Believe to See: Recent Episodes
Anselm Society
The podcast of the Anselm Society's Arts Guild. Join host Matt Mellema and a rotation of guests at the digital pub table for conversations about faith and storytelling. “Some things have to be believed to be seen." -Madeleine L'Engle
Join Mandy's conversation with oil painter Nicole Beck and road trip photographer Isaac Hans — both members of the Anselm Society Arts Guild. Nicole and Isaac discuss how storytelling is integral to their work, from inception to public showings. (Warning: You're going to want to attend more gallery shows after this episode, and you'll never see them the same way again.)
How much Arthurian art have you seen? Chances are, it's more than you think. From medieval illuminated manuscripts to seemingly vague romantic paintings of knights on horseback wooing maidens with flowing hair, join the hosts for an exploration of visual depictions of Arthurian legends across the centuries.
For more than a thousand years, the legends of King Arthur have been retold, expanded, and reinvented. In this episode, we trace the remarkable evolution of the Arthurian legends from the shadowy origins in post-Roman Britain through Saxon England and the French courts, up through Victorian writers and into the modern day. Along the way, we explore how each generation reshaped the legend and why Arthur remains one of the most enduring figures in Western literature. More than the story of a single king, Arthur's journey is the story of how great myths survive: by continually adapting while remaining unmistakably themselves.
What did C.S. Lewis mean when he said that George MacDonald's Phantastes "baptized my imagination"?
Meredith Finch is the writer of the new graphic novel adaptation of Phantastes from Cave Pictures Publishing. We discuss the unique challenge of adapting a dreamlike and deeply symbolic novel into a visual medium, the meaning behind some of MacDonald's most memorable images and episodes, and why this strange fairy tale still speaks to modern readers.
Dovetailing with last week's episode on the ownership of stories, Matt, Mandy, and Sarah discuss the mysterious and oft-maligned world of fanfiction. Is it a silly way for mostly young women to get validation and fix the problems they see in other stories? Or is it a low-stakes environment to hone skills and experiment with identity?
What is fanfiction's appeal and value, and what can it show us about its subjects? Join the digital pub table to learn more about fanfiction and its purpose in continuing the conversation with the works it pays homage to.
For most of human history, nobody "owned" the great stories. Nobody owned Achilles, Beowulf, or King Arthur. These tales belonged to civilization itself—passed down, expanded, and reinterpreted generation after generation. Every age added something new, and every storyteller helped keep the stories alive. In many ways, the old myths survived precisely because people kept taking up the tale. But today, our greatest myths are often locked behind copyright law and corporate canon. Spider-Man, Darth Vader, and even Middle-earth exist as carefully controlled intellectual property guarded by massive entertainment companies and teams of lawyers. So which approach creates healthier culture? Are stories better protected as private property, or shared as a cultural inheritance? At the digital pub table, we explore the history of intellectual property, the evolution of mythology and fan fiction, and how Christians should think about storytelling, creativity, and what it really means to "own" a story.
What if we've misunderstood the Inklings?
When most of us think of the Inklings, we picture C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien: two brilliant minds meeting in an Oxford pub and changing literature forever. But that's only one part of a much bigger story.
G. Connor Salter joins the Anselm Digital Pub table to discuss his new book, The Other Inklings. It explores the often-overlooked members of the Inklings, and how they shaped Lewis, Tolkien, and the Christian imagination. What emerges is a powerful idea--great stories don't come from isolated geniuses. They come from communities.
We love a good vampire yarn, or speculating about how we would react to a zombie apocalypse. Pop culture loves them too: vampires sexy, zombies scary. But what is the value in telling these kinds of stories? Is there more to it than just Hollywood trying to make more money?
Dr. Amy Hughes, a theology professor, scholar, and author joins the pub table to discuss our favorite supernatural creatures and what they have to say about humanity and God.
OnScript podcast, Dr. Hughes' two books: Christian Women in the Patristic World, and the just-released Gregory of Nyssa on the Resurrected Life.
It's human to want to fit in. And it's human to fail at fitting in. What if our peculiarities aren't necessarily weaknesses to be overcome, but gifts from God that He wants us to use? Join us at the virtual pub table as we discuss the pain of feeling like a weirdo, and the joy of finding our purpose (among our fellow weirdos).
Why do our greatest stories—Chaucer, Shakespeare, and even the Bible—include moments that feel . . . a little crude?
In this episode, we make a surprising case: what we call "toilet humor" isn't just childish—it may actually serve a deeper purpose in storytelling. From the shocking story of Ehud in Judges, to Chaucer laughing at farts, to G. K. Chesterton reminding us to "take ourselves lightly," we explore how humor rooted in the body can humble our pride, reconnect us to reality, and remind us all that we're physical creatures with physical bodies.
Stand-up comedy has become one of our culture's most important artistic forms. And that sounds strange. How can something as simple as a single person telling funny observations and anecdotes be one of our most important art forms? But look around. Stand-up is all over Netflix and other major streamers. Comedians dominate both the podcast arenas and the YouTube clip arenas. They also have an outsized importance in the national conversation on a broad range of culture issues.
How did this all happen? Where did all these comedians come from? Is there a significance to stand-up comedians beyond a few laughs? More fundamentally, how should we, as Christians, view the (surprisingly ancient) tradition of the comedian? Joining us at the table to discuss this issue is Jason Crawford. He's a professor of English at Union University, where he specializes in early modern literature and culture. He has also written a fantastic new book called God's Fools: Saints, Prophets, Martyrs, and the Making of Modern Comedy.
Theoretical physicists are debating whether the multiverse is plausible or bonkers. But regardless of the math, the idea of multiple realities is endlessly compelling for storytellers—from classic literature and pulp science fiction to contemporary film and television.
At the digital pub table, we're joined by filmmaker and culture critic Joseph Holmes to explore why the multiverse captivates us. His new film Jim vs. The Future explores the moral and theological implications of the multiverse. It asks what responsibility, choice, and hope look like when every possibility is open.
Video game music has come a long way. Simple electronic beeps have evolved into some of today's most ambitious musical scores. In this episode, we explore how music shapes storytelling across all sorts of visual media, and why video game scores deserve to be taken as seriously as their movie counterparts.
Joining the Anselm Society Digital Pub table is Vinicius Barbosa Pippa, a composer and conductor whose work spans film, television, and video games. He delves into his process for creating music to tell stories across many different genres.
Throughout church history, having a Christian imagination meant telling stories about dragons. If that sounds a bit strong, then look at your Bible. From the opening verses of Genesis to the climactic battle at the end of Revelation, dragons play an important role in the story of Scripture.
So how should we as Christians place dragon stories within the Great Story? Author and podcaster Laurie Christine joins the digital pub table to sort this out. She has written a series of middle grade books called the Dragon Slayer Bible Series. She discusses the ways that the Bible's understanding of dragons can shape our stories today.
Is it possible to stumble into the Upside Down and come back with a handful of transcendent truths? Join Mandy, Christina, and Matt at the pub table as they discuss the themes and characters of the series Stranger Things—beauty in weakness, strength in fragility, the power of story, and more. Please note: if you have not watched the series, this episode is spoiler-filled!
Courtney Ellis—author, pastor, and podcaster—joins Mandy at the pub table to discuss all things feathered (including hope) and how God speaks to our hearts through the wonder and beauty of His creation. (Find Courtney's books and podcast: courtneybellis.com)
We've all been there at some point. There's an artist who does great work. We admire their talent, and we use their art as a model for our own. And then we learn the artist did something terrible in their personal life.
How should we respond as Christian artists? Can we enjoy the art on its own terms and sift out the artist's mistakes? Or are the artist and the art so intertwined that we can't separate them?
It turns out—shocker!—that this is a complicated issue with a lot of moving parts. But Matt, Mandy, and Christina do their best to walk through the different considerations and to give a framework for approaching the issue with care and intentionality.
Our world has more material prosperity than ever. So why does everybody seem so dour? And why are so many of our culture's stories devoid of hope?
Author Shemaiah Gonzales's latest book is Undaunted Joy: The Revolutionary Act of Cultivating Delight. This collection of essays makes the case that, as Christians, our stories need more joy. But not the naïve or fake kind of joy. The real, brave kind. She joins the pub table to discuss the implications of telling stories that cultivate authentic joy.
It is a truth universally acknowledged that Jane Austen is one of our greatest novelists. Her place in the literary canon is secure. Her influence on later generations is profound. But what about the novelists who influenced Jane Austen? Hardly anybody reads them nowadays, and they are not in the canon.
Using Rebecca Romney's book Jane Austen's Bookshelf as a guide, Sarah, Matt, and Mandy discuss how strange this situation is. If Jane Austen thought a novel was great, shouldn't we want to read it? The co-hosts make the case for adding these forgotten authors into the literary canon.
Even people who don't follow sports know about the Dallas Cowboys. They're "America's Team." Giant stadiums and superstar players and Super Bowl victories. The team that's always in the news because of drama with their owner.
But here's the thing: the Cowboys haven't been to a Super Bowl in 30 years. The images we have about the Cowboys' greatness come from a four-year run between 1992 and 1995.
How could such a powerful story emerge from such a short span of winning? Matt invites Luke Moja—his friend and resident 90s sports expert—to the digital pub table to discuss the enduring myth-making and real-life Shakespearean drama that is the Dallas Cowboys.
For many people, audiobooks are the primary way they engage with novels. Other people view audiobooks as something lesser that doesn't really "count" as reading. What are the benefits (and drawbacks) of audiobooks? Of e-readers? Of old-fashioned paper books? The cohosts debate all this and more during this roundtable.
Ashlee Cowles returns to the digital pub table. She's both an Arts Guild member and one half of the AD Rhine writing duo. Their latest novel, Daughters of Bronze, concludes their retelling of the Trojan War from the viewpoint of four Trojan women. Cowles discusses the ways she grounded the novel in history, and how she was able to find hope—even in the doom of Troy.
To celebrate the holidays, Believe to See is re-airing episodes from past Christmases. Or should we say from Christmas Past?
"Is It a Christmas Movie?" first aired on December 3, 2022.
To Celebrate the week of Christmas, Believe to See is re-airing episodes from past Christmases . . . Should we say from Christmas Past? "12 Days of Christmas Carol" first aired on December 29, 2020.
The clear majority of literary novels are read by women. The clear majority are written by women, too. Women also dominate the publishing industry around these books. As a result, more and more men are feeling alienated by this new literary landscape.
What's led to this shift in the literary world? Is the development good, bad, or neutral? Matt, Mandy, and Christina delve into this multi-faceted issue.
Ali Gilkeson is a founding member of Rend Collective. She's also a best-selling children's author. Her latest book, "Keeping the Light," is newly-published from WaterBrook Multnomah. Gilkeson joins the digital pub table to discuss how her background with Rend Collective has influenced her writing. She also explores the enduring symbolic power of the lighthouse.
https://www.aligilkeson.com/
How will people in the future, say 500 years from now, view today's art? What are the novels, movies, and songs that will still be relevant and important to people in the year 2525? Each of the co-hosts offers their best guess.
