Overview

Ultimately, what really does it mean to be creative? How can we see ourselves as participating in the creativity of God for mission? All people are creative. Sadly, however, for many, creativity is stifled and remains stunted due to several reasons--social, economic, political, cultural, and even spiritual. This study explores how ICMs--indigenous cosmopolitan musicians--negotiate their creativity amid the liminal spaces they occupy as they share in the creativity of God for mission through their music. But what exactly does it mean to share in the creativity of God for mission? Contrary to popular notion, ICMs evidence that creativity is not merely innovation; it is not a psychological metric for measuring human potential; it is certainly not the ""icing on the cake"" reserved for a few so-called creatives or artists. Rather, ""theological creativity"" is participation in the creatio Dei; it is theologically prior to mission. As a missiological framework, creatio Dei is understood here in terms of creative being, creative construction (design), and creative performance. Hopefully, this book can help clarify and expand our understanding of what it means to be truly creative and, thereby, with the help of the Creator, put into practice principles of theological creativity as we share in the creativity of God in the world, with others.

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9781725265776

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Reviews

Fresh, innovative, and significant! Balasundaram takes on the tough, emerging questions whirling around globalization, the creative arts, and the missio Dei. Rich with new concepts and approaches, he identifies and gives voice to indigenous cosmopolitan musicians (ICMs) caught in the 'in-between' of shifting worldwide dynamics in postcolonial arenas. . . . I highly recommend it! --Roberta R. King, Professor of Ethnomusicology and Communication, Fuller Theological Seminary, and author of Global Arts and Christian Witness Global research on music and worship trends has largely focused on rural, bounded sets of culture, language, and ethnicity. By contrast, faith communities exhibiting the most vitality in today's world are generally urban, youthful, diasporic, and culturally complex. Uday Balasundaram prophetically challenges us to identify and encourage the emergence of 'indigenous cosmopolitan musicians' who form 'communities of creatives' committed to reimagining the way forward. If you want a sneak peek into the coming church, you'll want this book! --James R. Krabill, general editor of Worship and Mission for the Global Church Uday Balasundaram's new book, Creativity and Captivity, is a theological goldmine filled with missiological discernment on the often-misunderstood role of creativity in the church. . . . Creativity and Captivity brings a major theological contribution toward understanding and appreciating the role the arts and artists play in the missional mandates of God's kingdom on earth. You will not be disappointed. --Byron Spradlin, President, Artists in Christian Testimony Intl, Brentwood, Tennessee

Fresh, innovative, and significant! Balasundaram takes on the tough, emerging questions whirling around globalization, the creative arts, and the missio Dei. Rich with new concepts and approaches, he identifies and gives voice to indigenous cosmopolitan musicians (ICMs) caught in the 'in-between' of shifting worldwide dynamics in postcolonial arenas. . . . I highly recommend it! --Roberta R. King, Professor of Ethnomusicology and Communication, Fuller Theological Seminary, and author of Global Arts and Christian Witness Global research on music and worship trends has largely focused on rural, bounded sets of culture, language, and ethnicity. By contrast, faith communities exhibiting the most vitality in today's world are generally urban, youthful, diasporic, and culturally complex. Uday Balasundaram prophetically challenges us to identify and encourage the emergence of 'indigenous cosmopolitan musicians' who form 'communities of creatives' committed to reimagining the way forward. If you want a sneak peek into the coming church, you'll want this book! --James R. Krabill, general editor of Worship and Mission for the Global Church Uday Balasundaram's new book, Creativity and Captivity, is a theological goldmine filled with missiological discernment on the often-misunderstood role of creativity in the church. . . . Creativity and Captivity brings a major theological contribution toward understanding and appreciating the role the arts and artists play in the missional mandates of God's kingdom on earth. You will not be disappointed. --Byron Spradlin, President, Artists in Christian Testimony Intl, Brentwood, Tennessee

Author Information

Uday Balasundaram is a professor in the department of Intercultural and Religious Studies (ICRS) at South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies (SAIACS) with a special focus on integrating the creative arts, theology, and mission. He is an arts catalyst with the Lausanne Movement.

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