Podcasts about mako fujimura

At age 22, Sydney's Bennett's brain stopped communicating with her body correctly; she was suffering from Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a condition in which the nervous system stops sending or interpreting signals the right way. Suddenly this bright, beautiful, college girl, recently married, was having seizures, numbness, difficulty moving. Soon she needed a cane, then a wheelchair. But, when we are weak, we are strong, and she found her rock in Jesus our cornerstone. Today she is a faithful and faith-filled advocate, mother of two, and (in the view of your host) present-day Job; and Job reminds us, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Sydney's book, Fearfully and Wonderfully Broken, on Amazon, and also from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, where you can listen to the first chapter of the audio book. The episode of Almost Good Catholics with Mako Fujimura talking about kintsugi (which I excerpted): Mako Fujimura on Almost Good Catholics, episode 14: The Silence of God: The Meaning of Our Suffering and Redemption Other related Almost Good Catholics episodes about the Book of Job and the meaning of suffering: Jonathon Fessenden on Almost Good Catholics, episode 58: The Book of Job: Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? Brian Zahnd on Almost Good Catholics, episode 112: The Tree of Life: “no one who loves the way of Grace ever comes to a bad end.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

At age 22, Sydney's Bennett's brain stopped communicating with her body correctly; she was suffering from Functional Neurological Disorder (FND), a condition in which the nervous system stops sending or interpreting signals the right way. Suddenly this bright, beautiful, college girl, recently married, was having seizures, numbness, difficulty moving. Soon she needed a cane, then a wheelchair. But, when we are weak, we are strong, and she found her rock in Jesus our cornerstone. Today she is a faithful and faith-filled advocate, mother of two, and (in the view of your host) present-day Job; and Job reminds us, “The Lord giveth and the Lord taketh away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Sydney's book, Fearfully and Wonderfully Broken, on Amazon, and also from the publisher, Thomas Nelson, where you can listen to the first chapter of the audio book. The episode of Almost Good Catholics with Mako Fujimura talking about kintsugi (which I excerpted): Mako Fujimura on Almost Good Catholics, episode 14: The Silence of God: The Meaning of Our Suffering and Redemption Other related Almost Good Catholics episodes about the Book of Job and the meaning of suffering: Jonathon Fessenden on Almost Good Catholics, episode 58: The Book of Job: Why Do Bad Things Happen to Good People? Brian Zahnd on Almost Good Catholics, episode 112: The Tree of Life: “no one who loves the way of Grace ever comes to a bad end.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Next week, May 22-27, 2026, is our worship and arts conference “The Beauty of Japan・The Beauty of Heaven”. This five-day event is the biggest we have ever put on. Hundreds will join us here in downtown Tokyo with easy access to all the beautiful art and culture of our city. We will have over 30 presenters with short talks, testimonies, music, films, discussions, networking, prayer walks and activities around the city, an art gallery, and so much more. In this event, we celebrate all the nations being united across different languages and cultures to worship God together, and the taste of that we are receiving even now here in Japan. Even if you can't be here, please pray for us, that God would do a mighty work here, leading people in worship, growing his kingdom, and building deeper connections between churches and ministries. Welcome to the Art, Life, Faith Podcast, and I’m your host, Roger Lowther. This episode, I had the honor of sitting down with Haijin and Makoto Fujimura to celebrate the launch of their new book, “Beauty and Justice: Creating A Life of Abundance and Courage”. Haijin is the founder and managing partner of Shim & Associates Law Firm. She is also the founder of Embers International, developing the programs and partnerships to protect, restore, and empower the victims of injustice. Mako is well-known as an artist, writer, and speaker, who has also had a big influence on my life and on the ministries of Community Arts Tokyo. Mako was kind enough to sit down with me after the 2011 earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear disaster here in Japan, and listen to my heart, and suggest that I start this arts organization. So he is not only a long-time friend of this ministry, but one of the people who help it to get started in the first place. In this conversation, Haijin and Mako urge us to not lose sight of the new creation, where the pursuit of beauty is an important part of true restoration, that working for justice is a working toward that perfect shalom that God has promised to bring into the world. After our conversation, they led one of our Art, Life, Faith events. So many people came from outside our usual networks, and all of us there received renewed inspiration to go out into the city and make a difference, to make the vision presented in the talk a reality in our communities. This combination of justice and beauty is so important, and if you want to know more about it you can read their book and watch the event we recorded, which is now on YouTube. Now, here's our conversation. Roger I’m sitting here with Haejin and Mako Fujimura for an event we’re doing tonight celebrating the release of their new book, Beauty x Justice. Thank you both for being here and being willing to talk with me. Mako Absolutely, excited to be here. Haejin Thank you for having us. Roger So, this topic is really interesting to me. This is the Art, Life, Faith Podcast. We believe that art isn’t just something that’s meant to be decorative or something if you have time to do, but it really affects every part of our lives and can change societies and people. And so to be able to talk about justice and what that looks like, I think is really fascinating. Can you tell us a little bit about this book? Haejin This book is a result of Mako bugging me for months to do something that I wanted to do but was kind of putting aside. So I’m really glad that he encouraged me to write this book together. This book shares with the world what it means to understand beauty in the context of justice and vice versa, because we believe that beauty and justice are essentially two sides of the same coin. Of the Gospel. We need both beauty and justice, not as parallels but as an integrated whole, to have the kind of shalom that God intended us to have from the very beginning that we have lost. Thankfully, God not only gave us beauty, but God is beauty. God not only commanded every single one of us to seek justice, not just to lawyers or advocates, but he himself is also justice, right? So when we think about beauty and justice coming together, we kind of wanted to share a little bit about our life as a married couple, because essentially all my life, even way before I met Mako, or before we wrote this book together. I have been working through justice to pursue beauty, and Mako has all his life, as just an incredibly anointed artist, been pursuing justice. And when we got together, we were able to really name it, and we started to share that message with other people in the context of exhibitions, speaking engagements, team-building occasions. And then we really felt like we needed to share this with a wider public. So that’s when we decided to write this book. Roger Yeah, it’s great. I feel like in some ways justice doesn’t have a very good image right now, just for various reasons. I guess I had forgotten how many times justice comes up in the Old Testament, and it’s always with this good image. God isn’t just just, but through it he gives a picture of shalom and what we are all really yearning for, right? Haejin Yeah, absolutely. Mako Yeah, justice is beautiful when it is fully manifested, and that’s always been God’s vision for the world. And yet we have created this tainted version of, or at least a version that we do not know the definition of what justice is. We talk about it all the time, but if you pursue asking the deeper question of what do you think justice is, not many people can answer it. We all know when something is lacking, you know, when we know justice is needed. But one of the things that I discovered in our journey together is that I have been speaking about beauty for all my life, it seems. I’ve written several books on it and have tried to help people understand why beauty is needed and essential for our lives. As an artist, as you noted, Roger, that many times the reaction that I get, well, that’s a nice thing to do, you know, when you have extra money or space and