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Joy Moore presents
“Language & Sounds: A Collaborative Night of Poetry”
Based on the life and aesthetic of John Keats, the film Bright Star supposes he might describe poetry as such:
“A poem needs understanding through the senses. The point of diving in a lake is not immediately to swim to the shore; it’s to be in the lake, to luxuriate in the sensation of water. You do not work the lake out. It is an experience beyond thought. Poetry soothes and emboldens the soul to accept mystery.”
This Thursday evening is dedicated to the pure enjoyment of language and music of the imagination found in poetry. Please bring along any favorite poems to share.
Andrew Norman presents The Cinematic Aesthetic of Terrence Malick
Dearest Society,
“What is this war in the heart of nature?” so begins Terrence Malick’s third film – The Thin Red Line, and the epic visual journey of one of the last living great film auteurs. His other films include: Badlands, Days of Heaven, The New World and the forthcoming and much-anticipated Tree of Life.
Following on the heels of his research into the career and legacy of Terrence Malick, Andrew Norman will discuss his ideas about the affective possibilities of Malick’s distinctive cinema. Expect a flurry of philosophical dialogue and multi-media display of wizardry from Mr. Norman’s presentation.
See you there.
Picasso. Duchamp. Joyce. Ravel. Groucho?
In the early part of the 20th Century artists all over the world busied themselves at deconstructing their art forms. Guitarists were built out of cubes, and urinals were turned into water fountains. Joining them were Groucho, Harpo, Chico, sometimes Zeppo and even less of the time Gummo — the Marx Brothers — deconstructing all of society to the point that it nearly fell down. On top of that, they were darn funny. On Thursday, Sept. 10 the Society for Critical Imagination presents “Duck Soup,” the Brothers’ best film, voted #6 on AFI’s greatest comedies list and #60 of the top 100 films of all time, all in glorious black & white. Craig Davis promises to offer up “mind-numbing trivia and other baloney,” so be sure to come and bring the popcorn.
8pm – Sept. 10th – The Worley’s Home
Dearest Society,
This summer I had the privilege to interact with Miroslav Volf, director of the Yale Center for Faith and Culture and professor of Systematic Theology at Yale Divinity School, at the Christians in the Visual Arts biennial conference. In preparation for that conference, I was given his 1994 essay for Ex Auditu entitled “Soft Difference: Theological Reflections on the Relation Between Church and Culture in 1 Peter.”
I really enjoyed the experience and the opportunity, but most of all, this essay stands out as one the best pieces I’ve read on Christ and culture in years.
I encourage you to read the essay before we meet, and you can find it here:
http://www.yale.edu/faith/downloads/soft-difference-church-culture.pdf
Dearest Society,
Tomorrow evening, Taylor Worley will present on the musical legacy of Elliott Smith. Entitled “The Redemptive Melancholy of Elliott Smith,” the presentation will focus on the brief but brilliant career of the post-punk songwriter and the enduring gravity of his melancholic work. The presentation will also include a few special guests offering live performances of Smith songs. It should be great time to reflect on Smith’s legacy and share his music afresh. See you there.
8pm @ the Worley’s
328 Westwood Ave.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fd-zwe1fWB0&feature=player_embedded
Dearest Society,
We’re very happy to announce that the long-awaited presentation from Dr. Janna Chance’s doctoral research comes next on our calendar. Since we first learned of her fascinating work, we knew we had to have her come and share some of the fruits of her intellectual labor with us. This week we look forward to hear:
“Obeying God Rather Than Men: Protestant Individualism and the Empowerment of Victorian Women”
8pm, Thursday, April 16th
328 Westwood Ave.
It is our distinct pleasure to host Ms. Allysha Martin, instructor of language at Union University, to present on “Orientalism.” For those of you that may be unfamiliar with this topic, orientalism follows from the 1978 book of the same name by the cultural critic and literary theorist Edward Said (pronounced “Sa ‘yid”) and remains an important postcolonial discourse on the way that the West views the East. This should be a fascinating introduction to a most timely study. If you would like a short reading from Said, you can email societyforcriticalimagination@gmail.com to request it.
If you missed our evening with David Dark, it was a wonderful time. You can get the audio here.
Be sure to check out the publisher’s page for his new book (with a sample selection!) by clicking on the image above and subscribe to his blog: Peer Pressure Is Forever.
Or, look for David at Calvin College’s upcoming Festival of Faith and Music.
A Theologian Reflects: Q & A with Calvin Seerveld
8pm TUESDAY Mar. 10th
at 328 Westwood Ave.
The society is really pleased to host a conversation with Prof. Calvin Seerveld of the Toronto Institute of Christian Studies and preeminent theologian of art and aesthetics. Prof. Seerveld remains one of the most influential and thoughtful voices on a theology of the arts in our time. You can learn more about his prolific and diverse career and writings here: http://www.seerveld.com/tuppence.html and here: http://www.freewebs.com/seerveld/
Amid a packed schedule of speaking in chapel and guest lecturing all over campus, he has agreed to an intimate conversation with us on the nature of his contributions to theological aesthetics.
Please note the change in normal schedule. We will meet this coming Tuesday night rather than the normal Thursday evening. Also, should Baby Quinn Worley arrive early, we will have a contingency plan in place. So, stay tuned.
Dearest society,
The weekly meetings of the Society for Critical Imagination spring back into form this week… (did you see what I did there? ) with a film screening led by perennial society all-star Kirby Atkins.
Kirby has once again reached into the film vault and selected a classic for us and prepared to lead us in discussion afterwards. He has chosen Franco Zeffirelli’s 1972 classic “Brother Sun, Sister Moon,” which portrays the dramatic life of St. Francis of Assisi through his characteristically lush visual palette. With lots of unique social issues entangled in the context of its release, this film will prove an excellent point of departure for conversation.
Thursday, Feb. 11th, 8pm (SCI’s new night!)
the Worley Home
328 Westwood Ave.
662.212.3089
See you tomorrow night! Calendar coming soon!