When most of us hear " dulcimer," we think of Irish peasants in the Middle Ages. Or maybe that "damsel with a dulcimer" in the poem "Kubla Khan." The actual hammered dulcimer, however, is something else entirely. It's a unique blend of percussion and stringed instruments with ancient roots across the world. And it's capable of creating gorgeous music.
Musician and composer Joshua Messick joins the table to discuss all things hammered dulcimer. He's composed ten albums of hammered dulcimer music, and played for the soundtracks of major movies and video games. He explains the hammered dulcimer's unique ability to tell a story through its music.
Author Neve Foster joins the table to discuss her new novel, Of Ink and Spirit. Along the way, she makes a shocking revelation. Neve Foster is, in fact, the pen name for Anselm's own Evangeline Denmark! Evangeline—err, Neve—discusses her novel's long journey to print and its grounding in Japanese folklore. She also talks about co-founding a new publishing co-op: Unity Inkworks.
You know the saying, but is it accurate? Perhaps if we said shouldn't instead of can't, it would ring true. The fact is, we do judge books by their covers, all the time. Join our cohosts in a discussion of what makes a book cover good, bad, memorable, or even misleading.
Middle grade fantasy author Carolyn Leiloglou returns to the pub table to chat about the conclusion of her award-winning Restorationists trilogy, Beyond the Far Horizon (available 09/09/2025). Carolyn grew up surrounded by the paintings of her art collector grandparents and took that love into her stories. But her characters are not only surrounded by art--they climb into the paintings themselves and travel between them. Join us for a conversation about the God-given impulse to create, what stops young people (and old) from pursuing that impulse, famous paintings, infamous art heists, and more.
Did you know that your everyday experience with color has a deep effect on your brain? And why have you always hated yellow, anyway? Popular psychology argues that our favorite colors say a lot about us, often claiming that our favorite colors are linked to our personality profiles. Is there any truth to that? Can our favorite colors tell us something about ourselves? Join our roundtable as we discuss this question and more, turning to painter Mark Rothko's masterful approach, using the relationship between color and the human brain to engage his audience.
JL Gerhardt is an author and partner at Hazefire Studios, where she and her husband, Justin Gerhardt, collaborate on the podcast Holy Ghost Stories. Gerhardt joins the table to talk about one of Hazefire’s recent podcast projects: "The Happiest Saddest People." JL Gerhardt writes and narrates these episodes, which are a memoir of her own life, with reflections of faith, memory, and loss. It’s also really excellent. Just the first episode alone is emotionally gutting and profound. And this memoir—which is also a theological reflection—takes place in the context of a beautifully produced podcast.
Chapter books are important. Their target audience is kids between about ages 6 and 10, and they play a major role in developing young readers. Author Leilani Mueller knows all about writing for this age group. She’s the author of a brand-new chapter book called All Aboard the Grandparents Express. The book explores grief, loss, and imagination from the perspective of its 8-year-old narrator. Leilani describes the process of writing a good and beautiful book for the youngest readers.
Summer may be over, but Beach Reads are always relevant. We all have a favorite Beach Read: a story that is fun and immersive, but not necessarily deep or literary. But how do we feel about Beach Reads as a concept? After all, Believe to See’s goal is to help connect the Great Story, the great stories, and our own stories. How do Beach Reads fit into these great stories? Do they fit at all? Is it possible to be the sort of person who cares deeply about the great stories, and who also enjoys a fun beach read?
Kreg Yingst is a printmaker, painter, and writer whose work can be found in both private and corporate collections--or in one of his several books. His medium of choice is printmaking, using an antique Showcard proof press to print his hand-carved wood blocks or linoleum sheets onto paper or wood. Join Mandy and guest co-host Isaac Hans as they talk with Kreg about his art, his books, and how the very act of making art can be a prayer. (Find him on Instagram here where he posts his original art as psalmprayers.)
Meredith Davis is the author of the Amazing Adventures of Noah Minor series. These middle grade superhero stories draw inspiration from classic comic books and the science of imagination. Davis joins the pub table to discuss how her stories use superheroes to explore themes of friendship, integrity, and self-control.
Will Parker Anderson is a senior editor at Waterbrook and Multnomah (an imprint of Penguin Random House). He’s also an important resource as a writing coach and book industry expert. Will discusses how to navigate the often fraught waters of the Christian nonfiction market, and how we can all help support work that is excellent and edifying.
Join the hosts at the roundtable as they talk about their favorite obsessions: the art and artists they love so much, they want the world to love them too. Mandy asks Matt and Christina to discuss where this impulse comes from—this desire for others to love what we love—and why it hurts when our enthusiasm is met with a shrug or a shake of the head. What does this impulse say about the impact of art on our hearts? How can shared (or not shared) affinities shape community?
Whether you’re a new novelist, an experienced novelist, or not a novelist at all, there’s something to learn from the intricacies of story structure. Author Elisa Lambert joins the table to discuss. She’s one of the Anselm Society Arts’ Guild’s member artists. She’s also writing a novel using something called the Book Architecture method.
We recently talked with SD Smith about the heart and motivation behind the upcoming Green Ember video game. But how do you make a video game in the first place? Bryan Engram is here to help. He's the co-founder of Brazen Animation: the studio that's creating the Green Ember video game. He explains the building blocks of effective gameplay and how to use those blocks to create a compelling story.
Join us as Matt and Mandy battle it out to determine which book is better -- The Great Gatsby, or To Kill a Mockingbird. It's a doozy, folks. Come cast your vote!
We know there's "nothing new under the sun," but must there be so many TV shows with a first responder, life-or-death, emergency services premise? Join Mandy, Matt, and Christina as they discuss the plethora of shows like these. Why are writers and viewers drawn to these stories--and what differentiates those worth saving from those that ought to be DOA?
Author Jennifer Layte is a firm believer in the power of story to draw us closer to Jesus and closer to an understanding of who we are. Join Mandy and Jenn at the pub table as they discuss story, nicknames, and Jenn's latest book, Follower: How Getting Close to Jesus Brings You to Yourself -- a narrative study of Simon Peter's journey with Jesus.
Good art moves us and makes us (or helps us) feel things. Mandy asks her cohosts to consider: why do some of us gravitate toward sad art when we're already sad? What is the purpose and value of art that's a little bit (or very much) heartbreaking?
John Hendrix creates graphic novels that beautifully blend prose and illustrations to tell complex stories. His latest work, The Mythmakers, delves into a subject near and dear to the heart of the Anselm Society: the friendship of CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien. Hendrix joins the table to discuss how he conveyed the lives and impact of these two authors in his own unique style. John Hendrix’s website: https://www.johnhendrix.com/ Buy The Mythmakers: https://www.amazon.com/Mythmakers-Remarkable-Fellowship-Tolkien-Graphic/dp/1419746340
Sarah Hendricks is the author of a new YA fantasy novel called Ella. A few years ago, Matthew accidentally became something of a YA fantasy expert (long story). Now, he’s checking in on the state of the genre. What’s encompassed by the term “YA Fantasy”? What are its different niches and sub-genres? And why does it have such enduring popularity with so many readers? Sarah Hendricks has the answers. Buy Ella: https://pegasuspublishers.com/books/sarah-hendricks/ella
We know there's "nothing new under the sun," but must there be so many TV shows with a first responder, life-or-death, emergency services premise? Join Mandy, Matt, and Christina as they discuss the plethora of shows like these. Why are writers and viewers drawn to these stories--and what differentiates those worth saving from those that ought to be DOA?
SD Smith has recently announced a Green Ember video game. He joins the digital pub table to discuss this exciting new project. So strap in for a deep dive into the Green Ember video game: its origin, its design, and how families can play video games in an enriching way.
Jacob Herold is a multi-instrumental musician whose music interweaves folk and jazz. He also happens to be a member artist of the Anselm Society Arts Guild. He joins the table to discuss his new album, The Train & The River. What’s it like to fuse two styles like jazz and folk? Why should we worry about fusing different styles in the first place? And how did Jacob find the time to learn to play all of those instruments? Buy The Train & The River: https://www.jacobherold.com/
Isaac Hans joins Mandy and Christina at the pub table to talk about his journey with photography--literally. What is "road trip photography," and what drew Isaac to it in the first place? How does his faith inform his work? Who are some of his biggest influences? He also sheds light on some of the equipment and techniques that photographers use, and why.
Author Sarah Arthur has previously joined the digital pub table to talk about her YA fantasy novel Once a Queen. But it turns out this was only the first book in her Carrick Hall series. She returns to the pub table to discuss the brand new second book: Once a Castle. Matt and Mandy ask Sarah about her process for creating a second book in a series, and where she plans to take Carrick Hall from here. Buy Once a Castle: https://www.amazon.com/Once-Castle-Carrick-Novel-Novels/dp/0593194489 Believe to See audience survey: https://formurl.com/to/b2s-survey
It all comes down to this. In the final installment of our three-part series, Matt, Mandy, and Christina determine once and for all which artist is most representative of the Anselm Society artists' guild. Did you call it, or will you be surprised?
Matt continues forcing Mandy and Christina, championship bracket-style, to decide which famous artists most represent the values of the artists' guild. Part 2 of a three-part series.
In Part 1 of a three-part series, Matt forces Mandy and Christina, championship bracket-style, to decide which famous artists most represent the values of the artists' guild. They also coin a new word: "Anselm-y."
Fostering a healthy imagination in kids is a worthy goal--but what are the obstacles in today's society actively making that difficult, and what do we do about them? In this episode, we discuss several arguments in Anthony Esolen's satirical book "10 Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child" and ask the question, "How can we give kids a world where creatively engaging their environment is the norm--not the exception?"
It's Valentine's Day, so of course we want to talk about the best and worst love stories of all time! Join the hosts as we delve into what qualities make for a good love story annnnnd what qualities produce a bad one. Pulling from sources such as Shakespeare's famous sonnets and modern cinematic rom-coms, we explore it all. And there might be something about a little Scarlet Pimpernel flower mentioned . . . Listen to find out!
(Due to technical difficulties, this episode slated for Valentine's Day is appearing after the fact. Our apologies for the diminished sound quality.)
Where Are the “Good Christian” Characters? Too often, the broader culture portrays Christians as narrow-minded hypocrites. We can all imagine plenty of explanations for this. But that leads to a more fundamental question. Why is it so hard to create a character who is both: (1) well-developed and compelling, and (2) a sincere Christian? On this roundtable, the hosts discuss why it’s so difficult to create a “Good Christian” character. They also offer their candidates for best Christian characters in fiction. And in case you’re wondering—yes, Matt dresses up as his favorite Christian character from pop culture. So stay tuned for the big reveal, neighborinos!
From paintings to novels, titles can guide expectations of viewers and readers, for good or for ill. And for some artists, coming up with a title can be as challenging as making the art itself. Join the hosts at the roundtable as they talk about titles — and “untitles” and subtitles and more — and see how you handle Mandy’s genre quiz!
Ever feel like there was a band, tv show, or book that you were “supposed” to hate? Like hating it was required to prove you’re cool and sophisticated? When Matt was in college, that band was Nickelback. And he’s wondered why ever since… Why do we do things like this? Is this a good impulse, or something we should fight against? On this roundtable, the hosts explore the art that’s cool to hate.