time. But especially for the church, it’s very hard to have a conversation where it is assumed that beauty is fundamentally not only necessary, but it is the most important characteristic of God’s presence in our lives. So it’s just a constant battle to help people understand that what I call utilitarian pragmatism has taken over all of our lives, not just the church, but our cultures. We tend to reduce the complexity of reality into simple false binaries so we can have a so-called understanding of it and have to take a position on it and create culture war-like rhetoric. And all of that comes out of this very simple premise that if God is beauty, and if God is love, then all things should flow out of that reality, including the church, including what we call the gospel, the good news, has to be filled with the abundance and extravagance of God’s love, has to feel like this is too good to be true. We will experience something that is so out of box, and extraordinary that we don’t have words to explain what that is. It just happens that when you experience true justice, not just restoration, you know, not just somebody who has been jailed wrongly is able to be released — that’s the first step in seeking justice — but when that person who has been trapped in whatever the circumstances because of injustice is able to see themselves as beautiful, that’s when the restoration of the whole person becomes real, not just that person but the whole community. And when you see that at work through Haejin’s work with Embers International, which she co-founded many years ago, we get to see actual examples of somebody who has gone through this very difficult process of restoration, and in their being, they hold this godly presence of beauty and justice together. And that’s when I, as an artist, I point to that reality and say, there is beauty here that I have been longing for as an artist to create, manifest into my work. And I continue to do that, but it really is that radical and that simple. Roger I was thinking about how you’re saying that people realizing what is justice for them, to realize their own beauty and to be able to see it. Mako, I think I’ve heard you say before how beauty can help us, artwork can help us kind of see, not just see, but experience the world in new ways. Like, I was thinking of To Kill a Mockingbird, to be able to go in someone else’s skin and walk around it for a little while. For example, in December I was giving a bunch of organ concerts around Japan. That usually happens at Christmas time, right? One of the pieces I was playing is one of my favorites by Maurice Durufle, a late French Romantic composer, called “Come, Creator Spirit.” And in it, in the middle of the work, there is this incredible dissonance and brokenness that just — it breaks your heart. And yet that isn’t the end. It starts with creation and gets to this breaking, and then he brings us beyond it to a hope, to a life where things can be glorious and rejoicing. And every time I play it — it’s a 20-minute piece, it’s a pretty long piece— to be able to celebrate what God is doing, it’s like I’m experiencing again and again through the artwork this truth. And so in a way, I think that’s like what you’re talking about. Haejin I think we forget to ask the question, what is the essence of all things, right? So what’s the essence of creating arts? What is the essence of justice? What is the essence of humanity? I don’t know about you guys, but I don’t think I was ever asked to think about the essence of things. It’s more of what is the quote-unquote the definition of it, what is going on, what is it, rather than what is the essence behind what we can just comprehend and observe on the surface. Because it’s a really hard question. You have to be willing to slow down to answer this question, right? You have to be willing to admit that we come with a lot of assumptions and biases. Otherwise, we cannot really get to the essence of things. So I think that, of course the industrialization, the pragmatism and individualism and all of those kind of things that in and of itself are not bad, but has kind of trained humanity to seek what is easy. Because we also have deep down in our hearts the lust for certainty, because uncertainty is so uncomfortable and it feels so risky and dangerous. But to think about the essence of beauty, arts, and justice and humanity, you have to be willing to be on the edge of the uncertainty and face the reality that there are things that we can’t quite comprehend. So, for example, we cannot comprehend God, right? If somebody says, I understand God, probably very little, if at all. Roger Exactly. Haejin But then we also know that God exists and God is love. We understand to a certain extent, and we get to experience the glimpses of his essence through beauty, especially through beautiful relationships when justice is in play. But I think we have to be willing, and especially the body of Christ, to be willing to really long for that essence of things. Roger Yeah, I think it helps too, that vision that you’re giving, that we can’t give up talking about it because we forget exactly what we’re searching for, what we’re yearning for. The image of what justice is can be so shaped by the news and the comfort of our situation in our part of the world, whatever it is. But to be able to keep giving people a vision for, like you do in the book, for the new creation. This is what we’re working toward and how to help people see it just coming out from a lot of different angles. It was really helpful. Mako Art and music has a capacity to do exactly that, to invoke this vista that most people have forgotten to look up to. And because we are so stressed and traumatized sometimes by realities of brokenness around us and within us, that we no longer actually lose the capacity to use our senses to listen well or to see something that is so beautiful that it’s mind-boggling and complex. And yet it is utterly needed for not just to seek the beauty, but to understand that as a standard of who we are as human beings is not built for this world in the sense that we get locked into our presuppositions and we get locked into what the media tells us. So we get locked into what the digital framework defines as reality. Our senses are such amazing instruments. When we behold something or when we truly do the hard work of deep listening, something happens where our brain rewires itself to regain that understanding of love at the heart of all complexities and chaos. And just like you mentioned in this music that you played, there’s this great tension in all beauty, and you can really try to find an answer that clarifies, or very much be certain that, you know, this is it, this is the good news of the Gospel, I want to give it to you, which is a fine notion, except that the mystery of the gospel, what Paul talks about, the mysterion, you know, the mystery of the gospel is far bigger than we think it is. And the more you understand it, the less you understand, but the more you understand it, the more that you are in awe of God’s presence. And art can give us that experience. So it doesn’t necessarily have to be Christian art because all human beings are created in the image of God, and however fallen we are, we have evidences throughout history of people who are horrible human beings, but they created amazing art that we can see, and as a viewer, we can glorify God with. So that kind of reality has always been part of human experience. And by the way, the church was the greatest patron to create this. And yet we have in recent times, because of pragmatic, utility and efficiency and industrial way that we began to measure what is good and successful, we lost sight of the transcendence and mystery of what human beings are capable of. Roger Thank you for reminding us of it in this book. We so need to keep hearing that message. I think we better stop there to get ready for the event tonight. But I am really looking forward to tonight. I’ve been getting a lot of emails. There’s going to be a lot of people here really looking forward to hearing what you have to say. So thank you so much for sharing this time with us. Haejin Thank you, Roger. Mako Thank you. Roger You’ve been listening to the Art, Life, Faith Podcast. You can continue the conversation by picking up your own copy of Beauty x Justice, available wherever you buy your books. As we say in Japan, “Ja, mata ne!” We’ll see you next time.

In this message Terry Timm, we explore the words of the prophet Isaiah, which encourage us to remember our true identity and relationship with God rather than placing trust in materialistic or superficial idols. By examining modern-day prophets like Walter Brueggemann, Beth Moore, and Mako Fujimura, Timm illustrates the ongoing need for prophetic voices that challenge dominant societal and religious idols, reminding the church to return to God and rejoice in God's redemption.

