Here and here (two parts) are links to an excellent interview with Brent Ullman on the Canadian show 100 Huntley Street. Ullman, a former teacher and now full-time speaker and author, has good insights into how Christians should evaluate media and culture and help their kids do so. These kinds of questions are central, or should be, to Christians working in the arts these days. Ullman's new book (which I have not read but would like to) is Media, Faith, and Culture.
I did recently read Floor Sample, a memoir by author, playwright, and creativity guru Julia Cameron. Cameron's philosophy, it seems to me, is that the highest good is creating art: that our "creator" (whatever that term might mean to each of us) wishes us--or a life force impels us, or something--to bypass our left brains and regularly let our right, artistic brains have full expression. Doing so will make us happy and in tune with the universe. (While I may have oversimplified her views I don't think I am too far off the mark.) I disagree with Cameron's New Age world view, believing instead that creating art is not the highest good. Rather we should say, "if God wills I will live and try to create art in accordance with His Word."
Nevertheless I admire Cameron's tenacity. Despite early bouts with alcoholism and later mental breakdowns, she produced a tremendous amount over her lifetime. And Cameron definitely was on to something in books like The Artist's Way which helped (and still help) countless artists shake off various blocks and hindrances.
In sum, Cameron is correct that God wishes us to be creative. But creativity must not be allowed to become an end in itself. Views expressed in Brent Ullmann's interview (above) go a long way towards bringing proper balance.
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