Byzanfest 2014- My Pick For Best Film

Byzanfest 2014- Orthodox Filmakers- see the top 12. Below is my pick for Best Film.

The Arts and the Artist- The Christian Misconception

Note: This article is to be credited to another. I typed it years ago with a real typewriter, before the days of computers and printers. I was remiss in not recording the author's name. Whoever he or she may be, thank you for knowing my heart and putting into words this poignant prose. Your words still resound with the truth.

In the arts there should be no segregation of secular and religious subject matter. Reality, like God, is one. This is not an unusual idea . . . Augustine saw the cosmos as one unit divinely infused and all mankind as one brotherhood. He saw reality, spiritual and physical, as moving toward an unfolding of God's purposes.  Reality was cumulative advancement of mankind, materially and spiritually, through time, as history taught God's lessons through experience.  Augustine rejoiced in the goodness of the arts and extolled their virtue as part of God's creation.  To him, all of reality was part of the divine unfolding of history.

Christian artists who agonize over what they should create from the point of view of what is allegedly "Christian subject matter" are engaged in an exercise in futility -- an exercise usually motivated by false guilt bred of bad theology that has divided reality into "secular" and "Christian" and that perceives art as only a useful propaganda tool for evangelism.

For the Christian there is no taboo subject matter any more than there are evil or taboo colors.  Though how we portray each subject is important, as is its context, reality, as it is perceived is fit subject for the artist.  To tell the truth is our only artistic, moral imperative.

There are too few people in the church who comprehend the artistic struggle and encourage Christians to succeed in the arts, there are, however, many Christian guilt-mongers who place burdens on others that they themselves do not bear; their attitude is embolden in the what's -Christian-about-that? school of art critics who do not understand the arts or the daily reality of the artist's struggle.

As artists we yearn for sympathetic Christian critics with a knowledge of art and the historical perspective about art movements necessary to make an intelligent contribution to our work.  Such understanding is, unfortunately, rare.  Instead, we are often subjected to moralistic posturing on the part of Christians who ignorance is only matched by their intransigence.

We as Christians need the help, guidance, and advise of other believers.  But we must be careful, as artists, to have realistic expectations about this human advice.  Just because someone is a believing, practicing Christian does not mean he or she will have the wisdom, knowledge, or sympathy to advise us knowledgeably about our artistic work. Just because someone claims that God has laid something on his heart does not mean God has! The pastor, teacher, friend, or family member may or may not know enough about a particular field of endeavor to give good advise.

Better the knowledgeable advice of a non-believing expert than the heavy yolk of false spiritual guilt imposed by an ignorant believer, however well intentioned. Artistic talent is truly a gift and must be protected, especially against the onslaught of misguided saints . . . It is a tragedy that so many Christians who seek to work in the arts and media receive so little knowledgeable encouragement.

Orthodox Boy In His First Motion Picture

Here is an opportunity to support Orthodox Filmmakers and Actors. This young man is from a faithful Orthodox family in the Southern United States. Full disclosure--He is Nathan James Sharp and my grandson! The project is a short film, produced and written by one of my former acting students, Sean Harrison Jones, who came to me at the age of nine. Now working in Hollywood, Sean searched high and low for the right boy to play Lawrence, and chose Nathan. In the film, the idealistic and innocent Lawrence hatches a scheme to reenact the day his parents met as children. His hope is that in doing so, he might save their failing marriage. It is a moving and heartwarming story, that encourages all to look at their own relational issues and how our choices effect those around us.

Through the wonderful internet tool called Indiegogo, which assists Independent Films such as Gumball, you may now easily donate to the project. The budget is a small $12,000. You may give as little or as much as you like and choose what "perk" you want in return. After watching Nathan's video appeal below, go the Indiegogo Link and you can read and see more about it.

God bless you for your support of this Orthodox brother!

Brass And Cymbals

It was a wonderful experience to worship at an orthodox Church in Los Angeles last Sunday. The church had actors, writers, producers, directors as members.To know that, somewhere in Orthodoxy, those in the film industry are not disdained for their jobs, but encouraged toward righteousness in their journey to orthodoxy, is a balm. Especially so, in light of my few, but vocal, critics, including at least one priest.

God has called us to go into the all the world and preach the gospel. The larger the visual platform, the greater the audience we have, and the greater the responsibility.  Our lives are constantly on display. Such is the medium of the film industry. We are not all called to monasticism.  I might lean that way, if I were not confident that my wife, of 32 years, would track me down and pull me back home by the neck of my cassock.   

Critics of Orthodox filmmakers are as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal, for they have not love or understanding. They must rely on obscure examples like Saint John of Kronstadt's rejection of the Russian Theatre of the late 1800's early 1920's. All of us would reject the Russian theatre of that era. It was the equivalent of the American burlesque show or some version of today's erotic/pornographic films. I have never met a faithful Orthodox filmmaker, who participates in such. 

However, is a painter relegated to depictions of only flowers and lambs, or are they free to show the human plight as well? What of authors? May they write only children's books? And what about actors? May they play only Christian characters, priests or saints? The depiction of an unseemly character is not necessarily the endorsement of their conduct. Who would play Judas Iscariot, Mary Magdelene, or a Roman Soldier, for that matter, if that were the case?

These critics of the filmmaker just simply do not understand what a filmmaker is or what one does,  and I won't waste time explaining. If they really want to understand, they may read the book, Addicted To Mediocrity by Orthodox Christian, Frankie Schaeffer.  But, alas, such critics are Brass and Cymbals! Just noise to the faithful orthodox  filmmaker who must be about his Father's business.