"Beholding is a countercultural act—it requires us to stop, to receive, and to fully see.” — Makoto Fujimura"Slow art is an invitation to linger, to notice, and to let the world unfold before us." — Makoto FujimuraYou are a beautiful masterpiece. But the practice of living artfully comes slowly, often through brokenness, weakness, or failure. Contemporary artist Makoto Fujimura integrates traditional Japanese styles with abstract expressionism and Christian theology, to explore the beauty that can emerge from the ashes pain and suffering. Both his art and his writing call us to behold the gift of creation, participate in its redemption, accentuating the cracks and fractures in our lives, so that grace might abound.Makoto Fujimura—renowned artist, writer, and theologian—joins Dr. Pam King to explore the deep connections between art, faith, and flourishing. Fujimura shares how his Japanese heritage and study of traditional Nihonga painting have shaped his understanding of creativity as a sacred act. Through themes of brokenness, beauty, and slow art, he challenges us to rethink success, embrace imperfection, and create from a place of love and abundance. Whether you're an artist, a person of faith, or someone seeking meaning in a hurried world, this conversation will invite you to slow down, behold, and embrace the mystery and beauty of life.Mako Fujimura integrates his artmaking, theology, and culture care advocacy into a beautiful expression of thriving and spiritual health. Through his breathtaking expressionist style, distinctively Japanese methods, and his rooted Christian convictions, he's bringing beauty into being, and inviting us to do the same.In this conversation with Mako Fujimura, we discuss:What art is, what creativity means, and the human capacity for making beautyHow we can live artfully through imperfection, brokenness, trauma, and sufferingHow the practice of a gift economy can lead to mutual thrivingThe slow art of pausing, stopping, and beholding that contributes to our mental and spiritual healthAnd the connection between knowledge and love in a life of creativity and artmaking.Helpful Links and ResourcesFollow Makoto Fujimura on X @iamfujimuraView Mako's art at makotofujimura.comMakoto Fujimura's WritingsMakoto Fujimura's BooksNihonga Art and its TraditionsRefractions: A Journey of Art, Faith, & CultureCulture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common LifeSilence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of SufferingArt and Faith: A Theology of MakingEpisode Highlights"Art is fundamentally what human beings create—it is our capacity to make, and in making, we come to know.""Beholding is a countercultural act—it requires us to stop, to receive, and to fully see.”"We worship a wounded, glorified human being—our brokenness is not something to escape but something to offer.""Creativity is not about self-expression alone—it is about giving yourself away in love.""Slow art is an invitation to linger, to notice, and to let the world unfold before us."Show NotesMakoto Fujimura discusses the intersection of art, faith, and flourishingThe importance of beholding in a fast-paced worldHow brokenness and imperfection reveal deeper beautyNihonga painting and the wisdom of traditional Japanese artCreativity as an act of love and gift-givingThe Art of BeholdingWhy slowing down is essential for creativity and spiritual growthThe practice of beholding as a way of seeing the world more deeplyHow art invites us to be present and pay attentionThe connection between contemplation, creativity, and flourishing"Beholding is a countercultural act—it requires us to stop, to receive, and to fully see."Creativity, Faith, and Human FlourishingHow art and faith are intertwined in human thrivingThe spiritual discipline of making and creatingWhy true knowledge is connected to love and experience"Art is fundamentally what human beings create—it is our capacity to make, and in making, we come to know."How community fosters creativity and growthBrokenness, Beauty, and the Theology of MakingThe Japanese tradition of Kintsugi and embracing imperfectionHow Jesus' wounds and resurrection shape our view of brokennessThe gift economy vs. the transactional economy in art"We worship a wounded, glorified human being—our brokenness is not something to escape but something to offer."Learning to see beauty in what is discarded or overlookedThe Practice of Slow ArtWhy slowing down is essential for deep engagement with artHow layers in Nihonga painting reveal new depths over time"Slow art is an invitation to linger, to notice, and to let the world unfold before us."How slowing down fosters healing and deeper connectionThe role of patience and attentiveness in both art and lifeLiving a Creative and Generous LifeHow to cultivate creativity in daily life, even outside traditional artsThe role of community in sustaining creative workWhy generosity and self-giving are essential to true creativity"Creativity is not about self-expression alone—it is about giving yourself away in love."Practical steps for integrating creativity into everyday livingPam King's Key TakeawaysWhether you think of yourself as artist, we're all creative. Mako's message is intentionally not just for artists, but is an invitation for all of us to live artfully—no matter what we do for a living.Because creativity comes in so many different ways, from leadership, to scientific research, to parenting, to cooking, we all have the daily creative capacity to add beauty to the world.And to that end, remember your first love, the playfulness and creativity of giving beauty to the worldA gift economy of beauty offers a radical resistance to consumerism, competition, and comparison.Art and the making of beauty is a part of thriving. And the invitation to live artfully starts with a daily practice of slowing down: pause, stop, and behold. Smell the roses. Consider the lilies.And finally, there's a path to beauty through brokenness. Grace comes to us through failure. And strength is made perfect in weakness.And finally, though the wind may be blowing through our lives, may we all learn to behold the moonlight leaking between the roof planks.About Makoto FujimuraContemporary artist Makoto Fujimura is a painter, an author, a speaker, and an imaginative maker with a gift for theological integration.Mako's message is intentionally not just for artists, because creativity comes in so many different ways, from leadership, to scientific research, to parenting, to cooking, we all have the daily creative capacity to add beauty to the world. Working out of his Princeton, New Jersey studio, his work has been described by David Brooks as “a small rebellion against the quickening of time.” Art critic Robert Kushner placed Mako's art at the forefront of a contemporary movement about “hope, healing, redemption, and refuge, while maintaining visual sophistication and intellectual integrity.”A blend of fine art and abstract expressionism, Mako describes his work as “slow art,” being influenced directly by the distinctively Japanese Nihonga style, which is patient and methodical, using slow drying pigments from ground minerals.Mako's art has been featured in galleries and museums around the world, as well as notable collections in The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, The Huntington Library in California, and the Tikotin Museum in Israel.From 2012 to 2017, he served as vision director of the Brehm Center here at Fuller Theological Seminary.Mako is the author of several books, including Refractions: A Journey of Art, Faith, & Culture, Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Life, and Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering. His most recent is entitled Art and Faith: A Theology of Making. And his next book will be available soon—titled, Art Is: A Journey into the Light. And with his wife Haejin, he's producing a new work on Beauty and Justice.Follow him on X @iamfujimura, and view his beautiful work at makotofujimura.com. About the Thrive CenterLearn more at thethrivecenter.org.Follow us on Instagram @thrivecenterFollow us on X @thrivecenterFollow us on LinkedIn @thethrivecenter About Dr. Pam KingDr. Pam King is Executive Director the Thrive Center and is Peter L. Benson Professor of Applied Developmental Science at Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy. Follow her @drpamking. About With & ForHost: Pam KingSenior Director and Producer: Jill WestbrookOperations Manager: Lauren KimSocial Media Graphic Designer: Wren JuergensenConsulting Producer: Evan RosaSpecial thanks to the team at Fuller Studio and the Fuller School of Psychology & Marriage and Family Therapy.

