Global Forum on Arts and Christian Faith (E-Journal)
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Learning Cameroonian Urban Sculpture
No full textHow can the concept of bimusicality be applied beyond the music setting? This idea was initially introduced in the context of learning foreign music. This article delves into the challenge of artistic bilingualism, specifically exploring how to acquire any foreign artistic form. Drawing from the participant-observation ethnographic approach, the author shares his insights gained from learning sculpture in the urban environment of Yaounde, the capital city of Cameroon. He emphasizes that learning any foreign art tradition involves at least three key aspects: understanding the social context, knowing the artists, and comprehending the art during its performances. This article examines how these three interconnected and integrated elements present a challenge for acquiring a new art tradition. Notably, the author observes that sculpture in the urban setting he studied revolves around the daily struggles of sculptors who rely on their craft for survival. 
Creativity from Chaos
No full textThough Mozambique experienced almost twenty years of a bitter 'civil war,’ it is remarkable to note that ethnic conflict in this incredibly diverse nation has, up until recently, not characterized the country’s political scene. However, since 2017, regional, religious, and ethnic tensions have erupted in an ‘Al-Shabab’ style insurgency that continues to spread from Cabo Delgado in Northern Mozambique, resulting in an IDP population topping one million people. Researchers note that internal grievances among disenfranchised youth are at the heart of this conflict. Music arts play an integral role in shaping emotions, constructing memories, and affecting patterns of thought and changes in behavior. As such, they are often the principle means for disseminating information, mobilizing resources, and raising social consciousness via the media. The change potential evident in music is clear, and music and the arts can and must be applied to situations in which NGOs and governmental agencies have been challenged or unsuccessful. Using a capability approach, founded on applied ethnomusicological concepts of cultural participation and empowerment, “Cura da Criatividade” (Creativity Cure) project was developed, encouraging youth to share their stories of loss and to creatively communicate their story to a broader audience through ‘musiking’ together. This project teaches Mozambican youth to be the voice of positive change and social healing in their communities. Music arts can become a means of empowerment and a form of expressive agency, allowing youth to voice a counternarrative of hope and build a bridge for interreligious dialogue and peacebuilding. (246 words
The Pleasing Aroma of Christ
No full textAround the world where Christianity is imported along with external art forms and cultural values, local folk arts may be missed or excluded from faith and practice. When this happens, it is to the detriment of a rich, contextualized expression of faith. This article analyzes one such passed-over cultural art, called bakhor, or Sudanese incense. Using Brian Schrag’s seven lenses and GOMAP’s cultural traits as frameworks, bakhor is analyzed as an art form and a cultural fixture, respectively. Bakhor and its uses are then paralleled with Scripture’s own framework of the purposes and meanings of incense. The analysis finds that bakhor carries a great cultural weight Christians can leverage to build the Kingdom of God, and concludes with a cursory sample of Sudanese believers’ responses to bringing their cherished art into worship for the first time
Toward a Church-Oriented Comparative Literature
No full textThough the Church’s involvement in literature has been limited, there are good reasons for Christians to be more actively involved in it. Today, there are two structures where Christians can engage in literary activities: ethnodoxology and comparative literature. Ethnodoxology, as an emerging Christian interdisciplinary study of artistic expressions, can include Christian research of literature as art. Modern comparative literature, extending beyond the comparison of literatures to the comparison of literature with other spheres of human expression, has potential niches for Christian researchers. In this paper, the discussion of the subject is followed by a presentation of the concept of “Church-oriented Comparative Literature” and a brief description of its methodology
[Review] Creating Local Arts Together: A Manual to Help Communities Reach Their Kingdom Goals (Revised and Updated), by Brian Schrag
No full text"An Ethnodoxological Exploration
No full textThis article examines the Zamina Mina Yeako Aba choral arrangement from an ethnodoxological perspective, focusing on the original music video created by the Cameroonian Zangalewa Band. Guiding the narrative as the composer, I place it within the historical and migratory context of the Makossa ensemble, particularly highlighting the renowned Zamina Mina Waka Waka song. The study explores linguistic and cultural origins, providing insights into this iconic piece. Advocating for the integration of Zamina Mina Yeako Abao and similar choral arrangements into global Christian worship, this study emphasizes their intrinsic biblical themes. These arrangements underscore the importance of choral compositions, especially within Christian choral worship, in preserving cultural heritage, promoting unity, and contributing to worldwide Christian music. Blending Western and African musical elements strengthens the synergy and provides ethnodoxological insights into cross-cultural music-making in African choral music, demonstrating the connection between spirituality, tradition, and music
La leyenda del Yuruparí
No full textJhonny A. Nieto Ossa creció en la triple frontera amazónica de Brasil, Colombia, y Perú, donde ha realizado trabajos de desarrollo comunitario. Estudio música en la Universidad Pedagógica de Bogotá. Él y su esposa, Ninoshka, han enseñado Contextualización crítica en las escuelas de traducción bíblica de América Latina. Nieto tiene una maestría de Alliance University (también conocida como Nyack College) y un doctorado en ministerio en Estudios Bíblicos de la Facultad de Teología del CMM