Dana Gioia Audio: Artists as Reconcilers

Dana Gioia (a guy) is one of my favorite living poets.  He spent 15 years in business, eventually becoming a Vice President of General Foods.  He would write at night and on weekends until he left business in the early 90's to be a full-time writer.  I've been reading him for a couple of years.  I think anyone even remotely interested in the arts and the work of redemption should read his fantastic essay "Can Poetry Matter?".  You can find several of Gioia's poems online as well.

Gioia was a speaker at the February IAM (International Arts Movement) conference, Artists as Reconcilers.  You can find his keynote address for free on iTunes.  Just search for "Artists as Reconcilers" and you will get their podcast.  If you become a member of IAM for $40 a year you will have access in a few weeks to all the conference talks from Dr. Miroslav Volf, Nancy Pearcey, Betty Spackman, Rev. Ian Cron, Rev. Tom Pike, and Makoto Fujimura (the founder of IAM).

Comments

[Ray Van Neste]

Thanks for these links! If we can return to the appreciation of poetry we will be better off, and I argue that it will help us particularly as pastors.

[Steve McCoy]

Completely agree Ray. Thanks.

[Matt Stokes]

Isn't Goia chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts?

I saw him on C-SPAN a while back, as part of panel with Bill Kristol, Christopher Hitchens and Jody Bottum. A fine poet.

[Joe Thorn]

If God wanted us to be into poety he would have put it in the Bible! Oh. Wait... Yeah, nevermind.

Seriously good links man. Thanks.

[jason]

You guys are sounding like Eugene Peterson, in his book The Contemplative Pastor.

"In subtle ways, being a pastor subjects our words to corruption. That is why it is important to frequent the company of a poet friend ... a person who cares about words and is honest with them, who respects and honors their sheer overwhelming power. I leave such meetings less careless, my reverence for words and the Word restored.
Is it not significant that the biblical prophets and psalmists were all poets? It is a continuing curiosity that so many pastors, whose work integrates the prophetic and psalmic (preaching and praying), are indifferent to poets. In reading poets, I find congenial allies in the world of words. In writing poems, I find myself practicing my pastoral craft in a biblical way."

On my blog I am looking for submissions of poems for the Passion week. Love to have you all stop by and contribute.

[Steve McCoy]

Jason, Peterson is sounding like me! ;)

Matt, yeah.

[jason]

Steve,

I'm sure! He's a lucky guy to share your thinking in this area. I really enjoy reading your blogs. Thanks for challenging me and even entertaing me sometimes.

[Robert Campbell]

Thanks.