It never fails. Whenever someone on the internet complains that an animated film is bad, someone else on the internet replies: “It’s a kids’ cartoon. Who cares?” On this roundtable, the hosts discuss whether we should expect children’s animation to be serious art. They do this primarily by analyzing some of their favorite animated films.
Artists need solitude to create (or “conjure”), but we need one another too. Mandy and Matt and Christina discuss finding a balance between these seemingly contradictory needs.
Author SD Smith has previously joined the Anselm pub table to talk about his classic Green Ember series (an Anselm Society staple), and the Jack Zulu series that he’s writing along with his son. Now, SD Smith returns to the table to discuss his new book, The Found Boys. It’s a middle grade story that touches on a lot of complex issues—racial tension, forgiveness, reconciliation, and more. It’s also a fun and funny adventure. Join us as SD Smith shares the heart and purpose behind The Found Boys.
Matt, Mandy, and Christina gather together to debrief about our recent podcast with guest Lancia E. Smith on the power of naming. There may be more than a little talk about best and worst fantasy football names and houseplants christened after famous authors, but what can we say? Names matter. And when you sit down to talk about it? You may be startled to discover how much the power of names - ( and the human instinct to name everything from our cars to our kids) - is inextricably linked to the identity God gave you.
Another holiday season is upon us, bringing with it the potential for wonder—or for stress, consumerism, and detachment. Amanda Luedeke and Hannah Oplinger have created a new devotional that walks us from Thanksgiving through the new year, engaging all six of our senses (yes! There are six!). Join Mandy as she talks with Amanda about how we might “reclaim the holidays for [our] heart’s formation and the glory of God”.
Christina didn't celebrate Halloween growing up. But every October, her children parade around the neighborhood trick-or-treating in their favorite super-hero costumes with their buddies, school-mates, and neighbor-friends. So what changed? Christina dives deep into the history and significance of Halloween. Is it an "evil" holiday? Are we "inviting darkness" or participating in "devil worship" by handing out candy in ghoul costumes? Together with Matt and Mandy, she explores how a proper understanding of Halloween fits into the larger Christian story.
Matt’s debut middle-grade fantasy novel, Red Rex, is here! Join Mandy and Christina as they talk with Matt about the dream, the process, the plot, the characters, the illustrations — and the footnotes.
Calvin and Hobbes may be the greatest comic strip ever. But there’s a problem. Its creator, Bill Watterson, quit after only ten years. At age 38. Did Watterson squander his incredible talent? Matt thinks so. Mandy and Christina aren’t so sure. Together, they discuss whether artists have a responsibility to share their talent with others.
Taylor Swift is the most popular musician since the Beatles. And Matt doesn’t understand. Don’t get him wrong—he doesn’t dislike Taylor Swift. He’s just not the target audience. What he needs is a thoughtful fan to show him the ways of the Swifties.
Matt has found that fan in his cousin, Alyssa. She explains the appeal of Taylor Swift as a musician, and the power of Taylor Swift as a storyteller. Can she win Matt over to the Swifties?
We all have young storytellers in our lives. Maybe it’s a first-grade nephew drawing comic books in crayon. Maybe it’s a teenage granddaughter writing her first short story. How can we best encourage them?
Millie Florence is here to help. The 21-year-old author is about to publish her third novel. She gives insight on fostering a love of stories with the kids in our lives.
Learn more about Millie’s work at: https://millieflorence.com
In this conversation, Cultivating founder Lancia Smith joins Christina and Evangeline to discuss the power of naming and its impact on our identity and relationships. They explore how naming can be an act of love and reclamation, allowing us to see and be seen. They also discuss the importance of naming our fears and how it can take away their power. They emphasize the need for humility, listening, and recognizing the belovedness of others. They conclude by highlighting the role of myth-making and storytelling in reflecting eternal truth.
Matt and Mandy interview fellow Anselm Guild member Jacoby Elliott, who is a musician, writer, and visual artist. Jacoby talks about his desire to make beautiful things and how a longing for beauty helped point him back to God.
Mandy interviews poet, playwright, and critic Jane Scharl to discuss poetry.
Learn more about Jane at https://jcscharl.com/
Matt, who has never been able to get into Frank Hebert's classic science fiction Novel Dune or the films adaptations, brings Brian Brown and Peter Houk to the digital pub table to convince him of the merit of Dune.
Matt interviews Jody Collins about poetry, and why people should like poetry and it shouldn't be so hard to do so.
Matt interviews short-story author KC Ireton, discussing KC's work and journey as an author.
Mandy, Matt, and Christina discuss impressions made on them as children by different forms of art, why they made an impression on them, and how it impacts them to today.
Christina, Mandy, and Matt discuss the question, “How do we love other people with our art?”
Matt interviews Rachel Shinnick, author of YA Fiction novel Moon Thief. They discuss what led Rachel to writing her first novel, how she saw God working in the process, and the various trials of getting published for the first time. They discuss what it looks like to value artistic pursuits while also embracing and embodying Christian values as an artist.
Learn more about Rachel and Moon Thief at https://www.rachelshinnick.com/
Matt interviews author Sylvie Vanhoozer.
Find out more about Sylvie at https://www.theartoflivinginseason.com/
Matt, Mandy, and Christina talk about literature remixes. What is a literature remix? Take a well-known and beloved story - a Shakespeare play, a Jane Austen novel, fairy tale - and retell the story in a whole new setting. What makes a good remix? What makes a bad one? And what is it about some classic stories that compel us to keep remixing and retelling them over and over?
Matt, Mandy, and Christina discuss Disney movie live-action reboots and whether any (or perhaps some) of the reboots are justified.
Matt and his wife, Danielle, interview fellow Anselm Arts Guild member Amy Lee and discuss Amy's new book "This Homeward Ache" and discuss what it means that God has set eternity in the hearts of man and how longing influences our lives.
Matt, Christina, and Evangeline discuss the concept of limitations as artists. While limitless possibilities may seem like what is needed to create, perhaps the best way to create is not boundless possiblities, but limits.
Evangeline and her brother Dr. John Case Tompkins sit down with Brandy Vallance to discuss symbols and symbolic language and their relationship with the Christian imagination.
Matt talks with writer G Connor Salter about his recent article on the classic book and movie The Princess Bride. Connor suggests how the author William Goldman’s Jewish American heritage influenced The Princess Bride.
Matt, Mandy, and Evangeline discuss cynicism in literature and what makes the difference between a good cynical story and a bad cynical story.
Christina and Evangeline chat with A.D. Rhine (Ashlee Cowles and Danielle Stinson), the writer duo behind the novel Horses of Fire.
Find out more about Ashlee and Danielle and their book Horses of Fire at https://www.adrhine.com/
Matt interviews Sarah Arthur about her first YA Fiction book, Once a Queen, as they discuss the intersection between faith and great literature.
Sarah is also the author of a nonfiction book on Madeleine L'Engle and a Lord of the Rings devotional. You can find Sarah's upcoming book Once a Queen at https://sites.google.com/view/saraharthur-fiction/home
Matt, Christina, and Evangeline discuss how artists can most beneficially give and take feedback from other artists.
Matt sits down to talk with Austin Freeman to talk all things J.R.R. Tolkien and Lord of the Rings. They discuss Dr. Freeman's recent book Tolkien Dogmatics and the deeply theological thought that runs through Tolkien's fiction.
Dr. Austin Freeman is a lecturer and the Chair of Apologetics at Houston Christian University. You can find Tolkien Dogmatics at https://lexhampress.com/product/224282/tolkien-dogmatics-theology-through-mythology-in-middle-earth
Evangeline, Mandy, and Christina discuss how to handle writing the right story at the wrong time. What do we do, in life or writing, when our timing seems out of sync, when the work we've poured ourselves into doesn't seem to go anywhere?
Christina, Matt, Evangeline, and Mandy discuss their top books of 2023. In a (mostly) spoilers-free episode, the Believe to See co-hosts discuss books they read in 2023 (not necessarily published in 2023) that they found enriching and delightful.
Christina, Mandy, and Matt discuss fasting in feasting, their relationship to one another, and their relationship to the Christian tradition and liturgical calendar. They discuss how we can reclaim the definitions of fasting and feasting and how we can reintegrate them into our lives today.
Evangeline sits down with YA author and founder of Owl's Nest Publishers K.B. Hoyle to talk about teenagers, young adult literature, and the "bildungsroman," the coming-of-age story.
Learn more about K.B. Hoyle at http://www.kbhoyle.com/
“We all know that if two people enjoy spending time together, they must secretly want to kiss each other. I mean, what’s the point of being friends otherwise?” - Matt Mellema
There seems to be a phenomenon in literature that if there are two characters in a story who are good friends, there will be some corner of the internet that will be convinced that they are an item… no matter what.
Matt, Mandy, and Evangeline discuss the question, “Why can’t people just be friends in literature?”
Mandy sits down with artist, writer, and spiritual director Jenn Layte for a conversation about imagination, stories, and faith. They discuss Lectio Divina, spiritual pilgrimage, spiritual direction, and more.
You can learn more about Jenn at https://jenniferaglayte.com/ and https://the-pilgrimage.org/.
All are welcome to join Jenn Layte and The Pilgrimage Online’s online retreat, Winter Solace, January 12-14, 2024. Learn more at https://the-pilgrimage.org/home-2/get-connected/winter-solace-2024/
Matt sits down with Matthew Lee Anderson to discuss his new book, Called into Questions.
Matt Anderson is an author and professor of philosophy at Baylor University, as well as the founder of Mere Orthodoxy (https://mereorthodoxy.com/). You can learn more about Matt at https://matthewleeanderson.com/
Matt, Christina, and Mandy set out to list the Anselm Society’s Top 5—the “top five anythings” that the Anselm Society loves, is passionate about, and is defined by. Since Believe to See is the podcast of the Anselm Society, the Believe to See cohosts take it upon themselves to attempt to determine who or what (Tolkien? St. Anselm himself? The Chronicles of Narnia? GK Chesterton?) defines the Anselm Society.
Christina and Matt interview Marilyn McIntyre about her chapter in The Anselm Society's new book Why We Create, "The Art of Naming.”
Marilyn McIntyre is an award-winning author. She leads retreats and workshops and teaches at Westmont Seminary, Westmont College, and New College Berkley. You can learn more about her at www.marilynmcentyre.com
Mandy interviews reader, writer, and professor Karen Swallow Prior, talking about her recent book, "The Evangelical Imagination: How Stories, Images, and Metaphors Created a Culture in Crisis." Mandy and Karen explore the last few hundred years of evangelicalism's relation to culture through the lens of "literary anthropology" and Karen's decades of experience teaching evangelical college students.
Christina and Mandy interview Matthew Clark about his chapter in The Anselm Society's new book Why We Create, "The Art of Subcreation."
Matthew Clark is an author and singer-songwriter. You can learn more about him at www.matthewclark.net
Mandy, Christina, and Matt tackle the topic of artificial intelligence—particularly how powerful advances in AI may impact the world of art and artists. The cohosts discuss the pros and cons of AI and bring up questions about how Christians should think about AI and Art theologically.
