Creativity and Theology

I believe creativity and theology are natural conversation partners. I love talking with people who are genuinely passionate about an art form. The comments and energy that surface come from a place deeper than productivity or even functionality. I knew a woman who, though living with deteriorating health, would completely light up when she talked about her paintings. There’s a level of playful seriousness that adds a unique dimension to life. I think about my son who is beginning to learn the cello; he commented one day that, when he plays, time seems to fly. I think of my daughter with her free-spirit approach to her colorful drawings. Regardless of whether he decides to stay with it and whether she hones her skill, they are tapping into the energizing side of creativity that is so captivating.

The other side that artists know so well is the struggle. We can fail to communicate what we intend. At times the effort feels forced, and other times we miss our mark completely. I once attempted a mole sauce that still haunts me. However, despite the setbacks and roadblocks, the process is almost more important than the product. I’m always curious to see where creativity shows up in people’s lives.

Pursuing culinary arts is part of my story. I started cooking when I was in high school and discovered that I loved it. I have worked in corporate restaurants, privately owned restaurants, food trucks, catering, and my own business. I have done everything from endlessly chopping tomatoes to designing my own recipes. Professional cooking is this rare mixture of analytic thinking, business mindedness, hands-on hard work, artistic design, research, and technique. To me, it is a unique meeting place for several life pursuits. People often ask how I went from congregational ministry to cooking. The curiosity intensifies when they see that my primary work is in chaplaincy. It makes perfect sense to me, but I completely understand that more explanation is needed.

I believe that creative engagement and theology are natural conversation partners with several connecting points. First, they both elicit reflection. This kind of praxis considers meaning found in ordinary life. There is potential to discover beauty and opportunity to express suffering. There is an impulse to listen and a desire to be heard. Reflection is natural and constant. Second, both creative engagement and theology expose, challenge, and readjust operative values. For example, productivity often governs our decisions and even our sense of identity. What we can do and accomplish becomes intrinsically connected to our purpose and sense of worth. Eventually, this mindset bleeds into our understanding of spirituality and the nature of God. The result is a sneaky legalism. Creative engagement and theological reflection resist these impulses and present alternative paths. This leads me back to culinary arts.

Creative engagement coupled with theological reflection has the potential to build bridges. In my own life, culinary arts have helped me explore the practice of hospitality, develop a deeper cultural intelligence, find a practical outlet for self-care, and meet people I otherwise never would. Theological reflection, and practical theology especially, has come alongside as a conversation partner and guide. The theological tools help me consider hospitality as a core practice of the church, cultural intelligence as an expression of the Imago Dei, and creativity as a connecting point to God’s being.

However, one note is needed at this point to avoid misunderstanding. There is a strong no-nonsense impulse in my Church of Christ tradition that, in my experience, often manifests itself as suspicion. Scripture becomes a metric by which any discussion is measured. At its healthiest, I believe this comes from valuing simplicity and truth, which are not inherently bad goals. I mention this because I am aware that so much emphasis on creativity might feel like “head in the clouds” talk to some, and I want to calm those fears. I have a high view of Scripture. Creative engagement and theological reflection have led me to a deeper appreciation of biblical narratives. Scripture does not become a second thought but instead begins to inform life from multiple angles. The suggestion is not to displace something so vital to the life of the church. Instead, the thought is to consider deeper and multivalent approaches to praxis.

Creativity and theology are natural conversation partners. In my life, culinary arts functions as the mechanism. However, I’m curious what you see in your own life. How about among the members of your congregation? What resources for theological engagement are present within your own communities? As Christian leaders, I believe you are perfectly situated as a guide.