10) Andrew J. Kosorok (BFA ’04) leans over a panel of glass, on which he etched an intricate floral motif. This piece is called Al-Mu’mim, Inspirer of Faith. It represents the growth of God’s creations as they react to trials and blessings. The Harold B. Lee Library recently displayed eight of Kosorok’s glass sculptures in the exhibit 99 Most Beautiful Names . Each sculpture represents a name of God from the Qu’ran . But Kosorok isn’t a Muslim; he’s a Latter-day Saint—he grew up in Washington, served a mission in Alabama, and now lives in Orem, Utah, with his wife and four children. And flat glass isn’t typical for Islamic art; it’s common in Christian architecture. Yet this combination, Kosorok hopes, creates just the right message of religious understanding. [ More ]

by Charlie Goetz It occurs to me that my last rant (about freeing art from irrelevant competitive and market forces) needs a postscript to cancel the possible implication that all art works are of equal weight and aesthetic value.  Not true!Certainly the paintings of Van Gogh and Andy Warhol are more impactful than those of the painter who gave us those big-eyed, bug-eyed kids, a generation or so ago.  And to lump the sappy Rod McKuen with master poets like Eliot and Auden is to invite roars of ridicule. Enter the critic. Artists, particularly those who work in theater, are perhaps rightly suspicious of critics--whom they equate with negativity.  But a good, knowledgable critic can be an invaluable teacher and guide, shining light on important (especially new) work and leading us to fuller appreciation.You want to pick your critic carefully, though.  There are those who are in love with their own words and therefore color their commentary not to illumi...

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS  By TAHLIB Die Gefrässigen (Völlerei), "Lust" Carl Rabus C. 1938. Oil on canvas, 128 x 98 cm. On view:   Museum of Fine Arts Bern in Switzerland

by Charlie Goetz One of the oddities about American attitudes toward art is our tendency to cram works into non-relelvant competitions.  The most conspicuous are the Oscars, Tonys and Emmys.  Talk about comparing apples and oranges!  The Tonys and Emmys try to break things down into categories of "likes," but even so judges are forced to choose among radically different, ultimately incomparable entries.  "Juried" events involving visual arts go down the same erroneous path.  It's kind of like asking parents to pick a favorite child.  In your heart you might have one, but you surely don't set such a preference out there as any kind of gospel.  The urge to subject art works to win/lose games is probably tied to the idea that artistic activity should be subject to market forces, a notion belied by the European tradition of patronage, underwriting that brought powerful religious subjects powerfully forward for our continuing admira...

AOA NEWS By Ernest Britton INDIANA - Going to New York's Tribeca Film Festival  in 2009, founded by Robert DeNiro, was an electric experience even though I was bored by the strange conceptual film on view. So, I had low expectations for the independent film's to be presented at the Heartland Film Festival (HFF) in Indianapolis. Thanks to my friend Ted, I found out I was so wrong! Rather than presenting cutting-edge conceptual NYC-style films, the HFF is loaded with inspirational, heartwarming fare that just makes you feel good. They even have an awards program where they name pictures, "Truly Moving" or not. No, Indiana's HFF doesn't have the gritty, thrills and excitement of a NYC film festival, although I did meet actor Don Moss (Happy Days) and the writer/director of a fantastic religious/baseball film,  The Yankles ; instead it's just filled with movies you want to talk about because you leave inspired. I only saw three of the 102 films: " Yan...

By JAMES HIPPS If you’ve ever attended a Methodist church, you’ll probably agree the name is fitting as they definitely have a ‘method’ to how a service is run.  It’s almost like clockwork and many times, if you’ll look around, there will be parishioners watching the clock, knowing that exactly 11:57 a.m. the benediction will commence.  Ah, yes…the beginning of the end.  You’ve done your weekly duty and put in your hour and now it’s time to head out for lunch. Growing up in the Midwest, I had the opportunity to visit a Methodist church on many occasions.  My father was Catholic, yet my mother was from a Lutheran upbringing and so somehow, the Methodist church became the compromise. With the exception of Christmas Eve, every service was status quo.  I could literally walk you through a service at the First United Methodist Church in Eaton Rapids, Michigan (the only Eaton Rapids on earth, yet I’m sure not the “first” UMC) as easily as I could predict ...