Christina interviews Jane Scharl about her chapter in The Anselm Society's new book Why We Create, "Time and Its Creator."
Jane Scharl is an author, poet, and one of the editors of Why We Create.
In tribute to Leslie Bustard, long-time friend of The Anselm Society and contributor to The Anselm Society's new book Why We Create, Christina, Mandy, and Evangeline discuss the chapter in Why We Create written by Leslie: "Gratitude: The Foundation of Human Creativity."
In this episode, our cardigan-clad director, Brian Brown, joins Christina to discuss the Anselm Society's new book, Why We Create. (The cardigan is an obvious tribute to Matt). In the subsequent conversation, they explore why we often have a hard time relating to the material world, explaining why non-"spiritual" vocations matter, and justifying our interest in beauty. They also tell you why you should buy Why We Create, right here, right now: https://www.anselmsociety.org/why-we-create-book. This episode kicks off an on-and-off series this fall in which we'll discuss themes from the book with some of the authors!
Matt chats with YA Author Autumn Krause, discussing her new book, the genre-switch from her previous books to her most recent book, and the challenges she faced on her new writing project.
Find out more about Autumn's books at https://autumnkrause.com/books/
Matt chats with Natasha Kennedy, the illustrator for the FatCat (catechisms “fat with meaning”) books. Catechism can seem to be an intimidating (or boring) word, but catechism can actually contain the entirety of the Christian story of creation, fall, and, redemption. Natasha talks about her experience bringing together catechism and art in a way that can be appreciated even by young kids.
Learn more about the FatCat books at https://lexhampress.com/fatcat
Matt and Mandy sit down with author Carolyn Leiloglou to talk about her new book, Beneath a Starry Sky, which places Van Gogh's Starry Night within middle grade fiction and the novel's protagonists inside of Starry Sky.
Learn more about Carolyn at https://www.carolynleiloglou.com/
(Pre) Order Beneath the Swirling Sky at https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Swirling-Sky-Carolyn-Leiloglou/dp/0593579542
Matt and Mandy sit down with author Carolyn Leiloglou to talk about her new book, Beneath a Starry Sky, which places Van Gogh's Starry Night within middle grade fiction and the novel's protagonists inside of Starry Sky.
Learn more about Carolyn at https://www.carolynleiloglou.com/
(Pre) Order Beneath the Swirling Sky at https://www.amazon.com/Beneath-Swirling-Sky-Carolyn-Leiloglou/dp/0593579542
Christina and Mandy sit down to talk with Nicole Stratton, Artistic Director of Logos Theater, discussing a biblical worldview of the dramatic arts and how the arts when taught as a part of God's nature can give hope and healing.
Find out more about Logos Theatre at thelogostheatre.com
Matt and his wife Danielle sit down with children's author Danielle Hitchens about her new book, "Sacred Seasons: A Family Guide to Center Your Year around Jesus." Danielle talks about the liturgical year and how this helps us orient or lives, family's lives, and children around Jesus.
Learn more about Danielle Hitchens at https://www.harvesthousepublishers.com/author/danielle-hitchen
Anyone who has ever published or tried to publish a book knows what "comps" are. Whenever you pitch a book, agents and publishers want to know what the "comparable books" are to your books. Many authors find identifying comps both stressful and annoying, and sometimes horrifying if you find that someone seems to have written the exact same book as your book. Matt, Mandy, and Evangeline discuss both the struggles of finding comps and discuss some possible redeeming qualities of comps.
Nicholas Kotar joins Matt at the Anselm Society digital pub table to discuss the origins of so many of the fairy tales and folk stories we know and love. But, the versions of the stories that we know are not necessarily the "original" versions of the stories. Nicholas harnesses his love for stories, and in particular his enviable knowledge of Russian fairy stories, to shed some light on the origins and significance of those tales.
Find out more about Nicholas and his work at NicholasKotar.com.
Anyone who writes knows that "voice" is important—even essential. Writers may be said to have a strong voice, or a unique voice, but what, exactly, is "voice?" Matt, Mandy, and Evangeline try to define what "voice" is (and Evangeline claims that she's never read a book in her life).
UFOs and aliens are in the news... again. Reports of aliens are nothing new. They go back at least to the second century, with the satirical work called "True History" by Lucian of Samosata. Since H.G. Well's "The War of the Worlds" we as a society have seemed to have been obsessed with alien stories ever since. Matt, Evangeline, and Christina talk about how alien stories have captured the modern imagination and (according to Matt, at least) fall into 3 different categories.
Matt sits down at the Anselm digital pub with children’s author Alice Faye Duncan to talk about her new book and the history and importance of spirituals.
Find out more about Alice and her new book, This Train is Bound for Glory, at https://alicefayeduncan.com/
What is up with all the bad boys in literature? Why have girls throughout the centuries fallen for bad boys? Matt, Mandy, and Evangeline try to untangle the conundrum of the appeal of literary bad boys.
Author and singer-songwriter Andrew Peterson joins Matt and Christina at the Anslem Society digital pub table to talk about Andrew’s creative process and his Wingfeather saga books.
How do you approach creating a story when it seems too big for you? Matt and Mandy welcome fellow guild member, Gianna Soderstrom, to the Anselm Society digital pub to talk about what to do with a spark of inspiration that seems too big to tackle.
Matt makes the case that the life and story of C.S. Lewis are just as interesting as Lewis's writings. Joining Matt and Mandy at the Anslem digital pub table is Terry Glaspey to help Matt make his point by describing how C.S. Lewis's intellect and imagination worked together to bring Christianity alive for so many.
Find Terry's recent biography of Lewis at www.moodypublishers.com/not-a-tame-lion.
Find out more about Terry and his writing at www.terryglaspey.com, where Terry talks about creativity, spirituality, and life.
Matt and Mandy talk with Anselm Society Arts Guild member Jane Scharl, a poet and playwright. They discuss Jane's recently published and produced play, an imaginative encounter between St. Ignatius of Loyola, John Calvin, and François Rabelais.
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Evangeline and her brother, Dr. John Case Tompkins, voyage from the Emerald Isle to Middle Earth via J.R.R. Tolkien’s obscure poem “The Death of Saint Brendan.”
Evangeline and Mandy sit down at the digital pub table to interview KJ Ramsey—author, artist, and trauma-informed therapist. KJ discusses how her art and recent book of prayers and poems has been influenced by her own story and practice as a trauma-informed therapist. Kj and the cohosts also discuss how grief can be a gateway that helps us connect our own stories to the Great Story.
Find KJ at www.kjramsey.com and The Book of Common Courage at BookOfCommonCourage.com
Mandy and Evangeline talk with author and pastor Eric Schumacher about his various projects (fiction, nonfiction, devotional, musical, and more). The stories behind his work share a common theme: the artist’s search for truth, clarity, and healing.
You cannot have a story without a setting. Whether it's New England or some planet on the other side of the galaxy, a story needs to happen somewhere. Some stories take place within a single apartment, or on a single park bench. But some stories add details to the setting – sometimes a lot of details. This whole process is called worldbuilding, an essential part of much of storytelling. What can worldbuilding add to a story? What happens when it is done well? What about when it is not done well? The Believe to See cohosts invite Elisa Lambert, the Anselm Arts Guild's resident worldbuilding expert, to discuss worldbuilding.
We all know the powers of words, written and spoken. We know that they contain a power so immense that God himself refers to himself as the Word in scripture. But, images speak too - very, very powerfully. This is why small children’s literature most often includes illustrations alongside text. Together, these two powerful methods of learning ignite the imagination of children in extraordinary ways. So, what should we do with the now-very-popular wordless picture books? Why should we invest in wordless picture books? Is it a waste of time, talents, and resources? Christina, Matt, and Mandy sit down to discuss.
Matt, Mandy, and Christina sit down at the digital pub table to discuss Susanna Clarke's 2020 novel, Piranesi.
Matt and Christina sit down with SD Smith, author of the popular Green Ember series, and JC Smith to talk about what it's like to write your first successful story. They discuss SD and JC's new book, Jack Zulu and the Waylander's Key.
Musician Brian Wight joins the table to discuss his journey through Nashville’s music scene. He tells the story of how he went from a teenage musician living out of his car to a successful musician and producer. He also shares his compulsion to compose music, and discusses why he’d still create if he was alone in the wilderness.
Matt describes January as "that special type of year where a stressed out person's fancy turn to thoughts of resolutions," and Matt, Mandy, and Christina launch into a discussion about how it seems that in all good stories, at some point, a character makes a resolution and we need to make resolutions in our own stories. The cohosts discuss how resolutions are used in some of our favorite stories and why they're so important in the stories of our own lives.
Justin Gerhardt’s storytelling project Holy Ghost Stories embodies the conviction that “Christians have the best stories. We should make the best art.” Justin made the journey from pastor to podcaster compelled by the conviction that there are some stories in the Bible that don’t need to be preached, they just need to be told. Justin runs against the grain of how Christian culture often handles the Bible by bringing biblical stories to life through powerful, imaginative storytelling, hoping to bring his listeners into an encounter with God that turns stories into worship. Justin sat down at the virtual pub table with Matt and Evangeline to discuss his journey of bringing great storytelling together with the Great Story.
Holy Ghost Stories Season 4 releases on January 9th! Listen to the new season at https://www.holyghoststories.org/listen
Learn more about Justin and his work at https://www.hazefirestudios.com/
In this episode, Matt, Mandy, and Evangeline talk about the concept of “the artist’s platform.” Many artists hate the term platform. But if you are a storyteller who wants to share your story, building a platform is almost as important as creating the story itself. The cohosts sit down at the digital pub table to discuss the assumptions behind the concept of the platform. Matt also makes an exciting announcement.
Most Christmas movies are obviously Christmas movies, but other movies are more difficult to categorize. Sure, people watch them around Christmas, but are they really Christmas movies? Matt, Mandy, and Evangeline discuss the criteria for whether a movie should be considered a Christmas movie and then discuss a number of “close calls” to determine which are properly Christmas movies and which are imposters.
Matt and Mandy sit down with fellow novelist Tracy Higley to discuss writing and the concept of an inner world of Joy. A prolific novelist, Tracy sees art as stemming from an urge to communicate, often an urge that comes from an inner world of joy. Tracy, Many and Matt discuss joy as a longing sparked by beauty that awakens us to more than the everyday, how this situates us in the Great story, and the internal obstacles to creating art.
Find Tracy’s recent novel Nightfall in the Garden of Deep Time here: https://tracyhigleybooks.com/products/nightfall-in-the-garden-of-deep-time
A thin place is a location where the veil between this world and the spiritual world is thin. In these places, kairos time — the experience of eternity breaking into time, a sort of time that feels timeless — comes into contact with a particular place that creates a unique experience for a person. Evangeline, Mandy, and Christina sit down at the digital pub table to talk about thin places: what are they, how do we experience them, and should seek out the experiences of thin places?
A thin place is a location where the veil between this world and the spiritual world is thin. In these places, kairos time — the experience of eternity breaking into time, a sort of time that feels timeless — comes into contact with a particular place that creates a unique experience for a person. Evangeline, Mandy, and Christina sit down at the digital pub table to talk about thin places: what are they, how do we experience them, and should seek out the experiences of thin places?
