The diversity of the plenary addresses helped the Christian Scholar’s Conference stir conversation and challenge boundaries of perception.
John Elkins and John Patrick Shanley both typified their speaking experiences during the weekend gathering at Lipscomb as pleasantly surprising.
Neither artist knew much about his potential audience prior to coming here, but they both said the offer to speak at Lipscomb was too intriguing to ignore.
A Church of Christ audience is not often presented to these two seasoned speakers.
This year’s conference focused on all areas of the fine arts. Elkins opened the entire weekend of scholarship with a look at art and religion.
“Two worlds that were once inseparable but have become estranged.” said Laura Lake Smith, chair of the Art Department, describing the reason for the weekend-long examination.
Elkins’ invitation was triggered by his book on religious art. He wrote a book blurring the lines on what it means to combine religion and art.
His speech was based on his arguments in the book. He talked about the art critics’ immediate dismissal of anything overtly religious. However, Elkins presented criteria for the art world’s acceptance of work that has religious undertones, even claiming that some artists are subconsciously religious.
One marquee name — Thomas Kinkade — has been dismissed because he includes an overt statement with his work. Other artists like him similarly are cast aside from serious consideration because of their overtly religious statements.
“The difference between conservative and progressive art schools [is based on] their opinion of Kinkade,” Elkins said.
Elkins claims that one reason religion and art have been separated is because the topic is not presented in any mediums. Magazines and journals, textbooks, and art schools choose to leave religion out. He said one book that mentions Kinkade approaches the artist as a marketing phenomenon rather than as a good artist.
Even Elkins is not convinced that his way is the right way, nor that an understanding will be reached soon. He voiced pessimism about overcoming the “religious” label in art critiques. He stressed the openness of the Christian audience on such a subject, but added “secular institutions have to lose some of their phobia about religion.”
His main point in laying out his argument and discussing religious art was to start a conversation: In this case, comparing religious settings and secular audiences.
This type of examination was the major goal of the Christian Scholar’s Conference, so Elkins’ message fit right in.
While Elkins presented his ideas straighforwardly and visually, John Patrick Shanley wowed the crowd simply with inflection.
The Pulitzer-prize-winning playwright took a minimal approach to his presentation, reading straight from a typed script. His words, though, humored the crowd and critiqued its choices.
His topic of “Disquiet” addressed the state of the world and how we let it arrive at this point. His point was that we all feel cramped and uncomfortable because we have let the world become a place of overproduction and waste.
“The truth is we don’t exist at the core of life very often,” he said.
The soul is where one creates the story that’s desired to live in. The physical world is not the place with answers. The world we live in is an artificial result of our need for comfort now, according to his message.
“The world as it is needs to change. And that is what art is all about,” he said. “And not just art. That is what love, philosophy, and spiritual experience are all about.”
This self-proclaimed eccentric left the crowd thinking about what it means to tell a story, one people need to hear, whether it wins a Pulitzer and Oscar nomination or not.
Shanley hosted the Doubt talkback with director Mike Fernandez (left) and Stephen Pounders, who played Father Flynn (right).
Shanley also hosted a talkback after the opening night performance of Doubt, directed by Mike Fernandez, Chair of the Theatre Department. He was very gracious to the cast and crew for their excellent work.
He answered conferees’ questions, relaxed in the spotlight of the Doubt set.
While these two men seem unlikely characters for Church of Christ lectures, James Elkins and John Patrick Shanley are two the Lipscomb community may be asking to hear from again.
Or at the very least the conversation they helped spark will continue long after they’ve returned to their worlds.
Watch our coverage of Christian Scholars’ Conference. See a segment of Shanley’s plenary address and watch him in a private interview.