Hey folks!
The year is just about over. Looking back, it has been a very exciting year. My wife’s pregnancy, the birth of our son, a job transition, and the creation of this blog have been some of the highlights from 2013. Hopefully 2014 will bring many more exciting adventures to go on.
I would like to spend the last post of each year talking about what I think are the top ten articles that have been posted on Epic Theology. Since we’ve only been live since July, however, this year I’m only going to be doing a top five. For those of you who have read all of my posts since the blog began, this can be a time to reflect on some of the older ideas we’ve been thinking about. For newer readers, it’s an excellent opportunity to dig back and find some articles that you haven’t read yet.
And so, my list of top Epic Theology posts for 2013 are:
This is one of the reasons I started this blog. I have been in love with both Jesus and the arts for a long time and would love to see the Church alive with art. I’ve written papers on the subject, read books about it, and gone to conferences on the relationship between the Church and art. I’ve been trying to start an arts ministry at my church for almost two years now, and am still very excited to get it off the ground. This is my calling, and it’s why I’m writing today.
2. Why the Bible is Actually a Romantic Comedy
This was the first time I actually let myself have a lot of fun with my post. I’ve been spending a lot of time writing academic papers, which shows in my early writing here at Epic Theology. I finally let my own voice, free from the confines of the academy, shine through in a very tongue-in-cheek look at the Bible. This is the tone I actually carry throughout most of my life: a fun-loving yet respectful admiration for the glory of God. I hope this comes across more and more as we continue to explore the connections between the life of an artist and the life of a person of faith.
Again, this one was fun. These off-the-wall thought experiments are a daily occurrence in our household. My wife and I love to discuss the weird observations we make about our lives as Christian artists. Sometimes our thoughts are profound, and sometimes they are just plain quirky. I think this is one of those latter times. This is also one of my wife’s favourite articles, so I hope you all enjoy it just as much.
4. 10 Quotes to Inspire Your Art
This simple post has been one of the most popular since we started here at Epic Theology. The idea is simple, and will probably return a few times as we move along. Sometimes we don’t need a lengthy discussion about art; sometimes we just need a few words to get our butts off the computer and onto the easel or dance floor or photo lab. I hope that those of you who need a little inspiration find it today. That way, we can start 2014 off right!
This one scared me the most in writing it. It’s not really fun, and it’s a little scathing. I didn’t want to come across as angry or as some kind of Puritan, but since this blog is my soap box and I had something I needed to say, it came out. I hope that these kinds of articles, while fairly rare, will give everyone something to chew on for a while. While I may play with Jesus and culture, I can’t let culture run amok and make all the rules. This is the pastor in me coming out.
There are many more posts that I have been excited about, but I think this gives a good overview of what Epic Theology has been all about. I hope that you all had an excellent Christmas season, and that the New Year treats you well. Here’s to taking a cup of kindness, yet!
Blessings
Epic Theology 
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