Prophetic Activist Art: Handbook for a Spiritual Revolution grows out of Tom Block's 20-year history as an activist artist, writer and art producer. It outlines a specific model of using art to spur social transformation, as an extension of both artistic and spiritual practice. It is unique in that it moves beyond simply documenting past activist projects -- as do the other works in this field -- to developing a model which can be implemented by artists working in any media. Prophetic Activist Art brings together medieval conceptions of prophecy, art's historic purpose to raise the human gaze toward the ineffable and the contemporary "cult of the individual," to propose a mysticism of action, with art as the regenerating force. This theory moves beyond using activist art simply to shock the audience, or raise awareness of social issues, to providing specific and quantifiable social change. As Mr. Block notes in the introduction: "In this short treatise, part manifesto, part handbook, I give an honest assessment of just what specific prophetic impetus an artistcan hope to provide to the general society, and how he or she might do so. The following chapters outline a vision of how artists can use their talents to infuse a moral center into the public worlds of politics, the media and advertising, thereby introducing prophetic inspiration into the general society. I outline specific manners of using art to inspire quantifiable positive social change, believing that contemporary mysticism must be expressed as action. This defines the rejuvenation of creativity's historic purpose, for our era. Here lies the nexus of prophetic inspiration and the contemporary artist's studio. This book is based in the belief that art has had a historic role in helping humankind reach our greatest spiritual potential, and that Prophetic Activist Art provides a manner of reconsidering that role for our era." Hardly a theory that emerged out of thin air, it grows out of Mr. Block's extensive activist artwork. His activism includes being the founding producer of the first ever Amnesty International Human Rights Art Festival (www.humanrightsartfestival.com), the Human Rights Painting Project, in conjunction with Amnesty International (www.humanrightspaintingproject.com), Shalom/Salaam Project (www.tomblock.com/11shalom/index.php), Cousins Public Art Project (www.tomblock.com/10cousins/index.php) and other endeavors. He first published this theory as a paper in the "International Journal of the Arts in Society" (Australia, 2008), and was recently a Research Fellow at the DePaul University International Human Rights Law Institute, where he produced an activist art festival entitled: "Iraq History Project." He presented these ideas as a keynote speaker at a conference in Scotland (October 2011) entitled: "Kandinsky in Govan: Art, Spirituality & the Future," as well as at other venues around North America, Europe, Turkey and the Middle East. Prophetic Activist Art is Mr. Block's fourth book.

An unflinching, illuminating look at three U.S. artists and their performances of suffering

This book illuminates the interconnections between politics and religion through the lens of artistic production, exploring how art inspired by religion functioned as a form of resistance, directed against both Romanian national communism (1960-1989) and, latterly, consumerist society and its global market. It investigates the critical, tactical and subversive employments of religious motifs and themes in contemporary art pieces that confront the religious ‘affair’ in post-communist Romania. In doing so, it addresses a key gap in previous scholarship, which has paid little attention to the relationship between religious art and political resistance in communist Central and South-East Europe.

While the links between conservative Christians and politics have been drawn strongly in recent years, coming to embody what many think of as religious activism, the profoundly religious nature of community organizing and other more left-leaning justice work has been largely overlooked. Prophetic Activism is the first broad comparative examination of progressive religious activism in the United States. Set up as a counter-narrative to religious conservatism, the book offers readers a deeper understanding of the richness and diversity of contemporary religious activism. Helene Slessarev-Jamir offers five case studies of major progressive religious justice movements that have their roots in liberative interpretations of Scripture: congregational community organizing; worker justice; immigrant rights work; peace-making and reconciliation; and global anti-poverty and debt relief. Drawing on intensive interviews with activists at all levels of this workOCofrom pastors and congregational leaders to local organizers and the executive directors of the national networksOCoshe uncovers the ways in which they construct an ethical framework for their work. In addition to looking at predominantly Christian organizations, the book also highlights the growth of progressive activism among Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists who are engaged in reinterpreting their religious texts to support new forms of activism. Religion and Social Transformation series"

Many Christian artists from every denomination listen to the Lord and create art, music or writings from what God reveals to them. Some receive a message from the Bible, from a sermon, or even just "a knowing" what to write or create. Some have dreams from God, or see images in visions. Artists, sculptors, writers, dancers, musicians and other types of artists are incorporating revelation from God into their Christian art. We call these individuals "Prophetic Artists." SHADOW PAINTER is an instructional handbook for prophetic Christian artists to help them grow in their calling. This handbook includes the 33 categories of prophetic art. It contains exercises and Bible Studies for individuals and groups. The author writes from a visual art perspective, however, whatever type of artist you are, this book will help you grow in your calling as a Christian prophetic artist. SHADOW PAINTER explains the mission of Bezalel, the first person in the Bible who was spirit-filled. He was a craftsman and an artist who released a shadow or a picture of the heavenly tabernacle, and made its copy on the earth. His assignment gives prophetic artists guidance in their calling. SHADOW PAINTER also discusses supernatural wisdom, creativity, godly imagination, and revelation. It covers important spiritual principles relating to the supernatural ways of God that every prophetic artist should know about. SHADOW PAINTER also gives guidance in creating small arts groups, as well as instruction for living as a prophetic artist. This handbook encourages ways to take back the arts and how to intercede regarding the arts. If you hunger for God and you want to use your creative gifts for Him, this book will support you in your quest. It will also help guide the beginner in learning to hear from the Lord. God is rising up gifted individuals who are surrendered to hearing His voice and releasing His messages through the arts. If this is your calling, boldly go forward and develop your abilities. SHADOW PAINTER is a useful tool in fulfilling your mission. SHADOW PAINTER includes 46 black and white photos of artwork. Please leave reviews!