Matt Mellema welcomes a quartet of new and old guests — Brian Brown, Matthew Clark, Amber Salladin, and Ashlee Cowles — to the pub table for the annual Believe to See fantasy pub table draft. From a line-up of 20 literary characters curated by Matt Mellema (think Dolores Umbridge, Merlin, and Winnie the Pooh) the four guests compete before a live audience to draft the perfect pub table for a night of stimulating and imaginative conversation. The competition is fierce as the contestants vie for their favorite literary characters while trying to avoid their least favorite.
We often assume that stories are told for good - and when told for the right reasons, they are. But the power of stories has another side, and that's its potential for misuse and potential for danger. This is especially the case when a story is being presented as "the untold true story." Matt, Mandy, and their guest Sarah examine the ways stories can be used for good, and the ways stories can be twisted for bad, through the lens of the popular true crime podcast Serial.
Christina, Matt, and Evangeline discuss what makes a good female protagonist. They dissect some examples from popular stories in an attempt to determine which characteristics we should look for in stories that prominently feature a female lead. They also discuss what is necessary for creating a good female protagonists in our own stories.
Sometimes you try to convince people to love what you love. And sometimes, other people try to convince you to love what they love. What keeps us from liking some art forms? How can we learn to cultivate an appreciation for the art forms that are not our first loves? Mandy, Matt, and Evangeline talk about their appreciation (or lack of appreciation) for Anime, rpgs, rom-coms, science fiction, monster movies, gothic literature, and abstract art.
Christina Brown takes a seat at the head of the Anselm society digital pub table to take Matt and Mandy on a journey into the backyard. The cohosts explore how the act of gardening can bring us further up and further in to the great reality that is the Christian narrative. They discuss how the many garden-related and cultivating-related themes and metaphors in the Bible may begin to make more sense through the practical experience of getting our hands dirty and paying attention to the things that grow in the ground.
Matt sits down with Peter Atkinson and Kiley Hatch of the Merry Beggars to talk about the making of their 21-part radio drama On the Night Train. Writer Kiley talks about the intricacies of structuring a large and complex story. Producer Peter shares some of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into planning and creating a radio drama and the ways writing a good story is the same no matter the medium.
Learn more about On the Night Train at https://www.onthenighttrain.com/
Learn more about The Merry Beggars at https://themerrybeggars.com/
Matt sits down with Peter Atkinson and Kiley Hatch of the Merry Beggars to talk about the making of their 21-part radio drama On the Night Train. Writer Kiley talks about the intricacies of structuring a large and complex story. Producer Peter shares some of the behind-the-scenes work that goes into planning and creating a radio drama and the ways writing a good story is the same no matter the medium.
Learn more about On the Night Train at https://www.onthenighttrain.com/
Learn more about The Merry Beggars at https://themerrybeggars.com/
Cohost of Believe to See Christina Brown sits down with fellow Anselm Arts Guild member Elyce Westby to talk about the importance of cultivating a narrative of beauty in your home. They discuss the "hidden art of the everyday," how beauty can direct our souls towards God, and how our homes can be outposts of grace and beauty.
Cohost of Believe to See Christina Brown sits down with fellow Anselm Arts Guild member Elyce Westby to talk about the importance of cultivating a narrative of beauty in your home. They discuss the "hidden art of the everyday," how beauty can direct our souls towards God, and how our homes can be outposts of grace and beauty.
What’s in a face? What’s in a painting of a face that isn’t in a photograph? Nicole Beck, a portraiture artist based in Colorado Springs, sits down with Matt and Christina to talk about why she is drawn to painting faces, how she learned to paint, and the special significance that can be found in an image of a person’s face.
You can find more of Nicole’s work at nicolebeckstudio.com.
Nicole Beck is the featured visual artist for the Anselm Society’s 2022 Imagination Redeemed Conference at Glen Eyrie in Colorado Springs, September 29th-October 1st. You can learn more about the imagination Redeemed Conference at imaginationredeemed.com, and you can purchase tickets for the conference here through September 21st.
What’s in a face? What’s in a painting of a face that isn’t in a photograph? Nicole Beck, a portraiture artist based in Colorado Springs, sits down with Matt and Christina to talk about why she is drawn to painting faces, how she learned to paint, and the special significance that can be found in an image of a person’s face.
You can find more of Nicole’s work at nicolebeckstudio.com.
Nicole Beck is the featured visual artist for the Anselm Society’s 2022 Imagination Redeemed Conference at Glen Eyrie in Colorado Springs, September 29th-October 1st. You can learn more about the imagination Redeemed Conference at imaginationredeemed.com, and you can purchase tickets for the conference here through September 21st.
At the Anselm Society's July Pub Night, Christina presents her retelling of George MacDonald's story The Golden Key. Afterwards, Christina and Matt discuss the story before a live audience.
At the Anselm Society's July Pub Night, Christina presents her retelling of George MacDonald's story The Golden Key. Afterwards, Christina and Matt discuss the story before a live audience.
Matt and Believe to See's producer, Jesse Childress, sit down with Sam Jolman to talk about how our relationships, life experiences, and trauma can shape our imaginations. Sam shares why he is a narrative trauma therapist and why he believes stories are so important.
Find Sam's ebook here: http://www.samjolman.com/blog/
Matt and Believe to See's producer, Jesse Childress, sit down with Sam Jolman to talk about how our relationships, life experiences, and trauma can shape our imaginations. Sam shares why he is a narrative trauma therapist and why he believes stories are so important.
Find Sam's ebook here: http://www.samjolman.com/blog/
Matt sits down at the digital pub table with guest Aaron Damiani, an Anglican pastor in Chicago, to talk about how things like deconstruction and liturgies fit into God's story and how they might even be able to help us understand God's story and our own stories a little better. Aaron shares some of his own story, which he shares in his most recent book, Earth Filled With Heaven.
Earth Filled with Heaven, by Aaron Damiani: https://www.moodypublishers.com/earth-filled-with-heaven/
Is anyone too old to create art? What about too young? Or maybe just too untalented? Matt, Mandy, and Evangeline sit down to discuss who, if anyone, shouldn't be creating art. They also recall their own artistic endeavors as youngsters and bring up artistic mediums they want to try.
Mandy and Evangeline sit down at Anselm's digital pub table to talk with Mandy's long-time friend Nancy about her experience as a drama teacher. Nancy waxes eloquent about the value of performing Shakespeare, her aversion to changing dialogue without the playwright's permission, and shares her experience teaching Shakespeare to inmates in a state prison.
For longer than he'd care to admit, Matt has been designing an official coat of arms for the Anselm Society Arts Guild. After explaining the heraldic creatures he chose, he discusses the history and purpose of heraldry with Mandy and Christina. The three of them explore the ways that heraldry can describe what the Arts Guild is, where it came from, and what it aspires to be.
For centuries, Shakespeare has been widely accepted as the greatest writer in our language's history. For much of that time, maverick thinkers have argued that William Shakespeare didn't actually write his plays. One of those maverick thinkers is Mandy’s daughter, Bethany. She joins the table for a no-holds-barred debate with Matt about the authorship of Shakespeare. After the dust settles, the hosts explore the reasons why so many people feel compelled to doubt Shakespeare.
What is time, and how does time work in the context of story? As part of Anselm’s “Why We Create” series, our own Jane Scharl wrote an amazing essay on the nature of time. At the pub table, Matthew and Mandy use that article as a launchpad for discussing the use of time in fiction.
Sometimes, a beloved book or movie from childhood means just as much to you as an adult. Other times, going back to childhood stories makes you cringe. Why are some children's stories timeless, while others are time-bound? And can knowing the difference inform the stories we share with the kids in our lives? To answer these questions, Matthew goes to a trusted authority on children's stories: his wife, Danielle.
At the Anselm Society's May Pub Night, author Leslie Bustard presents her retelling of JRR Tolkien's story Smith of Wooton Major. Later, Leslie and Matt discuss the story's theme of enchantment.
Matthew Clark is both a singer/songwriter, and an Anselm Society Advisor. He joins the table to talk about his brand-new project: Only the Lover Sings. It's both an album and a book of essays, all centered around the woman at the well. Matthew shares how this story inspired the project, and why it has captured his imagination.
We talk all the time about Faerie Stories (Fairy Stories? Faeree Stories?). But what are they? The hosts discuss the elements of proper Faerie stories, as well as the value of Faerie for Christians. Then our resident Faerie expert, Evangeline, evaluates popular "Fairy Stories" to determine: is it Fae, or not Fae?
Our friends at Bandersnatch Books stop by the table to share their upcoming project: Bandersnatch Classics. They're taking underappreciated classics in the public domain, and giving them the beautiful reprinting they deserve. The Bandersnatch team discusses the value of reading old novels, and the enduring appeal of their first Bandersnatch Classic: Understood Betsy.
Over the centuries, lots of artists have tried to portray heaven. Many (most?) have failed. What's the best way to tell the story of heaven? Is there even an effective way? The co-hosts examine examples of heaven in art to find out.
At the Anselm Society's April Pub Night, Anselm's Elizabeth Bristol Clayton presents her retelling of The Secret Garden. Later, Elizabeth and Matt discuss the story's theme of resurrection.
When an imagined world grows successful enough, other storytellers create their own stories in it. Some are great. Some are...not so much. The hosts share their favorite examples of stories told within other artists' stories, as well as the characterstics that make them successful.
Education expert Kreigh Knerr is on the Catherine Project's board of advisors. He joins the pub table to discuss the Catherine Project's innovative approach to education. They've launched a wide selection of Great Books reading groups taught by renowned scholars--for free! Kreigh explains how the Catherine Project helps students embrace their role as sub-creators. He also tells the listeners how they can enroll in the Catherine Project's next slate of courses.
Everyone has times when they need to come up with a creative new idea. But how do you do that? The hosts discuss different ways to help spark creativity. They also share stories of how famous artists got their best ideas.
Anselm potter Nancy Soderstrom joins the table to talk about pottery, watercolors, and COVID. A talented potter, Nancy found herself cut off from her pottery studio because of COVID. So she took up watercolors and--surprise!--became good at that too. Nancy shares her approaches to art and prayer, and how they both encouraged her to keep creating beauty in difficult times.
At the Anselm Society's March Pub Night, our own Evangeline Denmark presents her retelling of the legend of St. Brigid's Cloak. Later, Evangeline and Matt discuss St. Brigid's role in both Irish Christianity and Irish mythology, and the best ways to approach these saintly stories.
Photographer Elizabeth Bristol Clayton joins the table to talk all things photographry. She explains how to approach the world like a photographer, and how to plan a fine art piece. She even gives Matt and Mandy advice for taking iPhone pictures that actually look good.
Are short stories just tiny novels, or are they a whole different medium? Elizabeth Childs is the perfect author to ask. She's regularly publishing short stories while working on her novel. She joins the table to discuss the many ways that short stories differ from novels, and the qualities to look for in effective short stories.