By JAMES HIPPS If you’ve ever attended a Methodist church, you’ll probablyagree the name is fitting as they definitely have a ‘method’ to how a serviceis run.  It’s almost like clockwork andmany times, if you’ll look around, there will be parishioners watching theclock, knowing that exactly 11:57 a.m. the benediction will commence.  Ah, yes…the beginning of the end.  You’ve done your weekly duty and put in yourhour and now it’s time to head out for lunch. Growing up in the Midwest, I had the opportunity to visit aMethodist church on many occasions.  Myfather was Catholic, yet my mother was from a Lutheran upbringing and sosomehow, the Methodist church became the compromise. With the exception of Christmas Eve, every service wasstatus quo.  I could literally walk youthrough a service at the First United Methodist Church in Eaton Rapids,Michigan (the only Eaton Rapids on earth, yet I’m sure not the “first” UMC) aseasily as I could predict what time the six o’ cloc...

by James Hipps If you’ve ever attended a Methodist church, you’ll probablyagree the name is fitting as they definitely have a ‘method’ to how a serviceis run.  It’s almost like clockwork andmany times, if you’ll look around, there will be parishioners watching theclock, knowing that exactly 11:57 a.m. the benediction will commence.  Ah, yes…the beginning of the end.  You’ve done your weekly duty and put in yourhour and now it’s time to head out for lunch. Growing up in the Midwest, I had the opportunity to visit aMethodist church on many occasions.  Myfather was Catholic, yet my mother was from a Lutheran upbringing and sosomehow, the Methodist church became the compromise. With the exception of Christmas Eve, every service wasstatus quo.  I could literally walk youthrough a service at the First United Methodist Church in Eaton Rapids,Michigan (the only Eaton Rapids on earth, yet I’m sure not the “first” UMC) aseasily as I could predict what time the six o’ cloc...

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Tahlib Ena Heller has been named the 2010 AAR Religion and the Arts Award winner. She is the Executive Director of the Museum of Biblical Art (MOBIA) in New York City. Heller’s professional career has focused on building places of learning within museums. While working on a PhD in art history from the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, with a specialty in medieval art and architecture (earned in 1997), Heller honed her teaching skills through appointments at the College of the Holy Cross (Worcester, MA) and Manhattanville College (Purchase, NY), and learned the workings of various museum departments through jobs at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art.

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By TAHLIB When Lawrence Parker's " Intolerance " about Park51 (aka the 9-11 Mosque) first appeared in the September issue of  The New Yorker  the nation was hotly embroiled in the debate including whether or not a southern preacher would burn a copy of the Quran.

COLORADO - California Artist Enrigue Chagoya and Resurrection's pastor, Jonathan Wiggins, spoke with each other shortly after last weeks destruction of his controversial Jesus art in the Loveland, Colorado museum. Following their conversations, Chagoya says he offered to paint for free a "beautiful" portrait of baby Jesus for the church. Enrique Chagoya, the artist whose Jesus art sparked a firestorm in the Loveland, Colorado community over the last few weeks says he will try to bring calm by painting a portrait of Jesus Christ for a local church. Chagoya and Resurrection's Christian Fellowship pastor, Jonathan Wiggins, spoke with each other shortly after the destruction of his controversial work by a Montana woman. Following their conversations, Chagoya says he offered to paint for free a "beautiful" portrait of baby Jesus for the church.

Dear Discipleship 101 Folks: A quick follow-up thought from tonight's class.  At the end of our session, several mentioned anxiety about whether we have what it takes to be able to be like Jesus.  To live like him -- courageous, missional, radical peacemakers, healers, sacrificial love, resurrection power -- represents a radical shift from ordinary living.  But remember the last thing Jesus said to his disciples in the final film clip: "Receive the Holy Spirit.  I am with you always to the end of time."  (From John 20:22, Matthew 28:20.) In other words, none of us has the power within us to become like Jesus.  We become like him only with the help of the Holy Spirit.  As we welcome more and more of the presence of the Spirit of Christ into our lives, as we build relationship with Christ, we receive (by grace) the power to be gradually transformed into the likeness of Christ. So the question is not, "Do I have enough stre...

COLORADO - Pastor Jonathon Wiggons speaks to his congregation about his communication with controversial painter, Enrique Chagoya.

