I HAVE MET GRACE

“Christians in theatre” or “Christian theatre”?

Q: What do the terms “Christian drama/Christian theatre” mean and why do many Christians in theatre avoid using them?

A. This is a recurring question: do we use the terms Christian theatre/Christian drama or not. Many people avoid them because they are grammatically and biblically incorrect. “Christian” is a noun, not an adjective. C.S. Lewis wrote somewhere that Christian art exists in the same sense as Christian cooking. So early on in CITA we avoided the labels because our focus was on Christians as people doing theatre, whether that theatre was in/for a religious organization or not. Faith-based schools, theatres, etc or not. Doesn’t matter. The people are Christians and they are doing theatre. We sensed people somehow sanctifying their theatre by labeling it Christian – so the quality didn’t matter, the spiritual results did. Still hear that in some circles. But this is also said of education, music, literature, etc in those circles. Then people think of Christian drama as evangelistic drama, especially non-Christian theatre people. To them the label means drama which propagandizes and sermonizes (as other sub cultural drama does for other ideologies). Many of us ran away from these connotations.

Now, there is drama/theatre whose content is biblical, about Christianity, etc. So the subject matter is about Christianity and that is often called Christian drama/theater. I guess like Christian music or Christian art is about Christianity (whether written/produced by a Christian or not). So we treat such theatre first as theatre, then according to its content.  The content does affect the style and form and they are intertwined, but it is also possible to see them separately. T.S. Eliot makes this argument in his essay Christianity and Literature. But we can look at this like we look at the way the ideas in plays relate to their structure.  So medieval drama and Brecht’s plays share many similarities. That’s interesting, but we digress…

People now may avoid “Christian theatre” because they want to be seen as part of the larger theater community, to be taken seriously as theatres and artists and not dismissed by non believers. Some of that is insecurity, some of that is a false sense of persecution, and some is elitism (i.e. “real” theatre isn’t obviously Christian – though it may deal with spirituality or religion). Some of that is wisdom, because in any vocation we don’t (and often shouldn’t) need to wave a Christian flag, post doctrinal statements on our cubicles, advertise that we are Christians.

It is dangerous to generalize and I don’t want to suspect motives. My own experience is that when I’ve worked in non-Christian organizations (schools, theatres, and conferences) I don’t get the feeling I am looked down upon, second class, suspicious, etc. And I hear from a lot of professionals in the mainstream (even that term is discriminating) that they can make their way as a believer just fine. And I also believe there are times to be very bold and outspoken that we are Christians, that we identify with Jesus Christ the Son of God; when to speak that truth is a matter for  discernment but I think the Bible is clear that as believers we will have opportunities and we are obligated to speak of our faith, not just live it out in silence.

I’m comfortable not calling my work “Christian drama” but I am also fine with people calling what they do “Christian drama” because it means the content of what they are doing is derived from scripture or Christianity and is sometimes paid for by an organization which propagates Christianity. I am also eager to focus on who we are, Christians, first, before looking at what we do. And that has been the focus of CITA since its inception.

Some reflections on a perennial question
by Executive Director Dr. Dale Savidge

(Source: http)

hangga’t may ARAW.

WOW.

Ito angunangsalitangnasabikong Makita koanggandangpinuntahanko.

March 26, 2012. Isa sapinaka-iintaynaarawngBuwan.

Aswered prayer akosahilingnamakapuntasalugar kung saanmalayosakabihasnan.

Building.Usok.Malalaking (at minsanmadaya) billboard.Iba’tibangsasakyan.

Bagong Gadgets na may kasamangpag-yayabang. Pagkaingangmamahalperoalam

monamanghindikalulusogrito. Traffic Enforcer.Busina.Nakakahilongmgailaw.

Kung ano-anong Advertisement.LabolabongMusika.Mabilisngunithindi

produktibongoras. Pagod.MgaPagkaka-taong

Napipilitankanalangngumitisagitnangmadamingginagawa. Maliitnabagayperoanghirap

Pag-desisyunan.Trabahonghindinanaubos.

Masasabikongitoangmundonginiikutanko. ARAW-ARAW.

