The Humble Creative
Moral Vice and the Pursuit of Flourishing Creativity
- Christian Living
- Publisher: Wipf and Stock
- Published: 2021
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Publisher's Description
Open any other book on creativity, and you will hear the cliched rallying cries of current creative culture: Be True to Yourself! Find Your Voice! Express Your Authentic Self! This book is different. This book will not tell you to "Be true to yourself," but will implore you to "Humble yourself." This book will not repeat the slogan, "Find your Voice," but will ask you to consider how your moral weaknesses are inhibiting your creativity. Examining the current creative culture, The Humble Creative argues that creativity can easily become disordered by vices that Christianity has long understood, but most have forgotten; vices such as vainglory, envy, sloth, anger, lust of the eyes, greed, and pride. The Humble Creative integrates the long-held Christian understanding of moral vice with creativity, providing an accessible exploration of individual vices and their role in disordering creativity--ultimately offering exercises for moral and creative formation. Written in an accessible way, this book explores the stories of several individuals whose creativity have become disordered by vice, introducing the reader to the often overlooked relationship between the moral character of the creative and the successful pursuit of flourishing creativity.
Endorsements (2)
“Drawing together cultural analysis, student narratives, theological reflection, and spiritual formation, Matthew Niermann makes a clear case that creativity is far more than technique and know-how. Vices, rooted in self-absorption under the guise, ‘be true to yourself,’ are not just moral issues, but thwart creativity. An important and readable book for our times!”
“Our world puts a high price on creativity today—but what is often sold in this exchange is the soul of the creative. This is why The Humble Creative is such an important project. Here, author Matthew Niermann shows us that the first work of creativity is the moral and spiritual formation of the creative. This book draws our eyes (and other senses) heavenward, helping us remember and rethink how God recreates creative people and renews our creativity. Matthew Niermann proves a thoughtful and helpful guide, walking us through the vices all creatives face to help us find our way to a life of flourishing.”
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