Matt waxes poetic about two of his favorite things: detective fiction, and rules. Mandy and Elizabeth Childs join him in discussing how rules make detective fiction worth reading. They also explore the ways that rules can make any work of literature more effective.
Director Dana Kjeldsen joins the table to discuss horror films. What makes horror such an effective artistic vehicle? What questions should you ask yourself before deciding to watch a particular horror film? Can Matt ever be convinced to watch a film that's actually scary? Dana handles all these questions and more!
Artists have to face rejection and failure all the time. Seriously: ALL. THE. TIME. Luckily, the hosts are all experts in getting their art rejected. They discuss the healthy ways to deal with failure, and the keys to distinguishing between helpful and unhelpful feedback. As an added bonus, they also put together a points system to calculate which Anselm member has scored the most "failure points."
What should we make of RPG's like Dungeons and Dragons? Are they an important storytelling vehicle, or a confusing waste of time? Dr. John Case Tompkins joins the table to dicuss. He's a PhD in English Literature, and an RPG super fan. He's also Evangeline's brother. Can he finally win his sister into the RPG community? Listen to find out!
Believe to See is back from its semi-intentional hiatus, and ready for more raucous conversations on the arts and faith. The hosts explain the podcast's new story-based emphasis, and analyze the stories that shaped them in the past year.
After making excuses for the semi-intentional hiatus, Matt explains the show's big plans for 2022.
Daniel Silliman is Chistianity Today's news editor. He joins the table to discuss his new book, Reading Evangelicals. This book explores evangelical identity by looking closely at five bestsellers--Love Comes Softly, This Present Darkness, Left Behind, The Shunning, and The Shack. Silliman discusses why these books resonated with so many evangelicals, and how they shaped American evangelicalism.
Steven Elmore is the President of the C.S. Lewis Foundation. He joins the table to talk all things Space Trilogy. He describes how Lewis drew influence from the science fiction of his time, and how he diverged from it. He also explains Lewis' unique conception of alien creatures, and how Merlin ends up in That Hideous Strength.
Mandi Hart is the President of Cave Pictures Publishing. She joins the table to talk about Cave Pictures' latest project: a graphic novel adaptation of George MacDonald's Phantastes.She discusses the enduring appeal of the fantasy classic, and the process of adapting it a century and a half later.
Poet and pastor Ryan Diaz joins the table to discuss "For Those Wandering Along the Way," his forthcoming poetry collection. He explains the value of finding the transcendent in the everyday, and how poetry shaped his own journey out of cynicism.
Author Alexandra Hudson is the founder and curator of Civic Renaissance. She joins the table to discuss her work promoting the classics, and why it's so valuable to wrestle with history's greatest works. She also explains why her upcoming book is "against politeness."
Sally Clarkson joins the table to discuss her latest book, Help, I’m Drowning. She explains how rooting ourselves in the larger Christian narrative can help us weather the storms of life together—whether those are the storms we face as a parent, an artist, or simply as a human being.
To celebrate the Anselm Society's upcoming Imagination Redeemed Conference, we're re-playing highlights from our past speakers. This third entry is Amy Lee's 2020 talk: "Creating Art in the Time of War."
For our 100th episode(!), author Carolyn Givens joins the table. She's the author of "Rosefire," a forthcoming YA fantasy novel. She's also a founder of Bandersnatch Books, a new publisher focusing on hidden treasures that don't fit into traditional publishing categories. Carolyn discusses the market for young adult fiction, and how Rosefire furthers the mission of Bandersnatch Books.
To celebrate the Anselm Society’s upcoming Imagination Redeemed conference, we’re re-playing highlights from our past speakers. This second one is Anthony Esolen’s 2018 talk: “Teaching People to Open Their Eyes”
To celebrate the Anselm Society’s upcoming Imagination Redeemed conference, we’re sharing highlights from our past speakers. This first one is author Lanier Ivester’s 2018 talk, “The Magic of Rivendell.”
Glenn McCarty is the author of Junction Tales and The Misadventured Summer of Tumbleweed Thompson. He’s also a big believer in middle grade. He joins the table to discuss the importance of giving kids good books, and the influence of classics like Tom Sawyer on his imagination.
PS: Glenn’s latest book, Dead-Eye Dan and the Cimarron Kid, is now available. Check it out! http://www.glennmccarty.com
Painter Josh Tiessen joins the table to discuss his new collection, “Streams in the Wasteland.” These paintings are both hyper-realistic and surrealistic. They feature exotic animals, Old Testament motifs, and a message about the human condition and our ecological crisis. Seriously, check these paintings out straight away!
Here’s a link to Josh’s website, where you can find more info on Streams in the Wasteland: joshtiessen.com.
Artwork by Josh Tiessen
Are the Classics just something for privileged nerds? Dr. Anika Prather doesn’t think so. She joins the table to explain the importance of the Classics in African American thought, the importance of Africa itself in the classical world, and why we could all benefit from studying the Classics.
Photo: Terracotta column-krater (bowl for mixing wine and water) depicting an African serving boy, late Classical, ca. 360–350 B.C., Rogers Fund, 1950, Accession no. 50.11.4. Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Why are dragons everywhere in world literature, and why do we still find them so fascinating? Dr. Junius Johnson joins the table to explain. He’s both an Anselm Fellow and a multi-talented scholar—and he happens to be teaching a new online course all about dragons.
Is Disney a force for good in the film world, or a corporate monster destroying everything in its path? Maybe a little of both? Anselm author Hudson Jungck joins the table to discuss the many pros and cons of Disney. And also to debate Matt about the Marvel MCU…
Photo by Dave Hogg
Karen Swallow Prior joins the table to discuss her new series for reading and reflecting on classic books, and to explore the importance of reading well.
Photo from Karen Swallow Prior
What’s the best way to listen to sacred music? Come to think of it, what even is sacred music? Delvyn Case joins the table to help. He’s both a music professor and the founder of Deus Ex Musica, an ecumenical organization that engages church communities with sacred music.
Photo by Steven Miscandlon
Are Godzilla movies just silly fun, or can they tell serious stories? Matt brings his brothers and cousin to the table to find out. They’re all huge fans, and they have strong opinions on who should have won the fight between Godzilla and Kong...
Jonathan Jackson has written an epic poem about the Harrowing of Hell. He joins the table to discuss the doctrine of the Harrowing of Hell, his poetic approach to the subject, and why it’s such a rich source for Christian artists.
Image: Christ's Descent into Limbo, woodcut by Albrecht Dürer, c. 1510
You’re bad at prayer too, right? Theologian Kyle Strobel joins the table to help us all out. He’s written a new book about prayer, and the title says it all: “Where Prayer Becomes Real: How Honesty with God Transforms Your Soul.”
Ever notice that artists who are good at comedy are also good at horror? Author Luke T. Harrington joins the table to explain why. He describes the unexpected connections between the two genres, and how he uses both in his new book, Murder-Bears, Moonshine, and Mayhem.
Hannah and Nathan Anderson join the table to discuss their new book, Turning of Days. Hannah wrote the essays on finding Christian truth in the natural world, while Nathan created the book’s nature illustrations. They talk about collaborating on art as a married couple, and the lessons we can draw from attending to nature.
Peter Atkinson is the founder and CEO of The Merry Beggars, an amazing theater organization based out of New York. He joins the table to discuss the work he does supporting actors, and his radio theater project, The Quarantine Plays.
Ever wish we had more classical buildings? Erik Bootsma agrees. He’s an architect who specializes in classical architecture. He explains the benefits of classical architecture, the shortcomings of modernist architecture, and what we can do to get more classical buildings.
Ever get frustrated by all the great books that the publishing industry ignores? Are you an author whose book is too Christian for standard publishers, but not Christian enough for Christian publishers? Bandersnatch Books is here to help. The founders of this new publishing house join the table to share their vision for finding and publishing overlooked books.
Photo by Sam Churchill
Yeah, Christmas Day is over. But don’t worry—we’re still in the middle of the 12 days of Christmas. That means it’s the perfect time for Matt, Mandy, and Evangeline to debate which film adaptation of A Christmas Carol is the best.
Image from The Avocado
Why does The Mandalorian work so much better than the newest Star Wars movies? Michael Morea from the Reel Perspective podcast joins the table to explain. The table also discusses the influence of Western and Samurai films on The Mandalorian series.
Photo by Francois Duhamel /Lucasfilm Ltd.
Ever wonder why some children's books are disposable, while others feel like lifelong friends? So has Ben Keiser. He's made a special study of children's books from the early 1900s. He joins the table to discuss how children's literature has changed over the decades, and why the classic works have endured.
Photo by Juan Antonio Segal
Ever wonder why there are so many books about the Amish? Author Elizabeth Byler Younts joins the table to help explain. She writes literary and historical fiction books that feature Amish people, but aren't "Amish Fiction." She also grew up in an Amish family, and shares her insights on the people behind the genre.
Photo by Ann Barker
Pastor Spencer Sweeting has an English degree and a love of literature. He joins the table to discuss the ways that literature informs his work as a pastor, and how the arts should help shape the Church's ministry.
Photo by Benjamin White
Author S.D. Smith joins the table to share the story behind his Green Ember series. He explains his path to becoming a writer, his original idea for the series, and a day in the life now that the Green Ember has found its audience. On a partially-related note, he and Matt also discuss whether the T-rex had feathers...
Ever try to read an epic poem, but didn't know where to start? Anselm poet Jane Scharl is here to help. She explains the history and form of epic poetry, and points us to the best places to start reading.
Check out Jane's own (fantastic) poetry at jcscharl.com.
Painting: Odysseus and Nausicaa, by Christoph Amberger (c. 1505-1561/2)
Our fourth annual draft extravaganza! Evangeline, Matt, and Mandy take turns drafting the most interesting pub tables in the world. And this year, there's a twist...
Photo by Kotomi
Who are exvangelicals, and what happens when they write short stories? Anselm author Elizabeth Childs joins the table to explain.
Photo by Dennis Sparks
Poetry used to be for everyone. Now, it's largely a boring academic subject. How did this happen, and how can we give people back their poetry? Sarah and Clinton Collister are a husband and wife team of poets, scholars, and teachers of poetry. They also host the podcast, "Poetry for the People." They join the table to discuss how we can bring poetry back as something for everybody.
Photo by Felix E. Guerrero
Matt's two brothers join him at the table to discuss their shared passion: monster documentaries. Can TV shows that try (and fail) to find Bigfoot and Nessie teach us anything valuable? Can they have artistic merit? The Mellema brothers are on the case.
Photo by Roger Patterson
Ever notice CS Lewis quotations online that seem...less than real? Author William O'Flaherty joins the table to help. His book, "The Misquotable CS Lewis," analyzes the internet's favorite fake Lewis quotations. He explains why we love quoting CS Lewis, why we misquote him, and the importance of keeping quotations accurate.
Photo by William Murphy
Without any current sports, the table talks about the summer's biggest sports documentary: The Last Dance. Even if you don't care for sports ball, the epic tale of Air Jordan has a lot to teach us about narrative and modern myth-making.