At sailangtaonkodito, naisipkongnakaka-PAGOD at patuloyakongnapapagod.

3am. Wala man akongtulogpero gusto kongidilatangmgamatadahilayokong ma-miss anggandangtanawingmakikitako. Sayangangorassabawatkurapngmata.

8am.9am.10am. Habangnasabahay kami ngkapatidniTatay Ariel (yungbankero), natatanawkonaangasulnadagat.

“HI!” – PARA AKONG KINAKAUSAP NG DAGAT! (kaka-panoodkonaata to ng Cartoons)

HAHAHA!:Datmaya-mayalang, naglakadna kami paputasadaunganng Banka.

At angichurako????

KUMIKINANG ANG MATA KO! (sadaungan pa langng Bangka yun ah??)

DAGAT!!!!! Anglakilakimo!!!!!XD

Nakaka-KILIG! Daig pa angkiligng may nagtatapatsayo.

Parangakoyung PROMDI nungmgapanahongyun.

… isangoras din ang nagging biyahesabanka, at syempreisangorasko ding pinagamasdanangdagat at angiba’tibangislanito.

KAMARA.KAPONES.ANAWANGIN.TALISAYEN.

Iilanlang to samgaislangmeronsalugar nay un.

NAGSASA.

At itoangpinuntahannamin.

Isanglugarkungsaanwalangistorbo. Payapa.Walang signal.Walangkuryente.Walang building.Walangmalalabongilaw.Walangusok.  At WalangLamok!

NAPAKA GANDA.

Ang tanging nakikitakolang ay angMalambingnaUlapkasabayngKumikinangnaSikatngAraw.

BruskongBundok. MatapangngunitMalumanaynaalon. MahinhinnaHangin. Pira-pirasongBuhangin.

ANG GANDA. ANG LAWAK. TUNAY NA NAPAKA-GALING NG LUMIKHA.

Ang DIYOS. AngTunay at walangibang Maestro ngMundo.

I mean, If we take time to see different places here on earth, masasabinatingmerongDiyos.

TotooSiya, Buhaysiya, at Makapangyarihansiya.

HIS CREATION IS A GENERAL REVELATION OF GOD UNTO PEOPLE……AWESOME!:D

Kaya ngasabikosainyo eh. Para akongnagsasayangngorassabawatKurapng Mata ko. :D

Kumain.Nag-tayong Tent. Nag-bihis (butinalang may Banyo dun!). Nag-swimming.Nagbanlaw.

Nanguhangmga shell.Nag-luto.Kumain.Nag-bonfire.At Natulog.

YUNG GABING YUN  ATA ANG PINAKA MSARAP AT PINAKA MAAGA KONG TULOG!

Yumuyugyogyung tent salakasnghanginaparakamingbinabagyo? GRABE!

KakaibaanghuninipinaghalongAlon, Pine Tree at Hangin.

I NEVER SLEPT THAT WAY. :’)

Dun ko din unangnaranasangmaging Mountaineer. Yung totoo.

SABI SAMIN MAY FALLS, WALA NAMAN! Purobato lang. HAHA. :

Orasnaparapumuntasagabilangislaparamaligo. Hindi konamanakalaingdoonkomakikilalasi TALISAY. :D

Isangkawawang DIKYA o JELLYFISH nainuwikomulasaislang TALISAYEN. : )

Kung susumahinkoangisa’tkalahatingarawnayun, masasabikonghindiako nag-aksayangoras.

Lalo man akongumitim, pero nag-papasalamatpadinkasisagitnangmagulo at mapanlinlangnamundomeron at meronka pa rinpalatalagangmapupuntahangmalayodoon. Kung saan may pagkakataonkang mag-isip.

ANG MAG-BAKASYON?Ookailangannatin to.

Perohindi LANG itoangparaanparamagingpayapatayo o paralangmadamanatinangpresensyangDiyos.

Kung meronkatalagangtamangrelasyonsakanya,  nabbuhayka man saabala, magulo at maingaynamundo…

Makakahanappadintayong GENUINE PEACE.

The Peace that nor height nor depth can separate.

