Key ideas on the arts from Andy Crouch, Eugene Peterson, John Witvliet, Barbara Nicolosi, David Taylor and Jeremy Begbie

That long-winded title is a way of saying this: the video for the talks which took place at the 2008 Transforming Culture conference are available to view.

It is hard to believe that it has been almost seven years since that extraordinary and extraordinarily satisfying gathering in Austin, Texas, took place. So many good people helped make it happen. And so much has happened since. A book was published. Deep friendships were forged. Ministries and networks have been launched. One of us finally earned a Ph.D.

My hope is that the work that I'll be doing with Brehm Texas will have a chance to continue these efforts, to trace out particular ideas and to track down certain possibilities for the church's engagement with the arts, at local, institutional and associational levels (possibly also extend the conversations which occurred during the conference seminars).

If you want to see the printed and in many cases revised version of these talks, which often went in different directions from their original assignments, along with two additional essays by Lauren Winner and Joshua Banner, please go here, to find a copy of For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts (Baker Books: 2010).

Here below, then, are the video recordings, hosted by the Hill Country Institute. Each presentation was thoughtful, winsome, witty, in some cases provocative, in other cases rather funny, and in all cases wonderfully idiosyncratic, while everyone shared a common love for the church.

1. THE GOSPEL: In What Way is Art a Gift, a Calling and an Obedience? -- Andy Crouch


2. THE PASTOR: How is the Pastor an Artist and the Artist, a Pastor? -- Eugene Peterson


3. THE WORSHIP: How Can Our Actions and Spaces be Artfully Shaped? -- John Witvliet


4. THE ARTIST: What is an Artist and How do we Shepherd These Strange Creatures? -- Barbara Nicolosi


5. THE DANGERS: What Are the Dangers of Artistic Activity? -- David Taylor


6. THE FUTURE: What is the [Artistic] Vision of the Church in 2058?  -- Jeremy Begbie