Photo by Ed Wagner Jr., Chicago Tribune
Let's face it: the Romantics often get a bad rap from us Anselm types. Anselm authors Evangeline Denmark and Ashlee Cowles join the table to set the record straight, and to discuss the many lessons artists can learn from the Romantics.
Painting by Thomas Jones, The Bard, 1774
To help us all stay sane on the eleventy-first day of quarantine, co-hosts Mandy Houk and Evangeline Denmark join Matt for everybody's favorite quarantine past-time: answering random questions about the arts.
Also, Sorry about the delay in posting! I blame the quarantine...
Are video games a mindless waste of time, or a vehicle for art and community? Gamer and Anselm writer Caleb Eatough joins the table to talk about the beauty of gaming.
Also, if you want to hear more of Caleb's thoughts on gaming, keep a lookout for his upcoming podcast, the Citrate Gaming Podcast.
Photo by Mark Bonica
Musicians Terri Moon and Greg Brown discuss Johann Sebastian Bach: both as a musical genius, and as a man centered in his faith and community.
NOTE: We recorded this episode several weeks ago, before the coronavirus restrictions were in place.
Ever worry you're too weird to fit in with your family, friends, or church? So have we. Matt and Mandy are joined at the table by Anselm artists Megan McCluskey and Gianna Soderstrom to talk about the struggles and benefits of being an artistic weirdo.
Ever worry you're too normal to be a real artist? So have we. Matt and Mandy are joined at the table by Anselm artists Megan McCluskey and Gianna Soderstrom to talk about the struggles and benefits of being a normal person in the arts.
Jason Brubaker joins the table to discuss his journey from Dreamworks animator to indie comic artist. He also shares his latest collaboration with Cave Pictures Publishing, and the importance of community in his creative process.
Photo: Jason Brubaker/Cave Pictures
With the new film getting Oscar buzz, a couple Little Women fans join the table. Anselm author Emmy Houk and Lauren Capps explain what makes Little Women so special, and why the latest film was such a success.
Producer Jennifer England joins the table to talk about her work with the long-running radio drama, Adventures in Odyssey. Later, Matt's brother joins the table for some Odyssey super-fan Q&A.
Live at the Anselm Christmas Party, Matt asks whether CS Lewis should have added Father Christmas to "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe." He soon gets interrupted by a couple extra-special guests.
Photo by Lancia Smith
Does the true crime genre exploit people's pain, or does it share important stories? It turns out, the answer is complicated. And Anselm writer Sarah Pottenger is here to help.
Anselm poet Jane Scharl joins the table to share her love of classic poetic forms, and to explain how poetic style reflects your view of the world.
Photo by S.A. Kindstrom
Why do men seem less likely than women to show interest in the arts? Matt gathers the manliest men he knows—Anselm founder Brian Brown and Anselm artist Kory Denmark—to find out.
Photo by Carole Raddato
Mosaic: Pair of Centaurs Fighting Cats of Prey from Hadrian's Villa, c. 130 AD, Altes Museum Berlin
Rock journalist Mary Nikkel joins the table to share her years of experience covering the Christian Rock scene, and to explain the changing priorities of the industry.
Photo by Dejan Krsmanovic
Our third annual extravaganza continues as Mandy, Matt, and Amy pick the final spots of their ultimate pub tables!
Our third annual draft extravaganza! Anselm authors Amy Lee and Mandy Houk join Matt in drafting the greatest pub tables in history.
Photo by Ellen Thompson
Anselm artists Teressa Mahoney and Mandy Houk join the table to share their old beliefs about Christianity and the arts, and why they changed their minds.
Painter Kristopher Orr shares the history of his upcoming art exhibition, and how the theme of vulnerability informs his cubist paintings.
In the afterglow of Marvel's Avengers saga, Baylor professor Junius Johnson joins the table to talk about the moral landscape of the films, and their enduring legacy.
Avengers Image by Robert Ball
When a technical glitch deletes their regular episode, Matt and Danielle decide to continue their endless debate about whether Harry Potter's larger world makes sense.
What happens when artists marry each other? Two artist couples--the Denmarks and Sorensens--join the table to discuss the benefits and challenges of being married to another artist.
What are Christian Inspiration books? How does the market shape them? Why do ignorant men like Matt have no idea what they are? Author Evangeline Denmark, editor September Grace, and Matt's wife Danielle join the table to figure it out.
It's Marcus' last show before he moves to Portland. Before leaving the table, he shares his journey as an artist, and his final music recommendations. Also, Matt presents a sonnet he wrote in honor of Marcus' beard.
The pub table is buzzing with unanswered questions. What makes a good detective story? Can it ever be great literature? Why have so many Christian authors been fans? Author Sarah Pottenger joins the table to crack the case.
How should we respond when horrible people make art that we love? Megan McCluskey and Amy Lee join the table to discuss.
Writer Amy Lee returns to the pub table to talk about the perils of safety, and the sometimes-crazy lengths we go to shield ourselves and our children from dangerous art.
Taking a page from CS Lewis’s famous essay, Church Historian Blake Hartung joins the table to discuss the joys and benefits of reading ancient literature.
Mandi Hart is the president of Cave Pictures Publishing, a new line of comics for the “spiritually inclined.” She joins the table to talk about the unique power of comics, and their role in modern myth-making.
The combined Anselm hosts stick around to talk a broad range of arts and faith topics--everything from whether art should be "useful" to whether Pilgrim's Progress is actually bad.
The whole Anselm digital pub gets together for a special event as Matt and Marcus meet up with the of "Speaking with Joy" and "Redeemed Imagination."
As the Christmas season winds down, Marcus and Matt talk about works of art they used to love. Matt also hands out his first annual "Ralphie Awards" for the (too) many Christmas specials he watched this year.
If you were stranded on a desert island, what books or movies would you bring with you? Arts Guild Director Christina Brown joins the table for this classic conversation starter. They also discuss why this became such a popular conversation topic.
Anselm novelist Mandy Houk joins the pod to talk movie adaptations: what makes a good one? Why were the Narnia movies so bad? Marcus, Matt, and Mandy also pitch a book they want to see turned into a movie.
Matt and Marcus pick their favorite Halloween books and movies, and show the Great Pumpkin that their podcast is the most sincere.
Author Sarah Clarkson shares the blessings of a reading life from her new book, “Book Girl,” and convinces Matt and Marcus that they should be book girls too.
Should artists outline their work ahead of time, or let their creativity carry them as they go? Writers Lisa Reither and Evangeline Denmark try to settle this debate once and for all.
On September 1 2018, Lancia E. Smith, Anselm board member and founder of The Cultivating Project, gave the following talk at the annual Anselm Society artists retreat. The talk is titled Overcoming Darkness in the Life of a Creative: The Power of Testimony, and Cultivation of Three Essentials. In a fallen world, we each face a long battle with darkness throughout our lives both around us and within us. Is it possible to overcome such pervasive conditions and if so, how? In this session, Lancia spoke from her own testimony as a creative about facing overwhelming darkness and three essentials that each of us need as God’s image-bearers in countering the shadows working against us.
In their second annual draft, Matt and Marcus compete against three other Anselm artists to assemble history's most interesting pub table!
The Rabbit Room's Pete (A.S.) Peterson on his upcoming stage adaption of the classic novel and the forgotten themes behind the monster. You can view more show info and get tickets at http://www.studiotenn.com/frankenstein/.
Sarah Arthur shares her forthcoming book, “A Light So Lovely,” which explores Madeleine L’Engle’s complex spirituality, and how her Christianity impacted “A Wrinkle in Time” and other writings.
Is there still any value in a humanities major? Purdue’s Case Tompkins makes his case while Matt bemoans the student loans from his English degree.
In this World Cup special, Mere Orthodoxy's Jake Meador explains U.S. soccer culture's many lessons for artists.
Anselm Society director Brian Brown hosts a conversation with scholar Anthony Esolen and Anglican bishop Martyn Minns.
Matt Burnett - A Wrinkle in Time: Theological Imagination of Madeleine L'Engle by Anselm Society
Matt Burnett - Sacramental Theology from the Deck of the Dawn Treader by Anselm Society
Michelle Hindman makes her case to revive the lost art of hagiography. Matt tells a story about the Loch Ness monster.
Puppeteer David Simpich joins us to explore his one-of-a-kind marionette shows, and prove that real men (and artists) make dolls.
Ever listen to classical music and worry you have no idea what you're doing? Musician Terri Moon is here to help. And if she can teach Matt, she can teach anyone...
SD Smith, best-selling author of the Green Ember series, joins the show to talk about his inspiration, the importance of story, and why he gave the rabbits swords.
In which Matt tells Reel Perspective’s Mike Morea to expect questions about Star Wars which even non-nerds will appreciate, and then asks Mike a series of (very) nerdy questions about the series.
Purdue’s John Case Tompkins introduces us to the coolest medieval tradition you’ve never heard of—the Mystery Play. We also learn why the Alewife of Chester became a 16th century pop culture icon.
Author Elena Sorensen explores all things faerie tale—what they are, why they’re important, and how she adapts them for her own writing.
Illustrator Dan Sorensen shares his process for illustrating children’s books, and the artists who influenced his whimsical style. Dan and Matt also talk a lot about dinosaurs...
Dr. Michael Ward made one of the most important CS Lewis discoveries of the century. He joins the show to talk about finding the Seven Heavens in Narnia.
Anglican priest Bryan Wandel explores how imagination is a crucial element in a full understanding of prayer.
In a pod special, Arts Guild Assistant Director Christina Brown squares off with Matt and Marcus to assemble history's greatest pub table guests.
Visual artist Lisa Eisenhardt’s unique mosaics reflect her life story. She explains these connections, and what we can all learn by making art from the pieces.
Composer Joel Clarkson shares how the liturgy has shaped everything from his movie scores to his audiobook narration.
Filmmaker Nathan Clarkson discusses the challenges of turning Jesus' parables into film and shares his vision for Christian movies.
Biola University's Kyle Strobel has a follow-up conversation to share Harry Potter's many lessons on the Christian way of power.
Historian Blake Hartung explains his work translating St. Ephrem the Syrian, the early church's greatest hymnographer.
Author Ashlee Cowles discusses the elements of a good adaptation, and why the new Netflix series got Anne of Green Gables very, very wrong.
Film critic Jeffrey Overstreet shares his thoughts on this year's movies and explains why Christians should look closer at movies that challenge them.
Amanda Jolman explains how she became a student of 16th century painting techniques, what these techniques teach us, and why we still can't figure out the old methods.
Evangeline and Kory Denmark share their love for all things steampunk--what it is, how it started, and why it's important.
Singer-songwriter Teressa Mahoney explains why, in a world where pop hits are written by robots and middle-aged Swedes, it's still important to have songs written and performed by the same artist. As a bonus, Teressa and Marcus each play one of their own songs.
Writer Mari Moore discusses the ways that suffering inspires creativity, and the ways she uses art to help others heal from loss.
We talk with writer Amy Lee about all things CS Lewis: why he's so popular, how he influences Amy's writing, and whether his popularity is a problem.
Author Tara Owens explains her journey into the world of adult coloring books, and the unexpected lessons those books teach about the body and the life of prayer.
