Michael is joined by film-maker and YouTuber Houston Coley to discuss Coley’s feature documentary, A Kingdom of Tea and Strangers, which follows five strangers as they spend a summer together at English L’Abri. They discuss the film and touch on community, communal art, hospitality, imagination, Christian art, and more.
A Kingdom of Tea and Strangers will be available to watch on YouTube on the Art Within channel May 10, 2025.
Michael welcomes Chase Tremaine to the Renew the Arts podcast to discuss the impact of technology on the way we make and receive art. Just a few generations ago, all art was received communally, with live performances and in-person reception the only possibility. Now, recording technology and internet connectedness has completely transformed the arts. Chase and Michael discuss what this massive shift has meant for us. Technology has certainly benefitted the arts, making it more accessible and attainable, and potentially more democratic. But at the same time, this shift has radically increased the depersonalization and individualism of the arts, both for artist and audience. What have we gained and what have we lost in this almost invisible shift, and what can we do to counteract the inherent obstacles in our advancements? How do we go about one anothering in an age that has made all of us individually feel other?
Stay tuned at the end to hear “Sing for Me,” by Chase Tremaine, a track available for download exclusively on Chase Tremaine’s Friend’s Club.
Michael returns for the 2025 RTA podcast season with an offering of three word-pictures for patrons and artists. First, “Space Station Christianity” seeks to answer the question, “Are the arts and beauty actually essential?” Second, “Antibiotic vs. Probiotic Culture” seeks to show the distinction between Culture War and Culture Care. Finally, “Miniature for Scale” frames some advice for making art about larger-than-life realities. We hope these word-pictures help to clarify your relationship to the arts as we delve this season into “flourishing” with the arts.
Stay tuned until the end to hear “Brother Please,” from the single America!, by Warbler. Many thanks again to Ryan Lane of Civilized Creature for providing our theme music for the season, in this case an instrumental version of his track “Spirit Move” from the album Whose House.
For the final episode of this year, join Michael to discuss your questions for a Christmas mailbag episode. Michael answers questions about Kevin Kelly’s “1,000 True Fans Principle,” the difference between pride concerning earned skills and narcissism concerning gifts, how Christians should approach magic in fantasy books and/or movies, what fiction Michael has been reading and why he cares about fiction, and whether or not Christians should buy cheap, plastic Nativity scenes for their yard.
Stay tuned at the end for the album version of Civilized Creature’s “Humble and Lowly,” off his excellent record Earthen Vessel, released in 2023.
Michael discusses narcissism, why it seems so prevalent among artists, and how to address it. Using an excellent podcast from Martyr Made’s Darryl Cooper called “The Underground Spirit” as his jumping-off point, Michael explores Dostoevsky and Nietzsche, the meaning of narcissism, the nature of giftedness, the struggle of prodigies, the isolation of the artist, and the resentment and pride of communities, recommending tools for addressing narcissism and pride in both gifted artists and the communities that include them. Stay tuned at the end for “I Cannot Forget,” a track from Warbler off of the record Wrestling.
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