IKAW…

NAKAPAG-BAKASYON KA NA BA?: )

IF YOU ALREADY HAVE…

HOW DID YOU SPEND YOUR TIME WITH THE CREATOR OF THE ART THAT YOU SAW?

: )

 

A TALK TO REMEMBER.

you: “pasensya kna sa pangit kong ugali”

me: lahat tayo merong pangit na ugali. i learn to make pasensya and accept, the pangit ugali kc i love you.

if i stop and exploaded sometimes, it is because it is tiring already.. sometimes i just need to hibernate to get over of the pain. and when i recover, okay na ako ulet.. kya lang napapansin ko parati na lang tayong ganito… ano ba ang pwede nating gawin?…

you: “narealize ko na hindi cguro ako effective na tao”

me: sorry ha i dis agree…. effective ka sa napakaraming bagay…hindi mo lang napapansin kc parati kang nakatingin sa mga failures at and when you fail, ginugusto mong manatiling failure instead of doing something para mag succeed… alam mo naman to whom you should run to all the time para mag succeed, kya lang kinalimutan mo na sya.. “Jesus” “play the song He knows my name”

you: “masama ako sa pag iisip, kilos at pananalita”, “hindi na cguro ako magbabago”

me : hindi ka nag iisa…. pareho lang tayo… and we need to do something about it! alam mo na meron tayong choice na magbago… its just up to us…. kailangan hindi lang desire to change kundi act on it! let us make it happen by God’s help…. im sure He will never fail us..

you: sorry sa mga nasaktan ko….

me: hindi lang ikaw ang nkakasakit…. ako din naman and i really feel sorry about it …. please “FORGIVE ME”

you: simula sa araw na ito ayaw ko ng magpunta ng church. walang pagbabagong nagaganap sa akin..

me: you exactly know that, restraining yourself from going to church is not, and absolutely not the best solution!… mas nilalagay mo ang sarili mo at pamilya mo sa kapahamakan… as i see it, the reason kya ka hindi makahanap ng pagbabago, kc hindi taos sa puso mo ang pagpunta sa church,… walang tunay na pag sambang nangyayari… you do not seek the Lord.. you are not giving other people a chance to help you grow spiritually…. and best of all you are setting God aside… hindi na sya ang priority mo…. iphone na…. hehehehe Please return to God.. have faith on Him,.. worship him in spirit and in truth.. and i assure you… everything will follows…. “PROMISE”

you: “pakiramdam ko ako ay isang basura”

me: papa hindi ka nag iisa…. lahat tayo “BASURA” sa harapan ng Diyos…. pero wag natin kalimutan. ang basurang ito ay nilinis na nga Panginoon…. at araw araw syang naglilinis kung lalapit lang tayo at pahihintulutan lang natin syang linisin tayo…. Yes we are basura…. but we are “PRECIOUS” in God.. mahal nya tayo eh’

you: “salamat sa pagtyatyaga mo sa akin”

me: yes pinagtyatyagaan kita! syempre asawa kita eh! at wala ng bawian yun! may choice pa ba ako?… wala! hehehehe…. please dont get me wrong…. ang ibig ko lang sabihin,.. i need to you endure!… ikaw din naman “pinagtyatyagaan mo lang ako. from the start palang.. ayaw mo na talaga akong pakasalan…marami knang babaeng niligawan at “minahal” habang mag asawa tayo masakit’.. pero kailangan kong tanggapin na “nagkakamali ka din”.. pero sana,.. pagsumikapan mong pagtagumpayan kc bka hindi ko na kayanin…. mapauwi ako ng langit ng hindi oras… gusto ko pang makita mga apo ko….

me: … i need you…. please lead our family back to God… please lead our family to worship God… please lead our family to grow in our spirituality… please lead our family to pray and study God’s word… please let us be united in spirit and in truth…. please let us make our family happy again na kasama ang Panginoon…. aside from God, i need somebody to encourage me,… i need somebody to lean on especially in times of distress, i need somebody to love me and be with me umaraw man at bumagyo’

i need somebody to grow old with me…..

and i want that somebody to be you……

me: let us start all over again…. hindi pa huli ang lahat…..