While the links between conservative Christians and politics have been drawn strongly in recent years, coming to embody what many think of as religious activism, the profoundly religious nature of community organizing and other more left-leaning justice work has been largely overlooked. Prophetic Activism is the first broad comparative examination of progressive religious activism in the United States. Set up as a counter-narrative to religious conservatism, the book offers readers a deeper understanding of the richness and diversity of contemporary religious activism. Helene Slessarev-Jamir offers five case studies of major progressive religious justice movements that have their roots in liberative interpretations of Scripture: congregational community organizing; worker justice; immigrant rights work; peace-making and reconciliation; and global anti-poverty and debt relief. Drawing on intensive interviews with activists at all levels of this work—from pastors and congregational leaders to local organizers and the executive directors of the national networks—she uncovers the ways in which they construct an ethical framework for their work. In addition to looking at predominantly Christian organizations, the book also highlights the growth of progressive activism among Jews, Muslims, and Buddhists who are engaged in reinterpreting their religious texts to support new forms of activism. Religion and Social Transformation series

Over the past half century the issues facing activists have changed, as has our understanding and awareness of spirituality. For activists, spiritual philosophy is rising up the agenda because it offers distinct, tried and tested approaches to deep questions: Where did it all go wrong? What does it mean to be human? What is the place of leadership? What is the nature of power? The book begins by defining spirituality for a modern audience of all faiths and beliefs, and goes on to consider the problems and necessities of true leadership. Drawing on a rich history of spirituality and activism, from The Bhagavad Gita, to the Hebrew prophets, to Carl Jung, it is both guide and inspiration for people involved in activism for social or environmental justice. The text is enriched with tales from the authors' own experiences. It contains case studies of inspirational spiritual activists (including Mama Efua, Desmond Tutu, Gerrard Winstanley, Sojourner Truth and Julia Butterfly Hill), which demonstrate the transformative power of spiritual principles in action.

To most people, technology has been reduced to computers, consumer goods, and military weapons; we speak of "technological progress" in terms of RAM and CD-ROMs and the flatness of our television screens. In Human-Built World, thankfully, Thomas Hughes restores to technology the conceptual richness and depth it deserves by chronicling the ideas about technology expressed by influential Western thinkers who not only understood its multifaceted character but who also explored its creative potential. Hughes draws on an enormous range of literature, art, and architecture to explore what technology has brought to society and culture, and to explain how we might begin to develop an "ecotechnology" that works with, not against, ecological systems. From the "Creator" model of development of the sixteenth century to the "big science" of the 1940s and 1950s to the architecture of Frank Gehry, Hughes nimbly charts the myriad ways that technology has been woven into the social and cultural fabric of different eras and the promises and problems it has offered. Thomas Jefferson, for instance, optimistically hoped that technology could be combined with nature to create an Edenic environment; Lewis Mumford, two centuries later, warned of the increasing mechanization of American life. Such divergent views, Hughes shows, have existed side by side, demonstrating the fundamental idea that "in its variety, technology is full of contradictions, laden with human folly, saved by occasional benign deeds, and rich with unintended consequences." In Human-Built World, he offers the highly engaging history of these contradictions, follies, and consequences, a history that resurrects technology, rightfully, as more than gadgetry; it is in fact no less than an embodiment of human values.

America, one of the most religious countries in the world, is also the most violent. Do God and war define the American spirit as much as apple pie and baseball? This unsettling book illustrates how bellicose, war-like language is used to explain the spiritual quest. It explores the violence of God tradition as it exists in all religions (including Buddhism), and then examines how this dynamic is flipped, with political leaders using spiritual and religious language to sell war to the general public. Although God and religion have often been used to sell war in the United States, this has been especially true since 9/11. After surveying the relationship of war and the spiritual quest in the major world religions, this study concludes with an overview of how that dynamic has affected the contemporary American public discourse on war. Does this intermingling of war and spirituality prepare the population for the coming of war? The institutional blending of the sacred and human aggression appear to be fundamental to human society. The second section of the book concentrates on the political language and speeches of American politicians since 2002, following the run-up to the Iraq war and its continuation over the past decade, showing how this mystical/war conflation permeates American society.