{Above is an audio recording I made of this blog post for those who prefer listening in. But for the guys like me who like the traditional option of practically reading, do proceed. 🙂 }Â
I love mandazi. Especially mandazi that has cardamon in it. So divine!
“Wait a minute Mueni. Doesn’t the title of this blogpost say this is supposed to be about creativity and Christianity? But we are talking about mandazi…hmmm… â€
Guys, isn’t this my story to tell ? Just relax, I’ m getting there. :)Â
Haha, anyway… once a month, my church serves tea and mandazi to all congregants after service. I never thought I’d be the kind of person that looks forward to tea, but boy don’t I look forward to those Sundays! I get to fellowship with friends and family…. aaannd eat mandazi that has cardamon in it. 😉
Okay okay, you get it…cardamon mandazi is great. The best actually! And you will never take plain mandazi again after I’ve shared that secret with you. 😛 Fine, I’ll move on with the story.
So one Sunday, my aunt and I were having a conversation after service over tea and mandazi. I barely remember what the rest of it was about, but this part stood out the most.
She asked something on the lines of…
 “Joy,are you a creative?”
I paused for a moment.
“Me? A creative? â€
I asked, reflectively.
“Ah…why am I even asking, music, spoken word…yeah, you definitely are one…â€
She concluded rather quickly, and moved on to catch up with her friend who had come to say hello.
I stood there, wondering where all this had randomly come from and after they were done, I asked, “Aunty, what did you mean by a ‘creative’?â€
“Well, as I said, your music, spoken word…all that creative stuff…that’s what makes you a creative.†she responded.
I don’t remember how the conversation went on after that but it left me with many questions; does my medical school life then, fit into her definition of me as a ‘creative’?  Do my scientific ambitions assert or nullify ‘creativity’? Are scientists creatives? Can they be? In fact, who is a creative in the first place?
Whoa…questions overload!
Don’t worry, we’ll walk through them together, but before that, I’d like you to imagine this;
You meet someone for the first time and this is how they introduce themselves;
“Hi, my name is ___(so and so)_____ and I am a creative.â€
What are the first thoughts that come to your mind about what they could be doing as creatives? Were they any of the following?
(Please make a mental note of them before you proceed.)
So, did you think of;
Musician.
Poet.
Artist.
In our day and age, Social Media content creator…
Perhaps they even have a YouTube channooooo . 😀
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Well, suppose you engage them further on that.
“Oh cool…so what do you do as a creative? ”
Then they answer,
“I’m a scientist.â€
Pause. Did your mind just struggle joining those two dots? Scientist-Creative…Creative scientists…huh?
Well, this then is the series for you. #ARTWEEK #BothSidesOfTheDivide #IAmCreative #WeAllAre
This week, we will try to understand these four aspects and how they are intertwined; art, science, creativity and Christianity.
As I introduce the series, I’ll start by making a very bold claim.
You are creative. Yes, YOU!Â
In fact, we all are creative. Regardless of what we do.
But first let me share interesting nuggets I gathered in my search for answers;
“Because we image God, each one of us is born inherently creative.â€
-Hannah Varamini
“One way of thinking about the way we have distanced ourselves from creativity is this: we have lost sight of our creativity’s source. As creatures made in God’s image, we are designed by God to be like God, and this means we’re designed to create, not peripherally but as part of our fundamental nature. In other words, in the beginning, we are each given, as part of the warranty of being human, a harmonic calling, the melody of a set of good things to do with our lives. As an image or representation of God, when we create, we reflect the character of God and the glory of God. Our God-given creative passion is our unique art and the source of our fulfillment. Each of us is made to be God’s cocreator. And, as with any creative process, the work draws the workers together. When we create, we move closer to God; conversely, when we merely consume, we move further from God. To call someone, or yourself, uncreative is simply untrue. Our creativity problem is not that we don’t have this supernatural power within us. It’s that we have lost track of it. It’s latent. (emphasis mine)â€
-Len Wilson (Author of Think Like a 5 year Old- Reclaim you wonder and create great things)
The Bible itself is a work of art. From beginning to end, we are told the story of The Creator and His creation in parable, poetry and many more literary styles. Its genesis? Chapter 1 verse 1, “In the beginning , God created the heavens and the earth.†The first attribute we see of God in the Word, is Him as a creator.
Up to today, we marvel at His creation. I personally am enthralled by the majesty of creation seen in the human body. I am amazed at how every detail was worked out in such a way that we as scientists are always learning more and more about the body system. Doing more research, down to the molecular level to see how the body works. And then engineers, innovators and medics relate where man-made objects can be likened to body features. The eye as a camera. The heart as a pump. The joints as levers. The nose as a filter. The skin as protective armor. And so on.
And now, 3D printing in medical technology enables us to print organs and living tissues. New steps are being applied each day to making things better and better.
Each day, someone creates . The definition I’ll use for create is; bring something into existence. What once was not ,now is, just as was done by God in the beginning. But now, He does it through human beings. Just as God continues to show Himself as merciful and kind, He continues to create. Only that He uses people to do that. Us, His co-creators.
“How many are your works, Lord. In wisdom you made them all, the world is full of your creatures.” Psalm 104:24 (NIV)
Unfortunately, we don’t really believe that. We don’t see ourselves as conduits of God’s creativity. So the glory of all our daily creative work isn’t channeled to the rightful Owner. Most times, we end up taking the glory for it.