Engineer and visual artist Kory Denmark discusses the many ways math informs the arts. Oh, and he also tells us about shooting electricity through blocks of wood.
We speak with Evangeline Denmark, author of Curio, about Gothic fiction from the Bronte sisters to Beauty and the Beast.
We talk with violinist Terri Moon about what the Baroque view of music can teach us today.
"Keeping Advent" founder Ian Speir explains what the liturgical calendar teaches us about art. http://www.keepingadvent.com/
Novelist Ashlee Cowles discusses young adult fiction: what it is, and why it's important.
In this debut episode, hosts Matt Mellema and Marcus Robinson explain the Believe to See Podcast and what we'll be doing with it.
In this episode, we talk with guest Brian Brown about the reasons for the Anselm Society, how an Arts Guild works, challenges facing artists in the church, and even whether some traditions are more hospitable to the arts than others. We also talk about whether Shakespeare's language should be updated, and what we've been reading and listening to lately. Music links Brian mentions: New College Oxford Christmas album: https://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Carols-College-Oxford-Higginbottom/dp/B0012JT6DU/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481127453&sr=8-2&keywords=new+college+oxford+christmas Chanticleer Christmas album: https://www.amazon.com/Our-Hearts-Joy-Chanticleer-Christmas/dp/B001L5M5A6/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1481127407&sr=8-2&keywords=chanticleer+christmas
C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were members of a group called the Inklings--writers who met to challenge and inspire each other in their work. Yet despite widespread appreciation for their writing, and even though many work tirelessly for the Kingdom, few Christians today choose to make their most precious thoughts, work, and identities vulnerable to the criticism of others. This talk exploded myths about the Inklings, showed where you can see Lewis in Middle Earth and Tolkien in Narnia, and most importantly, revealed how Christians today can learn to cut through shallow praise and truly sharpen each other as iron on iron. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Did you enjoy our events with Michael Ward and Malcolm Guite? Then you'll love this evening with the third part of the trifecta. Their friend Diana Glyer is also a powerful speaker, Lewis/Tolkien/Inklings expert, and profound contributor to the scene of the Christian imagination. Diana is a professor of English at Azusa Pacific University, where she teaches on literature and theology. She has published extensively on Lewis, Tolkien, and the Inklings, including contributions to The C. S. Lewis Readers’ Encyclopedia and C. S. Lewis: Life, Works, and Legacy. She is the recipient of the Wade Center's Clyde S. Kilby Research Grant (1997) and APU's Chase A. Sawtell Inspirational Teaching Award (2002). Her latest book is "Bandersnatch: C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and the Creative Collaboration of the Inklings. More info: http://www.anselmsociety.org/events/2015/7/17/diana-glyer
The opening lines of The Divine Comedy by Dante Alighieri launched Rod Dreher on a journey that rescued him from exile and saved his life. Dreher found that the medieval poem offered him a surprisingly practical way of solving modern problems. Following the death of his little sister and the publication of his New York Times bestselling memoir The Little Way of Ruthie Leming, Dreher found himself living in the small community of Starhill, Louisiana where he grew up. But instead of the fellowship he hoped to find, he discovered that fault lines within his family had deepened. Dreher spiraled into depression and a stress-related autoimmune disease. Doctors told Dreher that if he didn’t find inner peace, he would destroy his health. Soon after, he came across The Divine Comedy in a bookstore. In the months that followed, Dante helped Dreher understand the mistakes and mistaken beliefs that had torn him down and showed him that he had the power to change his life. Dreher knows firsthand the solace and strength that can be found in Dante’s great work, and distills its wisdom for those who are lost in the dark wood of depression, struggling with failure (or success), wrestling with a crisis of faith, alienated from their families or communities, or otherwise enduring the sense of exile that is the human condition. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Rod Dreher is nationally famous as a "localist" and proponent of Christians creating communities that stand as a beacon of hope to the world around them. His new book on Dante is absolutely wonderful, and keeps getting better as it goes. It's a privilege to have him here to talk with us. Rod is a senior editor at The American Conservative and the author of How Dante Can Save Your Life, Crunchy Cons, and The Little Way of Ruthie Leming. His work has appeared in numerous publications including the New York Post, the Dallas Morning News, National Review, First Things, and the Wall Street Journal, and broadcast on NPR’s All Things Considered and BBC Radio. He lives in St. Francisville, Louisiana, with his wife Julie and their three children. More info: http://www.anselmsociety.org/events/2015/10/30/how-dante-can-save-your-life
We've all been moved by something beautiful, be it the majestic glory of a snow-capped mountain or the homey chords of a country song. And most of us have been told that beauty can point us to God. But this often clashes with how we’re used to approaching God, where we’ve taught ourselves that beyond our daily bread, it is only the invisible and spiritual that matter. How would God have us think about beauty? We often find God in unexpected places, but are there places we should expect to find Him? Can we balance the earthly beauty that moves us and the God of beauty that made it? In this conversation, dynamic speaker Junius Johnson will explore why beauty moves and inspires us, and how we were made to encounter God more deeply through it. ABOUT THE SPEAKER: Junius Johnson is a scholar, freelance writer, and musician. His captivating conversation with us during his last visit kept an entire room on their toes as our ideas were challenged and strengthened. And that was before he started an exploration of the moral themes in the Marvel superhero movies! Junius is assistant professor of historical theology at Baylor University. He previously taught sacred music at Yale Divinity School, where he was affiliated with our friends at the Rivendell Institute. More info: http://www.anselmsociety.org/events/2015/2/21/does-beauty-matter
We see strangers more often than friends, sit in gridlock more often than in conversation, and hunger for a deeper community we have never seen. Like the character Christian in Pilgrim's Progress, we know isolation far better than we know communion. Yet communion was designed to shape us as individuals and communities. An evening with award-winning poet Scott Cairns, Guggenheim Fellow and National Endowment for the Humanities Fellow. Using his own poetry and prose, Scott will explore how we can recover the crucially communal way in which we must understand our identity. More info: http://www.anselmsociety.org/events/2015/9/5/a-hunger-for-communion
The spellbinding Malcolm Guite came to us all the way from Cambridge University, where he is a priest, rock band musician, jazz poet, and teacher. He also smokes pipes we're pretty sure are imported from Hobbiton. This Brit took us on an energetic ride through Shakespeare's sonnets, his own poetry, and John's Gospel, exploring how the "Word made flesh" is the spark at the core of the best Christian creativity. SPEAKER Malcolm Guite is a chaplain and teacher at Cambridge University. He researches and writes about the interface between theology and the arts, more specifically Theology and Literature, and has published books on both subjects, separately and together. He also has special interests in Coleridge and CS Lewis. More info: http://www.anselmsociety.org/events/2015/3/28/incarnation-and-imagination
Alister McGrath says in describing C.S. Lewis that faithful imagination is “a certain way of seeing that brings [reality] into the sharpest focus, illuminating the shadows and allowing its inner reality to be seen.” In this conversation, Michael Ward explored the roles of reason and imagination in the thought of C.S. Lewis and the vibrant Christian life. ABOUT THE SPEAKER Michael Ward is a Senior Research Fellow at Blackfriars Hall in the University of Oxford, author ofPlanet Narnia: The Seven Heavens in the Imagination of C.S. Lewis (OUP, 2008), and co-editor ofThe Cambridge Companion to C.S. Lewis (CUP, 2010). He presented the BBC television documentary, The Narnia Code(2009). Though based at Blackfriars in Oxford, Dr Ward is also employed as Professor of Apologetics at Houston Baptist University, Texas, teaching one course per semester as part of the online MA program in Christian Apologetics. As an Anglican clergyman, he served as Chaplain of St Peter’s College in the University of Oxford from 2009 to 2012 and as Chaplain of Peterhouse in the University of Cambridge between 2004 and 2007. He was resident Warden of The Kilns, Lewis’s Oxford home, from 1996 to 1999. He studied English at Oxford, Theology at Cambridge, and has a PhD in Divinity from St Andrews. More information: http://www.anselmsociety.org/events/2015/3/18/is-faith-without-imagination-dead
We talk about stewarding the natural environment, but what about the built environment? What about our streets, neighborhoods, and cities? How can we promote manmade environments that help people in their pursuit to live well in community with one another? This lecture (with reference to traditional towns and cities) will explore these questions and the question of how Christians can think about their role in the city. ABOUT THE SPEAKER John Griffin is a practicing design professional and educator who has experience working in the US, UK, and Central America on a variety of project types and scales, from mixed-use urban infill projects to neighborhood and regional master plans. John and his wife Jennifer have received multiple New Urbanism Charter Awards for their work, most recently for a planning project in the Gowanus neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. More info: http://www.anselmsociety.org/events/2015/3/18/the-architecture-of-community
In prison, Dostoevsky discovered that the desire for freedom was the wellspring of human action. But this wellspring comes from a deeper source: Christ and his promise of a future kingdom. Focusing on Notes from the House of the Dead, Notes from Underground, and the Brothers Karamazov, this lecture will examine the intertwined themes of Russian nationalism, freedom, and Christ in Dostoevsky’s thought. ABOUT THE SPEAKER Peter Leithart President of the Theopolis Institute Author of “Gratitude: An Intellectual History” Contributor to First Things and Touchstone More information: http://www.anselmsociety.org/events/2014/3/29/dostoevsky-and-the-desire-for-freedom
In The Pilgrim’s Regress, C.S. Lewis explored the idea of a person who has to wander in order to recognize and appreciate his own home. In the Narnia Chronicles and the Space Trilogy, Lewis used fantasy to give his readers gleams of divine truth. It’s well known that Lewis was a friend of J.R.R. Tolkien. What is less well known is that both the motifs above, and many others, were inherited by Tolkien and Lewis from a prior generation, from writers like George MacDonald and G.K. Chesterton. Chesterton’s writing influenced Lewis’s conversion, and how he conceived of Christianity, fantasy, and the Christian concept of home. This event will explore the ideas of Chesterton and how they shaped the writers who produced the greatest fantasy literature of our time. ABOUT THE SPEAKER Dr. Donald Williams is the chair of the Department of Humanities & Natural Sciences at Toccoa Falls College. He holds a B.A. in English from Taylor University, a M.Div. from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a Ph.D. in Medieval and Renaissance Literature from the University of Georgia. He is the author of seven books, including Inklings of Reality: Essays toward a Christian Philosophy of Letters (Toccoa Falls College Press, 1996), Mere Humanity: G. K. Chesterton, C. S. Lewis, and J. R. R. Tolkien on the Human Condition (Broadman, 2006), and Credo: Meditations on the Nicene Creed (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 2007). He has also contributed essays, poems, and reviews to such journals as National Review, Christianity Today, Touchstone, Modern Reformation, The Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, Philosophia Christi, Theology Today, Christianity and Literature, Christian Scholar’s Review, Mythlore, SEVEN: An Anglo-American Literary Review, Christian Educator’s Journal, Preaching, and Christian Research Journal. An ordained minister in the Evangelical Free Church of America with many years of pastoral experience, he has spent several summers in Africa training local pastors for Church Planting International. More info: http://www.anselmsociety.org/events/2015/3/18/the-origins-of-cs-lewis