Josh talks with painter, author, arts advocate Makoto Fujimura about the connections between creativity and prayer. To introduce Makoto Josh offers a reflection on Makoto as a 'worldly mystic,' how he offers for us in his paintings and writings ways to rediscover our own sacred yet earthly existence. The video referenced "Mako Fujimura's Golden Sea": https://youtu.be/2B7_8w_FzPw https://makotofujimura.com Subscribe to the Invitation podcast: theinvitationcenter.org/subscribe To learn about the Invitation School of Prayer: theinvitationcenter.org/school-of-prayer To learn about the School of Contemplative Listening: theinvitationcenter.org/socl

“Risk-taking can lead to restoration only if it's motivated by love.” - Haejin Shim FujimuraIn this episode of Restoring the Soul, Michael is joined by Mako & Haejin Shim Fujimura. They will engage in a conversation covering a wide range of topics, including trauma, the significance of 9/11, the art of Kintsugi, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the critical issue of human trafficking.Mako is a prominent contemporary artist known for his deliberate and reflective approach to creating "slow art." His work, characterized by its thoughtful pace, has been aptly described by David Brooks of the New York Times as "a subtle rebellion against the accelerating pace of modern life." Beyond his artistry, Mako is a respected arts advocate, writer, and speaker, globally acknowledged as a cultural influencer. He has also held the prestigious role of a Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts from 2003-2009, where he played a crucial role in shaping arts-related policies and engaging with decision-makers internationally.Haejin, who is married to Mako, is an accomplished international attorney and the CEO of Embers International. She also serves as the President of the Kintsugi Academy, where her mission is to illuminate the darkest corners of existence and aid others in their journey of renewal and recovery.HELPFUL RESOURCES:Episode 13 - Mako Fujimura, “Silence and Beauty, Part 1”Episode 14 - Mako Fujimura, “Silence and Beauty, Part 2”CONTACT RESTORING THE SOUL:- Tweet us at @michaeljcusick and @PodcastRTS- Like us on Facebook- Follow us on Instagram & Twitter- Follow Michael on Twitter- Email us at info@restoringthesoul.com Thanks for listening!

Makoto Fujimura, world-famous contemporary painter with global cultural influence, talks about his art, his thinking and writing about Shūsaku Endō's novel Silence (1966), and his work on Martin Scorsese's film Silence (2016). I ask him about Scorsese's long collaborative friendship with Akira Kurosawa and his participation in Kurosawa's Dreams (1990). Mako also describes his work with his wife, Haejin Shim Fujimura, for Embers International and Kintsugi Academy, protecting and serving women and children in the brothels of Mumbai who are in danger of exploitation and trafficking. Both in the lives of the suffering poor and in the trials of struggling Christians, Mako sees redemptive beauty that he compares to the Japanese art of kintsugi in which broken vessels are lovingly restored with gold and lacquer and to our Lord, Jesus Christ, who is always pictured with His five wounds. Embers International website. Silence (2016), official trailer Art & Theology: Mr. Fujimura explains 'Kintsugi Theology' Mr. Fujimura's essay, 'Kintsugi Generation' Mr. Fujimura's paintings, 'The Four Holy Gospels' David Brooks about Mako Fujimura, The New York Times, “Longing for an Internet Cleanse” Michael John Cusick with Mako Fujimura, Restoring the Soul Podcast, “Silence and Beauty: Part I, Ep. 13, and Part II, Ep. 14,” and again, “Kintsugi Reflects Life, Ep. 193” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

Makoto Fujimura, world-famous contemporary painter with global cultural influence, talks about his art, his thinking and writing about Shūsaku Endō's novel Silence (1966), and his work on Martin Scorsese's film Silence (2016). I ask him about Scorsese's long collaborative friendship with Akira Kurosawa and his participation in Kurosawa's Dreams (1990). Mako also describes his work with his wife, Haejin Shim Fujimura, for Embers International and Kintsugi Academy, protecting and serving women and children in the brothels of Mumbai who are in danger of exploitation and trafficking. Both in the lives of the suffering poor and in the trials of struggling Christians, Mako sees redemptive beauty that he compares to the Japanese art of kintsugi in which broken vessels are lovingly restored with gold and lacquer and to our Lord, Jesus Christ, who is always pictured with His five wounds. Embers International website. Silence (2016), official trailer Art & Theology: Mr. Fujimura explains 'Kintsugi Theology' Mr. Fujimura's essay, 'Kintsugi Generation' Mr. Fujimura's paintings, 'The Four Holy Gospels' David Brooks about Mako Fujimura, The New York Times, “Longing for an Internet Cleanse” Michael John Cusick with Mako Fujimura, Restoring the Soul Podcast, “Silence and Beauty: Part I, Ep. 13, and Part II, Ep. 14,” and again, “Kintsugi Reflects Life, Ep. 193” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/christian-studies

Makoto Fujimura, world-famous contemporary painter with global cultural influence, talks about his art, his thinking and writing about Shūsaku Endō's novel Silence (1966), and his work on Martin Scorsese's film Silence (2016). I ask him about Scorsese's long collaborative friendship with Akira Kurosawa and his participation in Kurosawa's Dreams (1990). Mako also describes his work with his wife, Haejin Shim Fujimura, for Embers International and Kintsugi Academy, protecting and serving women and children in the brothels of Mumbai who are in danger of exploitation and trafficking. Both in the lives of the suffering poor and in the trials of struggling Christians, Mako sees redemptive beauty that he compares to the Japanese art of kintsugi in which broken vessels are lovingly restored with gold and lacquer and to our Lord, Jesus Christ, who is always pictured with His five wounds. Embers International website. Silence (2016), official trailer Art & Theology: Mr. Fujimura explains 'Kintsugi Theology' Mr. Fujimura's essay, 'Kintsugi Generation' Mr. Fujimura's paintings, 'The Four Holy Gospels' David Brooks about Mako Fujimura, The New York Times, “Longing for an Internet Cleanse” Michael John Cusick with Mako Fujimura, Restoring the Soul Podcast, “Silence and Beauty: Part I, Ep. 13, and Part II, Ep. 14,” and again, “Kintsugi Reflects Life, Ep. 193” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