This week, I have partnered with fellow scientist-creatives, to tell the story of how God is using them as vessels of creativity, in the fields of science and art. I particularly chose these two as they are both dear to me and I’m glad God led me to some amazing people who are shining their light in both areas concurrently! We may not focus on the art of music as much (God willingly, I’ll address this in a subsequent music-specific series) but I pray that each day, as you read their testimonies, God will use this to affirm to you that indeed, you are creative. I pray that in this realization, you will listen in to how He wants you to bring Him glory in every single thing you do and all that you create.
Do you have any expectations, opinions or questions about this topic? Have you also felt like you are on #BothSidesOfTheDivide? Do share in the comments section. I’d love to hear what you have to say!
I can’t wait to share the stories from tomorrow. Every morning at 9 am sharp. Monday through Saturday!
Soli deo Gloria
(Photo credits; Deno Kim, Sammy and Alice W. |Â Featuring Julles and Mary G.)
PS- For the book lovers, here are links to 2 book suggestions I came across on this topic:
Think Like a Five Year Old- Len Wilson
The Imagination of God: Art, Creativity and Truth in the Bible
This article is really awesome. I have been asked alot of times if I am good at art or science and I’m just like, can’t it both? Why must it be one or the other? But this proves that just on the basis of being created in the image of God who created both science and art. I am limitless! Thank you Joy :)!!
Thank you Alice..Yes you can do both! Really glad you have been encouraged. 🙂
Interesting and well written. It’s true that being made in the image of a creator, we naturally will reflect creativity. To most people actually, routine stuff tend to crop boredom and dissatisfaction. Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Interesting point you’ve brought out there Joel. Is it that in our routine we stifle our innate creative juices? Well I hadn’t thought of that. 🙂 Thank you!
Interesting and very well written. Being made in the image of a creative supreme being, it meant we also naturally did inherit the same aspect of creativity from our Father. Actually, routine stuff that tend to be uncreative tend to crop boredom and dissatisfaction to many. Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
This should be interesting. Especially now when the Christian church seems to shun away creativity either because they don’t understand it or appreciate it.
Am tuned.
Ikr! Yet we as the church should be at the front line advocating for it. Let’s do something in our own personal ways to address that. Thanks Andete. 🙂
Hey Joy excited what at the prospect of learning something new from your discussion topic bustling with talking points. 👌😎
I however would like to critique how use the terms create & creative. Firstly as you said “The definition I’ll use for create is; to bring something to existence.” and a creative as quoted “Each day someone creates”. From scientific understanding following the Law of Conservation energy/mass can neither be destroyed nor made/created only transformed following this law can we really say that people can do the same?
Though i do agree if you use the term creative as one who can design or craft from given tools,environment or imagination.
Hee Kamau…some heavy stuff you’ve shared there. Some interesting new insight I had not considered. Permission granted to look into it and give my views later?
Kamau the scientist!
Allow me to give my two cents.
C.S. Lewis says “It is critically important to examine the assumptions within a question.”
Apparently I’m a lover of definitions. You have given the word “create” the spot on definition of “bringing into existence” . Notice the assumption that this terse definition hasn’t tackled though. Existence is the occupation of time and/or space. The definition doesn’t however adequately inform us on how this is supposed to happen. So we assume that it just happens!
If we think along these lines we’ll realise that design is just the same as creating…because design will start from a thought. A thought that was brought into the occupation of time by a nerve impulse. But what triggered the nerve impulse. How did it come into existence?
We could go on and on. But we’ll notice that modification of an already existing phenomenon is just as good as making something out of a supposed “nothing” because at the end of the day both means are bring something new into existence.
Just my thoughts. I’d love to hear your point of view.
Hey Raysam I’m also avid fan of C.S. Lewis and philosophy in general and have keen eye when it comes to definitions too. I agree in the Introductory post the author hasn’t explicitly shown how something comes into existence from nothing (ie to create) and I for one can’t say that I know that I leave to such matters to Quantumn Physicists and Ontological Philosophers.
Concerning how you’ve posited that design is similar to creating as it begins from thought processes; I would counter by saying thought is not a solitary process it is influenced by our bodily senses which in turn connects us to our environment. These perceived senses intermingle with our thought process which then abstracts from the perceptions to “create” or in better terms imagine a new tranformed form thus leading to creativitiy eg: I’ve seen an Elephant i’ve seen the colour pink I can abstract and decide to paint a pink elephant yet it doesn’t exist in reality other than my painting though if you look closely still follows Law of Conservation.
#bothsides 😂 that’s was really funny
“Our creativity problem is not that we don’t have this supernatural power within us. It’s that we have lost track of it. It’s latent.”
I’d love to hear your perspective on why you feel has contributed to the above being a reality.
Then expectations: Perhaps I’d like spark a discussion with the question: Is it valid to consider creativity as being entirely natural or is there a spiritual dimension to it?
Orherwise can’t wait! Usichelewe… 🙂
I think if we are aware of something then we can work on it. So, since some of us deem ourselves as un-creative then we aren’t able to nurture it? May I dare to say that one among those sharing this week will address this? Look out for the post on Wed 22nd August.
You ask hard questions Ray 🙂 I don’t have an answer yet but would love to hear from anyone else.
Yes Mueni,
I enjoy asking the hard questions. Through them we either discover something we did not know out of sheer ignorance (that we failed to confront because of one reason or another) or a new perspective of doing something that had not been considered in routine living…prompting the cutting edge need for transformation!
😃😃