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS  By TAHLIB Museum at Eldridge Street Kiki Smith and Deborah Gans c. 2010, 1,200 individual pieces of glass Installed:   Museum at Eldridge Street , NYC

Muslims worship a moon-god Muslims don't believe in Jesus Most Muslims are arab Islam oppresses women Muslims are violent, terrorist extremists Islam is intolerant of other faiths Islam promote "jihad" to spread Islam by the sword and kill all unbelievers The Quran was written by Muhammad and copied from Christian and Jewish sources Islamic prayer is just a ritualized performance with no heartfelt meaning The Crescent moon is the universal symbol of Islam ( Source : About "Islam" )

Today, it's my honor to introduce another member of the God's Art Museums editorial team, Mr. James Hipps, our representative in Florida. He is one of the wittiest writers about the religious experience you'll come across. In his post today you'll see how he doesn't ridicule or poke fun, instead he makes simple moments and observations seem deeply insightful through humor. Hipps is a political activist, blogger, vegan entrepreneur, fitness instructor and beachcomber who will leave you smiling for hours after reading about his adventures with religion. We welcome Mr. Hipps to GAM.

American illustrator Timothy Babulski, who lives in North Carolina has launched a website for a new religious artform, Druid Art . His argument for the art form as religious is backed up by a Time Magazine report last week: "Next year's summer-solstice celebration at Stonehenge just got a little more interesting. For the first time, the ancient pagan tradition of Druidry--whose adherents worship nature, animist forces--has been recognized as an official religion. The Charity Commission for England and Wales granted the Druit Network, a 350-member group, charitable status, so it can now receive exemptions from taxes on donations, just like other clerical groups. The U.K. has about 10,000 Druids."  While this news may come as a surprise for some American Fundamentalists, they should note that the US government recognized Druidry as a tax exempt  American religion in 1977 , long before the UK.

Now that the PBS special, "God in America" is completed, efforts to extend the reach of the series beyond the television screen, are being conducted in partnerships with The   Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life ,   The Freedom Forum First Amendment Center , the   Fetzer Institute ,   Sacred Space International   and other organizations.  An integrated multimedia campaign set to launch six months prior to broadcast will include community engagement activities , media events and a comprehensive   God in America Web site . The campaign will deepen public understanding of religion and spiritual experience in the life of the nation by encouraging the public to explore the history of their own religious communities and their individual spiritual journeys. Our contribution here at GAM to this national effort will be to continue bringing insights through the lens of the arts.

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS By Ernest Disney-Britton MINNESOTA---Like most other Lutheran churches built since the 1950s, the Cross of Hope Lutheran Church in Ramsey, Minnesota is simple if not plain especially by Catholic standards. Unlike older Lutheran churches such as Atlanta's St. John's Lutheran , which have reredos, stain glass windows, and ornate sculptural elements (if not statuary), this small but prosperous and fast growing parish even has bare concrete floors.

By JAMES HIPPS It’s not too often I get to church.  I really haven’t found one that I feel completely at home in, but it is something that I find important so I continue to search for a place of worship. Even though I’ve yet to find the house of God that suits me best, I can honestly say I try very hard to maintain objectivity when visiting various houses of worship as I realize not all places are for all people.  However, my most recent visit to a service was the first time I've ever gone to church, then had to go home to pray that I wouldn't go to hell for going…to church that is. As much as I hate to admit it, if I’m going to be honest, this encounter could be the direct result of my dark side coming to surface. As I mentioned, on a Sunday not too long ago, I woke up, showered and put on some nicely pressed clothes and headed to the Sunshine Cathedral .  I had read online this was a gay-friendly church and I thought perhaps this may be a good place to look....

By JAMES HIPPS It’s not too often I get to church.  I really haven’t found one that I feel completely at home in, but it is something that I find important so I continue to search for a place of worship. Even though I’ve yet to find the house of God that suits me best, I can honestly say I try very hard to maintain objectivity when visiting various houses of worship as I realize not all places are for all people.  However, my most recent visit to a service was the first time I've ever gone to church, then had to go home to pray that I wouldn't go to hell for going…to church that is.

by James Hipps It’s not too often I get to church.  I really haven’t found one that I feel completely at home in, but it is something that I find important so I continue to search for a place of worship. Even though I’ve yet to find the house of God that suits me best, I can honestly say I try very hard to maintain objectivity when visiting various houses of worship as I realize not all places are for all people.  However, my most recent visit to a service was the first time I've ever gone to church, then had to go home to pray that I wouldn't go to hell for going…to church that is. As much as I hate to admit it, if I’m going to be honest, this encounter could be the direct result of my dark side coming to surface. As I mentioned, on a Sunday not too long ago, I woke up, showered and put on some nicely pressed clothes and headed to the Sunshine Cathedral .  I had read online this was a gay-friendly church and I thought perhaps this may be a good place to look.  Being...