 A short seaon finale wrap up episode with host, Libby John, who shares some of the honest truths about keeping a podcast going. She also gives a commission to artists to be confident in their role as "border-stalkers" who don't ever feel like they quite fit in like artist, Mako Fujimura, talks about in his book Culture Care. Don't miss the special benediction blessing she shares at the end. To support the podcast and help continue the production of these episodes please visit to make a donation! Your support is much appreciated! https://givebutter.com/artandfaithpodcast OR you can text artandfaithpodcast to: 202-858-1233 to donate    

Ashley Hales interviews Mako Fujimura on his artistic process, how faith and art meet and collide and give hope for sorrow and our cultural moment. Not to miss! LINKS Learn more about Mako Art + Faith book Art + Faith group reading guide Academy Kintsugi Ashley's most recent book, A Spacious Life is in paperback, ebook and audio. You can find out more about her work and speaking at aahales.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How is art an inroad to our experience of God? How does making things give us a more tangible knowledge of the love of God and the joy of being a human in God's image? What role do imagination and creativity have in a full-orbed theology? Our guest has some profound thoughts on these things. We are deeply honored to have renowned artist Makoto Fujimura on this episode of the Reintegrate Podcast.  Mako Fujimura is a leading contemporary artist in what is called the "slow art" movement. As a Japanese-American, he studied art at Bucknell University and then studied traditional Japanese painting in the doctorate program at the Tokyo University of the Arts. His art is a fusion of fine art and abstract expressionism utilizing the techniques of ancient traditional Japanese art.  His art has been featured widely in galleries and museums around the world including collections in The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, The Huntington Library, and the Tikotin Museum in Israel.  In addition to being a leading contemporary painter, Mako is an arts advocate, writer, and speaker who is recognized worldwide as a cultural influencer. Among his books are Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art, and Culture (NavPress, 2009), Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Life (InterVarsity Press, 2017). His latest book is Art and Faith: A Theology of Making (Yale University Press, with a foreword by N.T. Wright, 2021). Fujimura founded the International Arts Movement in 1992, now called IAMCultureCare, which oversees the Fujimura Institute. He recently initiated Culture Care Creative which nurtures artists and creative catalysts, academics, and professional advocates to provide a sanctuary in which to gather, learn, collaborate, and create, including the Acadamy Kintsugi. See Mako explain and illustrate Kintsugi in this YouTube video.  Purchase Makoto Fujimura's books from independent Christian booksellers Byron and Beth Borger at Hearts & Minds Bookstore. You can order online through their secure server or call 717-246-333. Mention that you heard about these books on the Reintegrate Podcast and get 20% off!  >> Thanks for listening! Your hosts for the Re-integrate Podcast are Dr. Bob Robinson and David Loughney. Go to re-integrate.org for the latest articles on reintegrating your callings with God's mission and online resources for further learning. You can also find out about a Bible study book that you can use in your small group or individual devotions: Reintegrate Your Vocation with God's Mission. On Reintegrate's podcast page, you'll find more episodes and ways to email us to comment on this podcast.

Have you ever felt as though your life is racing past at a breath-taking speed, or that every space is filled by electronic, fast-paced noise? Those living with trauma often testify to the healing impact of nature and the stillness that can be experienced in the great outdoors, yet we avoid it and worse - collude in its destruction.Mako is a leading contemporary painter whose "slow art" the New York Times called a "rebellion against the quickening of time." As a Master of the Japanese art form Nihonga, he has steeped himself in the history of 16th century Japan where this style originated, and in the traumatic and widespread persecution of Christians at that time. He leant his expertise to Martin Scorsese for the filmed adaptation of Shūsaku Endō's novel, 'Silence' and his own book, 'Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering" explores how the Christian Faith can survive in a hostile culture and amidst even the most terrible suffering.In this thought-provoking and moving conversation, Mako talks with Bryony and Peter about his calling to create generative art that brings life and invites people to enter the great silence where God may be heard and their suffering held.

“Risk-taking can lead to restoration only if it's motivated by love.” - Haejin Shim FujimuraOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael welcomes Mako & Haejin Shim Fujimura. Today, they will discuss a number of topics ranging from trauma, 9/11, Kintsugi, the Covid-19 pandemic, and Human trafficking.Mako is a leading contemporary artist whose process-driven, refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of the New York Times as “a small rebellion against the quickening of time”. He is also an arts advocate, writer, and speaker who is recognized worldwide as a cultural influencer. A Presidential appointee to the National Council on the Arts from 2003-2009, Fujimura served as an international advocate for the arts, speaking with decision-makers and advising governmental policies on the arts.Married to Mako, Haejin is an international attorney and CEO of Embers International. She also serves as the President of Kintsugi Academy. Her life mission is to bringing light into the darkness and help others being remade in order for them to recover.HELPFUL RESOURCES:http://www.embersinternational.org/https://kintsugiacademy.be/en/Episode 13 - Mako Fujimura, “Silence and Beauty, Part 1” Episode 14 - Mako Fujimura, “Silence and Beauty, Part 2”

After the resurrection, Jesus still carries in body the wounds of his experience. Drawing from Mako Fujimura's exploration of kintsugi, Pastor Jon explores how our own wounds can open into new creation. 

Book launch interview with Mako Fujimura for his new book "Art + Faith: A Theology of Making"

This episode features a conversation  we originally hosted on Friday, January 29th with artist and author Makoto Fujimura on his recent book  Art + Faith: A Theology of Making. Mako says, “I now consider what I do in the studio to be theological work as much as aesthetic work. I experience God, my Maker, in the studio. I am immersed in the art of creating, and I have come to understand this dimension of life as the most profound way of grasping human experience and the nature of our existence in the world. I call it the “Theology of Making.”We hope you enjoy this conversation exploring the theological work of creating.Learn more about Makoto Fujimura.Watch the full Evening Conversation and read the transcript from January 29th, 2021.Thanks to Windrider Productions and The Rabbit Room for their partnership on the event with Mako on January 29.Authors and books mentioned in the conversation:William BlakeN.T. WrightEsther MeekThe Gift, by Lewis HydeBruce HermanT.S. Eliot Amanda GormanDavid BrooksRichard MouwLearn more about Kintsugi.Related Trinity Forum Readings and Resources: God's Grandeur , a Trinity Forum Reading by Gerard Manley Hopkins  Revelation, a Trinity Forum Reading by Flannery O'Connor  Letters from Vincent van Gogh, a Trinity Forum Reading by Vincent van Gogh Hannah and Nathan, a Trinity Forum Reading by Wendell Berry Culture Care: Mending to Make New, an Online Conversation with Mako Fujimura on August 7, 2020. Culture Care, an Evening Conversation with Mako Fujimura on September 19, 2017. Soul Care, an Evening Conversation with Mako Fujimura on March 31, 2016. Makoto Fujimura is a leading contemporary artist whose process driven, refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of New York Times as “a small rebellion against the quickening of time”. In addition to his work as an artist Mako is an author whose works include Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art, and Culture and his just released work Art + Faith: A Theology of Making. Mako is also a senior fellow of the Trinity forum. Special thanks to Ned Bustard for the artwork and Andrew Peterson for the music!

