The imagination is a powerful tool in our becoming. Art and stories not only delight the soul, but can offer us a vision of who we want to become. If we want to develop the virtue of hope, for instance, we can start by training the imagination. This presentation will look at how images and stories of hope show us what hope looks like—and then stirs our soul to imitate what we see.

Speaker Bios

Whether crafting a stained-glass window or crafting the human soul, forms of art require theoretical and practical knowledge. Knowledge of the craft (its ends and means) and knowledge how to craft (its embodied dispositions, skills, and practices). Unfortunately, both types of knowledge—knowledge about the process and knowledge of how to proceed—can be lost. For instance, when there are no longer any or many persons who know what it takes to hand-build a wood canoe, the idea of building one seems out of reach. This paper explores the recurring tendency of the Christian church, broadly construed, to mislay the understanding and informed practice that is required to make substantial progress in becoming like Christ. While not an extinct craft, the art of being conformed to Christ’s likeness has been on the endangered craft list for some time. After canvassing some of the historical, cultural, ecclesial, and personal conditions that have recently obscured the art of becoming Christlike, we turn to what it would take to reclaim the required understanding and know-how of Christian sanctification. 

Speaker Bios

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