"They choose totally go to Jew church and wear those hats  and eat that salty orange stuff with their bagels" -FINN, Glee

Is America the story of religious liberty or the story of religious persecution? If you've watched the last two installments of the sweeping PBS trilogy, " God in America " you'd know there's much more to that story than you've realized before. From the arrival of the religiously persecuted Puritans to the later persecution of the Baptists by the aristocrats of the Episcopalian church (and don't forget Thomas Jefferson's creation of his own bible) this is not the America we've read about in history class. Following Jefferson's win for the religious freedom of Baptists came a new persecution of Catholic immigrants which lead them to the creation of their own separate school systems to survive. Afterwards the documentary introduces us to how God (and death) changed Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War; and how Reform Judaism came to dominate American Jewry. The story continues when Evangelical Protestants rebel against the new light of science an...

Last Thursday, October 7, a Montana woman was arrested for destroying a Stanford Professor Enrique Chagoya's controversial work of Jesus art, Misadventures of Romantic Cannibals in a Colorado museum.

This month marks the debut of an entire new team here at God's Art Museums, and nearly everyday this week, I will introduce a new member. Today it is my honor to introduce Mr. Charles Goetz, as a GAM contributor. Born in NYC, he is quite simply one of the foremost artist-intellectuals living out in the cross-roads-of the American Midwest, and does something that is rare: connects the dots on religious ideology, artistry, and politics to make sense of America's most important form of expression (or is that obsession?).

by Charles Goetz Religious art inevitably cues reflection about the indispensability of art itself in our humanity. Almost everything we do, in common with all other living creatures, is connected to survival: acquisition of food, clothing, shelter. Our animal brethren don't usually have to worry about clothing, but you get the point. Even our games, be they on a playground or in a stadium, because of their competitive, win/lose nature, are rehearsals for the survival struggle. And the estate as surely as the one-bedroom apartment is simply a version of the cave in which our ancestors took their first shelter. We're pretty sophisticated about getting our food but eventually it's all about some sort of hunting and grazing, isn't it? Only when we turn our attention to creating and/or appreciating art do we lay aside what we have in common with everything else that walks, creeps, flies, slithers or swims, and enter into a unique exercise that, for the most part, our fellow...

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS  By TAHLIB Mandala Creation by Buddhist Monks Hamilton College (October 2-5, 2010)

On Glee  Tuesday night, the three Jewish kids weren't too thrilled when Finn asked the group to pray to Jesus Christ. The Gay kid was even pissed (as was Sue). It was the same quirky mix of regular life drama's set to music that we all love about this show but I'm sure this one crossed a line for some. This time the writers risked offending extremists from the Religious Right with prayers to "Grilled Cheezus" and the extremist  Gay Left with prayers that led to a miracle for Kurt. In fact, I hope it stirs the pot a lot. It was great!

A September 2010 study from eMarketer on the continued rise of blogging says the medium will continue to grow in popularity as more users turn to blogs to produce and consume content. According to the same study, by 2014, blog readership will rise to more than 150 million Americans, or 60 percent of the Internet population in the United States. June 2010 figures from WordPress (which powers many of the blogs we read like " AlphaOmegaArts.wordpress.com ") cite 11.4 million blogs hosted on their platform, with WordPress.com users publishing about 350,000 new posts on an average day (and their readers, in turn, leaving 400,000 new comments every day). Now you understand why we blog.

Four Buddhist monks in Utica, NY , Venerable Nyima, Venerable Sangye, Venerable Palden and Geshe Dhonag work over 30-hours to create a Chenrezig Sand Mandala which will be swept up as part of a dissolution ceremony later on the day it is finished. The Tibetan monks stand over a small, square table with intense concentration as they use cone-shaped metal funnels and thin rods to guide colored sands into intricate patterns of symmetry. Buddhists believe the creation of a sand mandala blesses and purifies the environment where it is made.

" "I really respect people's beliefs," Chagoya said. "I just hope they respect mine. " - ENRIQUE CHAGOYA, Artist defending his work

AOA NEWS By Ernest Britton INDIANA - In 1989, the pair of co-founders in Philadelphia identified the need for coordinated support for a growing number of abandoned and deteriorating houses of worship, and they set to work marshaling religious, historic preservation and philanthropic resources. They named their unique service Partners for Sacred Places and it is the only national, non-sectarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to the sound stewardship and active community use of America's older (pre-1942) religious properties. Today the nine-member staff partner's with local organizations around the country such as the Indianapolis Center for Congregations who care for sacred place and promotes a greater understanding of how these places sustain communities, and publish research and guides on maintaining vibrant sacred places.