What is the relationship between justice and beauty, repair and renewal? What inspires us to create? Mako Fujimura, an artist, and his wife, Haejin Shim, a lawyer, together are building a richer understanding of the interdependencies here, interdependencies that we all will need as we exit the pandemic and relate to an altered world.  Makoto Fujimura is a contemporary artist, curator, writer, and founder of the International Arts Movement. Haejin A. Shim Fujimura is the founder and owner of Shim & Associates, P.C., a law firm founded on the vision of cultural renewal for the legal industry, and the co-founder of Embers International, a global organization that seeks to protect, restore, and empower victims of injustice, and catalyze sustainable transformation by creating access to opportunities and resources.

Pastor Ian Graham talks to world-renown artist, author, entrepreneur, and thinker, Makoto Fujimura. Fujimura recently published "Art & Faith: A Theology of Making." You can purchase the book at Hearts & Minds Bookstore or wherever you get your books. Support the show (https://ecclesianj.churchcenter.com/giving)

Makoto Fujimura and the healing power of art and faith --------  Acclaimed artist Mako Fujimura talks to about the connection between beauty, art and faith. A particular emphasis is on the Japanese tradition of Kintsugi which repairs broken bowls, reassembling them with lacquer and then covering that in gold. The whole idea is that it takes broken things and not only restores them but makes them more beautiful than the original. Beauty out of brokenness is the idea - which has profound resonance with Fujimura’s understanding of his Christian faith and echoes his own experience in dealing with trauma and loss. ---- Links: Makoto Fujimura Art & Faith: A theology of Making. https://www.waterfall-gallery.com/makoto-fujimura https://makotofujimura.com/

World-renowned artist Makoto Fujimura, author of “Art + Faith: A Theology of Making,” draws from his deep well of reflections on creativity and the spiritual aspects of “making” in this poetic, inviting conversation with Jenn Giles Kemper. Experienced in the Japanese art of Kintsugi (mending broken ceramic with lacquer and gold to create something new) Makoto (Mako) talks with Jenn about what he's learned about the very nature of our Maker God through this process of being “not only restored, but made new.”On this episode of Sacred Ordinary Days with Jenn Giles Kemper, Mako explores:Why art is an outpouring of God's graceHow the trauma of living near Ground Zero on Sept, 11, 2001 has been reflected in all of our lives during the 2020-21 global pandemicThe generativity of humanityHow art asks more questions than it answersHis journey in Christ through different denominations and traditionsHow art is a gift but not a commodity, and how that reflects God's graceAbout the guest: Makoto Fujimura, an artist, arts advocate, writer, and speaker, is the founder of the International Arts Movement and the Fujimura Institute, and co-founder of the Kintsugi Academy. He lives in Princeton, New Jersey and is a leading contemporary artist whose “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of the New York Times as “a small rebellion against the quickening of time”.Mako's art has been featured widely in galleries and museums around the world, and is collected by notable collections including The Museum of Contemporary Art in Tokyo, The Huntington Library, and the Tikotin Museum in Israel. He is one of the first artists to paint live on stage at New York City's legendary Carnegie Hall as part of an ongoing collaboration with composer and percussionist, Susie Ibarra.We're proud to carry his books Culture Care and Art + Faith in our spiritual formation bookshop.Reflection point: In Art + Faith, Mako writes that “To be effective messengers of hope we must trust our inner voice, our intuition that speaks into the vast wastelands of our time.” When is a time you have not trusted your inner voice? What was at stake? And in the episode, Jenn mentions that Mako says that the book of Psalms, God's poetry, gives us an ecosystem of metaphors and a garden of words to describe the thriving offered to us in the New Creation. What would it look like for you to spend some time in a Psalm this week? What might God have to tell you through the Psalm you read, as it relates to new creation?Links:Art + Faith: A Theology of Making by Makoto FujimuraMakoto FujimuraCulture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Life by Makoto FujimuraAbout Sacred Ordinary Days with Jenn Giles Kemper: Sacred Ordinary Days with Jenn Giles Kemper explores faith where it hits the pavement of work, relationships, creativity, and real life. Inspired by Jenn's curiosity and faith (and her work as a minister and spiritual director) we're crafting a show to help you meaningfully explore your own life with Christ — and ultimately lead you to become more wholly human and more fully faithful. On Tuesdays, join us for a conversation with folks whose words, work, and witness have shaped our team's understanding of God and practice of faith. (Plus, we're featuring lots of good music, prompts for your reflection and practice, and plenty of invitations into a community of kindred spirits!)Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

In this episode, Blake sits down with painter, Mako Fujimura. They discuss his process of slow art, culture care, and his new book, Art & Faith: A Theology of Making. The music in this episode is from Praise & Warships, Chris Ellis, and Blake Flattley. SHOWNOTES: Videos from 1517. Kintsugi Academy Culture Care Culture Care Creative Podcast

Please enjoy this amazing conversation with artist and author Mako Fujimura where he speaks about how writing, reading, and Culture Care can help us through trying times. (please note that the Internet connection caused a small portion of poor-quality audio in the beginning, but the vast majority of the interview is fine) View the entire series here: https://writingforyourlife.com/reading-hope-in-trying-times/ Learn more about Mako here: http://www.makotofujimura.com/

“Artists are gardeners who are called to till the soil of culture.” - Mako FujimuraOn this edition of Restoring the Soul, Michael spends an hour with Mako Fujimura, visual artist, author, thought leader, and cultural-shaper who was recently appointed Director of The Brehm Center at Fuller Seminary. His paintings have been exhibited around the world and he is one of the first artists to paint live on stage at New York City’s legendary Carnegie Hall.Mako is an artist whose process driven, refractive “slow art” has been described by David Brooks of New York Times as “a small rebellion against the quickening of time”. Mr. Fujimura is also a well-read author. He and Michael will discuss Mako’s books Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Life and Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering.Find out even more about Mako here.

