Imagine: A Vision for Christians in the Arts

"What I found so compelling about the first edition of Imagine was not simply that Steve Turner was calling the church to reimagine its approach toward the arts and its artists. After all, a growing chorus of voices was saying much the same and continues to do so today. Instead, what I found most compelling was that Turner was calling artists to take up their vocation in a way that moved them out into the world while remaining tethered to the very community of faith that gave birth to them in the first place. In this revised edition, Turner doubles down on this clarion call, reminding us all that, perhaps now more than ever, the church desperately needs its artists to be artists. But so too do artists need the church."

"The brevity and clarity of this beautiful little book belie the breadth and richness of its artistic, theological, and biblical content. Steve Turner’s incisive exegesis of the nexus between popular arts and Christianity is unmatched, for he has equally inhabited these worlds his entire career. He is not afraid to tell the truth. A constant required text for one of our courses, an alumnus shared years ago how it changed his view of himself as an artist, and a new alumnus says he reads it over and over. Personally, I discovered within its pages the insight inspiring my own doctoral thesis. The revised version’s addition of quotes you’ve always wanted to find, questions you’ve needed to ask, and examples of current artists seriously increases its value. It is simply the the most compelling, lucid articulation of what it is to be a Christian in the arts that I’ve found."

"This book helps bridge the gap from when God said, ‘Let there be. . .’ to what we, his creation, were designed to create and enjoy. It should be read by anyone who appreciates or is influenced by art and media in all of its forms—that is, everyone. When I am asked by either the curious or the caustic what a Christian is doing working in Hollywood, I just want to hand them this book and say, ‘Imagine this.’"

"Culture, calling, and the arts. This trio of concerns has perplexed and troubled faithful Christians in the West for many centuries. But in recent decades, a small yet potent art and faith movement has been gaining force. In some Christian circles, the art is getting better and the understanding of culture more nuanced. Steve Turner was an early and thoughtful voice in this movement, and the reissue of his book Imagine is a solid point of beginning for those eager both to understand its contours and then find their way forward in it."

"This affirming book says all the things I’d like my friends to understand about me as an artist. At the same time it challenged me to be more actively engaged with our culture through artmaking infused with the gospel."