AOA NEWS By Ernest Britton INDIANA - I recently met the author of the blog, " Never Enough Sundays " and she's experiencing a journey everyone ought to mimic, and if you can't repeat it you should at least read about it. She's an Indianapolis woman named Stacy Towle Morgan and she is visiting 52 houses of worship over the course of one year, everything from Baha'i to AME Zion, and she's doing it in Indiana. As longtime GAM readers already know, I did the same thing but in the much more walkable/accessible Manhattan in 2008-2009 but Morgan is tackling this task in Indiana! I think you'll be surprised by her experiences, and should read her first entry for insights on why she began the journey.

FOX NEWS By Diane Macedo COLORADO - An exhibit at a Colorado art gallery is stirring up outrage from critics who say it depicts Jesus Christ in a sexual act. Enrique Chagoya's "The Misadventures of the Romantic Cannibals," created in 2003, is a multipanel piece in which "cultural and religious icons are presented with humor and placed in contradictory, unexpected and sometimes controversial contexts," the artist's publisher, Shark's Ink, said on its website. The lithograph, on display since Sept. 11 at the tax-funded Loveland Museum Gallery in Loveland, Colo., is part of an 82-print exhibit by 10 artists who have worked with Colorado printer Bud Shark. It includes several images of Jesus, including one in which he appears to be receiving oral sex from a man as the word "orgasm" appears beside Jesus’ head. [ link ]

ALPHA OMEGA ARTS  By TAHLIB Christ Child Fernando Botero (b. 1932, Columbia)

Please support the interfaith artistic work of the Alpha Omega Arts. Together, we will make 2011 a milestone year in the campaign to launch an American Renaissance in the Arts. $20.11 - APPRENTICE (Annual) Invites to join virutal and face-to-face committees Voter registration to vote for the A&O Prizes VIP Passes to the Alpha Omega Arts Expo $201.10 - JOURNEYMAN (all "Apprentice" benefits plus) Recognition in annual report "Free" admission to affilated sacred arts exhibitions Subscription to The Finalist, the project's newsletter Complimentary copy of Faith to Freedom: The Making of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center $2011.00 - RENAISSANCE MASTER (Lifetime) Recognition on website Flight to annual meeting & dinner ticket (first year of membership only) An original work of art celebrating interfaith dialogue  You can join America's religious arts movement today by becoming a member of the Alpha & Omega Project ...

Below are statements of support from the officers of the Board of Directors for the Alpha & Omega Prize for the Contemporary Religious Art installed on Saturday, October 2, 2010: Pastor Jackie Jackson, Board Chair I am supporting the project because I believe in the crucial significance such a project has in terms of both art and ideas in American society. While other arts organizations celebrate historical greats or contemporary names, this project is a vehicle to bridge the gap between communities. As an artist myself (singer) I know what is at the heart of creative expression, the motivation to change what others see and feel. As a pastor, I know that we as humans too often fear differences and I see this as an opportunity to bring all walks of faith together. Thus revealing the true meaning of God’s Love. Leo Calderon, Board Vice Chair As an educator, I am committed to the project because I would like to carry on the legacy of Dr. Leon E. Boothe, a mentor to both Ernest ...

As Executive Director of Alpha & Omega Project for Contemporary Religious Arts, Inc., Ernest Britton brings 30+ years of arts management and communications leadership to the advancement of a national dialogue about art & faith. A life-long art collector, his speciality is interfaith community engagement and has spent his life "Connecting Artists, Faiths, and Communities." In addition, he currently serves as board chair for Devonshire Diversity Solutions, Inc. in Cincinnati, and is a board member with civil rights and faith-based projects in both Indianapolis and New York City. Ernest earned both his BA in Arts Management and MA in Communications from Eastern Michigan University; and conducted his doctoral work in Communications at The Ohio State University.

E-HOW By Misty Amber Brighton USA - The average salary of a church pastor varies greatly according to the geographical area and size of the congregation. Paying the preacher a fair salary allows him to care for church members without worrying about making a living elsewhere. As a rule, the pastor's salary should be close to the average income of the parish's members. Another way of gauging a fair salary might be to pay him wages that are comparable to what the principal of the local high school earns, according to My-Pastor.com. [ link ]

Years in the work, and stumbles including Arab opposition, planners have unveiled a new design for a Jerusalem museum. Sponsored by Simon Wiesenthal Center of Los Angeles, this new "Museum of Tolerance" for Israel was created by the Israeli firm Chyutin Architects. Planners project that the new museum of tolerance (which still faces Palestinian opposition) will be completed in four years. Source: LATimes )