Makoto Fujimura – Lament: Kintsugi and the art of mending.Doug and J.R. talk about the progression of emotions that move from anxiety to annoyance to anger during the pandemic. Even as they look at the difficult emotions they also talk about some simple things that have been giving them hope. Our conversation this week is with the artist, author and theologian Mako Fujimura. Much of his work has been around trauma and lament. Some of his work includes pieces done for Columbine, 9/11, the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011, and the 400-year anniversary of the King James Bible. There is a depth of wisdom and permission in this interview that is timely for pastors and leaders as we find ourselves leading through a new season of lament, suffering, and trauma. Mako also talks about the Japanese method of repairing pottery called kintsugi as a way to mend and heal broken things. This conversation is deeply honest and hopeful, we know you are going to be moved by it.Resources:Here are some of Mako's books:-Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Life-Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering-Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art, and CultureMako's website https://www.makotofujimura.com/Donna Harris and the 6-part flow of lament1. Crying out to God2. Affirming trust in God3. Petitioning God to restore4. Making additional arguments5. Expressing rage against loss and injustice6. Praising God in assurance of his promises to hear usQuestions:-What do you need to lament?-Where does your mind need to shift from fixing to mending?-Where do we need to experience the tears of Jesus?If you have any questions, comments, or thoughts for the show drop us a line, at dougmoister@gmail.com or jrbriggs@kairospartnerships.orgWe are a new podcast so we ask you to make sure to subscribe, write a review, and share this with other pastors and kingdom leaders. We hope to see the MMP community grow and cannot do it without you.Monday morning pastor is a ministry of is brought to you by a partnership between https://www.missioalliance.org/ and https://www.kairospartnerships.org/podcastLearn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Makoto Fujimura – Lament: Kintsugi and the art of mending.Doug and J.R. talk about the progression of emotions that move from anxiety to annoyance to anger during the pandemic. Even as they look at the difficult emotions they also talk about some simple things that have been giving them hope. Our conversation this week is with the artist, author and theologian Mako Fujimura. Much of his work has been around trauma and lament. Some of his work includes pieces done for Columbine, 9/11, the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, Japan earthquake and tsunami of 2011, and the 400-year anniversary of the King James Bible. There is a depth of wisdom and permission in this interview that is timely for pastors and leaders as we find ourselves leading through a new season of lament, suffering, and trauma. Mako also talks about the Japanese method of repairing pottery called kintsugi as a way to mend and heal broken things. This conversation is deeply honest and hopeful, we know you are going to be moved by it.Resources:Here are some of Mako’s books:-Culture Care: Reconnecting with Beauty for Our Common Life-Silence and Beauty: Hidden Faith Born of Suffering-Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art, and CultureMako’s website https://www.makotofujimura.com/Donna Harris and the 6-part flow of lament1. Crying out to God2. Affirming trust in God3. Petitioning God to restore4. Making additional arguments5. Expressing rage against loss and injustice6. Praising God in assurance of his promises to hear usQuestions:-What do you need to lament?-Where does your mind need to shift from fixing to mending?-Where do we need to experience the tears of Jesus?If you have any questions, comments, or thoughts for the show drop us a line, at dougmoister@gmail.com or jrbriggs@kairospartnerships.orgWe are a new podcast so we ask you to make sure to subscribe, write a review, and share this with other pastors and kingdom leaders. We hope to see the MMP community grow and cannot do it without you.Monday morning pastor is a ministry of is brought to you by a partnership between https://www.missioalliance.org/ and https://www.kairospartnerships.org/podcast

Museum of the Bible hosted distinguished artist, author and speaker, Makoto Fujimura. Fujimura's "The Art of the Gospels" exhibition was on display at the museum from November 2017 - April 2018.

In this Virtual Veritas Forum we discuss the impact of the novel coronavirus in the context of creativity with a panel that includes contemporary artist and activist Mako Fujimura, film critic and associate professor Alissa Wilkinson, and hip-hop recording artist Lecrae. Together they explore how unexpected events have reshaped humanity's creative spirit throughout history and how this moment is doing the same. Moderated by the Executive Director of the Veritas Forum, Andrew Schuman. • Please like, share, subscribe to, and review this podcast. Thank you!

Mako Fujimura is an artist and a philosopher. He’s been blowing my mind for 15 years, first with his painting and then with his writing. "Culture is not a territory to be won; it is instead a resource we are called to steward,” he has said. That statement is a rebuke to the last forty years of American life. Mako is a Christian, and so he is in particular rebuking American Christianity. He gives us a radically different paradigm through which to view the world. He is a renowned painter. His works have been shown all over the world, at "the Dillon Gallery in New York, Sato Museum in Tokyo, The Tokyo National University of Fine Arts Museum, Bentley Gallery in Arizona, Gallery Exit and Oxford House at Taikoo Place in Hong Kong, Vienna’s Belvedere Museum, Shusaku Endo Museum in Nagasaki.”"He is one of the first artists to paint live on stage at New York City’s legendary Carnegie Hall as part of an ongoing collaboration with composer and percussionist, Susie Ibarra.”Mako paints using an ancient Japanese technique called Nihonga, which relies on the use of pulverized minerals and is makes use of papers made from Japanese mulberry and hemp fibers. He has likened his use of these pulverized minerals to the way that suffering can be redeemed in our own lives. "These materials themselves have to be pulverized and pounded to become beautiful,” he said.We talk about his experience on 9/11/01, when he lived three blocks from the World Trade Center and didn’t know for some time that morning whether his children, who were in school two blocks from the towers, had survived. This is from an August 2019 commencement address: "After 9/11, I had to train my imagination by painting over and over images of fire. I needed to transform haunting memories and images of destructive fire into the fire of sanctification. When I saw the spire fall at Notre Dame last month, yes, I was right back where I started — but I was able, also, to turn my mind and my heart back to my studio near Ground Zero, and again go into my daily practice toward sanctification. These fires do not have to end in destruction. Fire can purify our memory and desire. (“Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain.” T.S Eliot, The Wasteland) A renewed neuron network can form, if we imagine through the darkness." Mako has written three books: “Culture Care,” “Silence and Beauty,” and “Refractions.” His work on “Silence and Beauty” brought him into collaboration with renowned director Martin Scorsese, who directed the film “Silence,” a story based on the Japanese novel by the same name written by Shusaki Endo, which plays a big part in Mako’s book. Here are links to a few other writings & speeches.“The Aroma of the New” - Makoto Fujimura commencement address at Belhaven University, 2011“Would You Give Your Life for Beauty?” - Makoto Fujimura commencement address at Messiah College, 2013“

Makoto Fujimura, director of Fuller’s Brehm Center for Worship, Theology, and the Arts, speaks about the importance of creating diversity in a polarized culture. The theme of the 2019 Brehm Conference, “Worship, Theology, and the Arts in a Divided World,” focused on how worship, theology, and the arts might be vehicles for reconciliation and forge unity across divides—whether political or economic, racial or relational, linguistic or cultural, in the academy or in the public square, inside the church or outside of it. David M. Bailey, founder and executive director of Arrabon, was the conference’s keynote speaker. The celebration included lectures, conversations, worship and more, and was sponsored by the Brehm Center for Worship, Theology, and the Arts.    For more resources for a deeply formed spiritual life, visit Fuller.edu/Studio

