Ethnodoxology's Time is Here: How Engaging Local Artists Can Expand God’s Kingdom

Please check out this excellent interview with Brian Schrag, SIL International’s Ethnomusicology and Arts Coordinator.  Brian developed the World Arts program at the Graduate Institute of Applied Linguistics (GIAL) in Dallas, Texas, and is interviewed here by Robin Harris, the President of the International Council of Ethnodoxologists and Coordinator of the MA in World Arts program at GIAL.

In the interview, Brian explains what ethnodoxology is and why locally grounded artistic communication is so powerful for the expansion of the kingdom of God.  He goes on to describe the process of doing ethnodoxology in a community and the impact it can have for those people and for the Kingdom.

Here is an excerpt from the interview that gives a hint of the potential impact of ethnodoxology:

RPH: If we, the church, adopt the kind of approach you used in [Democratic Republic of Congo], what do you think will happen? 

BES: If ethnodoxology becomes the primary approach to growth in mission and worship: 

• Minority artists and their arts will be well integrated into their community’s church life.
• The church will become an engine for revitalization of minority arts and their communities, rather than a frequent contributor to their demise.
• Sharing of artistic resources in the church will move both from minority to majority cultures and vice versa.
• More artistic forms will be represented around God’s throne (Rev 7:9-12) and in his city (Rev 21:22-27).

OM Arts Incarnate 2014

Over the next few days, ten artists from eight countries will show up in Northern Italy for 3 months of discipleship, creativity and training in outreach called OM Arts International Training : Incarnate 2014.  Structured around 3 courses: “God’s Story,” “Your Story” and “10,000 Stories”, the program leads artists in personal transformation, helping them to develop an approach for art ministry that glorifies God and is cross-culturally effective.

Learning will happen through lecture, group discussion, reading, creative assignments, field trips and other practical activities.

Artists are led to authentic engagement with the people of the local community, church and arts scene. The people of these communities become the inspiration for creative response and collaboration throughout the program, culminating in a final exhibition and event.

Much studio time is given for students to develop their craft. Mentors for each art form will help the students apply their learning to their creative work.

Incarnate 2014 mixes all these ingredients and more so that artists can thrive at living the great commission.  Please be in prayer for this year's ten artists who will be participating 11 February - 3 May 2014.  For more information about the program, click here.  To get the latest updates about Incarnate 2014, sign up here, and to support Incarnate 2014 financially, click here.

Chinese Nestorian Headstone

From the University of San Francisco Ricci Institute for Chinese-Western Cultural History:

THE LOTUS & THE CROSS: EAST-WEST CULTURAL EXCHANGE ALONG THE SILK ROAD 

This online exhibit replicates the exhibition of large-format photographs of stone tombstones from Fujian province in South China and stone crosses from Kerala state in South India was mounted in September 2007 in conjunction with the Lotus and Cross symposium.

Christian Headstone with Canopy

Yuan dynasty (1272—1368)

Quanzhou Maritime Museum

Ricci 20 KP 020 Z24

A canopy or parasol was used in ancient India to protect kings and other royals from the sun, and it subsequently became a symbol of power and prestige. It was natural to use a canopy in association with the Buddha as he had been a prince before attaining enlightenment. It can be seen in the early Buddhist art of India, and was transmitted to Central Asia and China where it appears, for example, at Dunhuang. A similar canopy to the one shown on this tombstone can be seen on a panel relief on the Eastern pagoda of the Kaiyuan Temple in Quanzhou, completed about 1250.

The discovery of the canopy’s presence on Christian tombstones of the Mongol period is quite remarkable, and yet explicable in the context of the multiculturalism of Quanzhou. The canopy has tassels or streamers dangling from it and protects the cross emerging from an open lotus flower.

Definition of EthnoArts