In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.”Then the astrologers answered the king, “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble.***When Arioch, the commander of the king's guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. He asked the king's officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said:“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;wisdom and power are his.He changes times and seasons;he deposes kings and raises up others.He gives wisdom to the wiseand knowledge to the discerning.He reveals deep and hidden things;he knows what lies in darkness,and light dwells with him.I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:You have given me wisdom and power,you have made known to me what we asked of you,you have made known to us the dream of the king.”***Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.***“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future.The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”***An essential part of our theological and missional task today is to tell this story as clearly as possible, and to allow it to subvert other ways of telling the story of the world.NT Wright***So God created mankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them;male and female he created them.God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”***The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ***Culture is not a territory to be won or lost but a resource we are called to steward with care. Culture is a garden to be cultivated.Mako Fujimura

In the second year of his reign, Nebuchadnezzar had dreams; his mind was troubled and he could not sleep. So the king summoned the magicians, enchanters, sorcerers and astrologers to tell him what he had dreamed. When they came in and stood before the king, he said to them, “I have had a dream that troubles me and I want to know what it means.”Then the astrologers answered the king, “May the king live forever! Tell your servants the dream, and we will interpret it.”The king replied to the astrologers, “This is what I have firmly decided: If you do not tell me what my dream was and interpret it, I will have you cut into pieces and your houses turned into piles of rubble.***When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to put to death the wise men of Babylon, Daniel spoke to him with wisdom and tact. He asked the king’s officer, “Why did the king issue such a harsh decree?” Arioch then explained the matter to Daniel. At this, Daniel went in to the king and asked for time, so that he might interpret the dream for him.Then Daniel returned to his house and explained the matter to his friends Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah. He urged them to plead for mercy from the God of heaven concerning this mystery, so that he and his friends might not be executed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. During the night the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision. Then Daniel praised the God of heaven and said:“Praise be to the name of God for ever and ever;wisdom and power are his.He changes times and seasons;he deposes kings and raises up others.He gives wisdom to the wiseand knowledge to the discerning.He reveals deep and hidden things;he knows what lies in darkness,and light dwells with him.I thank and praise you, God of my ancestors:You have given me wisdom and power,you have made known to me what we asked of you,you have made known to us the dream of the king.”***Your Majesty looked, and there before you stood a large statue—an enormous, dazzling statue, awesome in appearance. The head of the statue was made of pure gold, its chest and arms of silver, its belly and thighs of bronze, its legs of iron, its feet partly of iron and partly of baked clay. While you were watching, a rock was cut out, but not by human hands. It struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay and smashed them. Then the iron, the clay, the bronze, the silver and the gold were all broken to pieces and became like chaff on a threshing floor in the summer. The wind swept them away without leaving a trace. But the rock that struck the statue became a huge mountain and filled the whole earth.***“In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever. This is the meaning of the vision of the rock cut out of a mountain, but not by human hands—a rock that broke the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver and the gold to pieces.“The great God has shown the king what will take place in the future.The dream is true and its interpretation is trustworthy.”***An essential part of our theological and missional task today is to tell this story as clearly as possible, and to allow it to subvert other ways of telling the story of the world.NT Wright***So God created mankind in his own image,in the image of God he created them;male and female he created them.God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”***The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. ***Culture is not a territory to be won or lost but a resource we are called to steward with care. Culture is a garden to be cultivated.Mako Fujimura

Makoto Fujimura is an internationally-renowned artist, writer, and visionary. His work addresses the tension between trauma and creativity, culture creation, and the extravagant wastefulness of God (among a whole host of other themes). We’ve waited a long time for this conversation, chomping at the bit to ask Mako how, exactly, an artist “sees,” what that vision does for the world, and how somebody goes about developing it. Plus, Mako has some pretty unique insights on the way creativity relates to trauma inside the story of God. It’s a mind-blowing episode, is what we’re saying, and although the audio we captured turned out a little shaky, Mako’s eloquence more than makes up for it.

A lecture given by Sarah Chestnut at Southborough L'Abri on January 26, 2018. For more information, visit www.labri.org/mass and for more L'Abri lectures, visit the L'Abri Ideas Library.   There are many reasons getting started on--or finishing--creative endeavors is hard. With help from Arnold Lobel's Frog and Toad, as well as from Hans Rookmaaker and Mako Fujimura and other contemporary thinkers and artists, we will wade through and correct assumptions about the creative process that keep us from getting artistic work done, and in some cases are even destructive to our humanity.   The Copyright for all material on the podcast is held by L'Abri Fellowship. We ask that you respect this by not publishing the material in full or in part in any format or post it on a website without seeking prior permission from L'Abri Fellowship. ©Southborough L'Abri 2018

In the previous podcast, we talked with Thomas McKenzie about the novel Silence. In this podcast, we sit down with Mako Fujimura to discuss the the film and his book Silence and Beauty. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

 Today on the program, Michael concludes his two-part interview with Mako Fujimura, visual artist, author, thought leader, and cultural-shaper who was recently appointed Director of The Brehm Center at Fuller Seminary. His paintings have been exhibited around the world and he is one of the first artists to paint live on stage at New York City’s legendary Carnegie Hall.   Photo credit: Alyson Lecroy 

 Today on the program, and into the next episode, Michael is speaking with Mako Fujimura, visual artist, author, thought leader, and cultural-shaper who was recently appointed Director of The Brehm Center at Fuller Seminary. His paintings have been exhibited around the world and he is one of the first artists to paint live on stage at New York City’s legendary Carnegie Hall.  A popular speaker, he has lectured at numerous conferences, universities and museums, including the Aspen Institute, Yale and Princeton Universities, Sato Museum and the Phoenix Art Museum. Fujimura founded the International Arts Movement in 1992, a non-profit whose “Encounter” conferences have featured cultural catalysts such as Dr. Elaine Scarry, Dennis Donoghue, Billy Collins, Dana Gioia, Calvin DeWitt and Miroslav Volf.  Fujimura’s second book, Refractions: A Journey of Faith, Art and Culture, is a collection of essays bringing together people of all backgrounds in a conversation and meditation on culture, art, and humanity. In celebration of the 400th Anniversary of the King James Bible, Crossway Publishing commissioned and published The Four Holy Gospels, featuring Fujimura’s illuminations of the sacred texts. In 2011 the Fujimura Institute was established and launched the Four Qu4rtets, a collaboration between Fujimura, painter Bruce Herman, Duke theologian/pianist Jeremy Begbie, and Yale composer Christopher Theofanidis, based on T.S. Eliot’s Four Quartets. The exhibition will travel to Baylor, Duke, and Yale Universities, Gordon College and other institutions around the globe. 

We love our enemies by seeing ourselves already perfected in Christ

We love our enemies by seeing ourselves already perfected in Christ

We love our enemies by seeing ourselves already perfected in Christ

We love our enemies by seeing ourselves already perfected in Christ

When God sends his Spirit, there is renewal.

When God sends his Spirit, there is renewal.