What’s Next?

It is a relief to have the physical part of my project for Creativity and Spirituality completed.  Now I need to write up my process paper to turn in with the artwork to my professor.  I’ll also be putting a presentation together on the theological significance of the work for my class in Aesthetics that is coming up in May.    

Here’s a picture of the entire set.  I had a hard time finding somewhere to lay it out to get a really good picture, and this is not the way I would display it for viewing.  Ideally I would hang or set the pieces around a large space where each could be viewed individually, while still being in the context of the entire series.

Besides reading Megan McKenna’s “The New Stations of the Cross” while working on this project, I also read Henri Nouwen’s “Walk With Jesus” on Good Friday for another perspective on the stations of the cross.  I recommend both books.  

Now, besides getting the process paper written I’m focusing on readings for my next classes. Right now I’m reading about the use of music in Christianity in Jeremy S. Begbie’s book, “Resounding Truth“.  It’s quite interesting.  I am worried, though, about whether I’ll be able to get all nine books read and papers written on each–three are read and one paper written so far–before my classes in May.  

Right now I’m pretty much exhausted from Lent and Easter, and the task seems pretty daunting.

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The Way of the Cross – Fifteenth Station

I have been showing my collage interpretation of The Way of the Cross March 29 through April 12.  

One piece has been shown each day along with the scripture passage or passages that go with it.  This is the project I am completing for my Creativity and Spirituality Doctor of Ministry Class at Wesley Theological Seminary.  

Please do not copy or post these images in any other place without my permission.  

The choice of scripture passages and translations are from Megan McKenna’s The New Stations of the Cross, based on a revision of the traditional stations of the cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991.

A few people have asked for a little more explanation about the symbolism in these pieces.  You can find a brief explanation here.

Easter Resurrection

Luke 24:1-3

On the first day of the week, at dawn, the women came to the tomb bringing the spices they had prepared.  They found the stone rolled back from the tomb, but when they entered the tomb, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

Revelation 5:12; 7:9-10, 13-14

This is the new hymn they sang:  “Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches, wisdom and strength, honor and glory and praise!”

After this I saw before me a huge crowd which no one could count from every nation and race, people and tongue.  They stood before the throne of the Lamb, dressed in long white robes and holding palm branches in their hands.  They cried out in a loud voice, “Salvation is from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb!” . . . Then one of the elders asked me, “Who are these people all dressed in white?  And where have they come from?”  I said to him, “Sir, you should know better than I.”  He then told me, ” These are the ones who have survived the great period of trial; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.”

 

 

 

 

 

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The Way of the Cross – Fourteenth Station

I will be showing my collage interpretation of The Way of the Cross March 29 through April 12.  

One piece will be shown each day along with the scripture passage or passages that go with it.  This is the project I am completing for my Creativity and Spirituality Doctor of Ministry Class at Wesley Theological Seminary.  

Please do not copy or post these images in any other place without my permission.  

The choice of scripture passages and translations are from Megan McKenna’s The New Stations of the Cross, based on a revision of the traditional stations of the cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991.

A few people have asked for a little more explanation about the symbolism in these pieces.  You can find a brief explanation here.

Jesus Is Placed In the Tomb

Matthew 27:57-61

When evening fell, a wealthy man from Arimathaea arrived, Joseph by name.  He was another of Jesus’ disciples, and had gone to request the body of Jesus. Thereupon Pilate issued an order for its release.  Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in fresh linen and laid it in his own new tomb which had been hewn from a formation of rock.  Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance of the tomb and went away.  But Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there, facing the tomb.

Mark 15:46

Then, having brought a linen shroud, Joseph took him down, wrapped him in the linen, and laid him in a tomb which had been cut out of rock.  Finally he rolled a stone across the entrance of the tomb.

 

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The Way of the Cross – Thirteenth Station

I will be showing my collage interpretation of The Way of the Cross March 29 through April 11.  

One piece will be shown each day along with the scripture passage or passages that go with it.  This is the project I am completing for my Creativity and Spirituality Doctor of Ministry Class at Wesley Theological Seminary.  

Please do not copy or post these images in any other place without my permission.  

The choice of scripture passages and translations are from Megan McKenna’s The New Stations of the Cross, based on a revision of the traditional stations of the cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991.

A few people have asked for a little more explanation about the symbolism in these pieces.  You can find a brief explanation here.

 Jesus Dies On the Cross

 

Matthew 27:45-50

From noon onward, there was darkness over the whole land until midafternoon.  Then toward midafternoon Jesus cried out in a loud tone, “Eloi, Eoli, lama sabachthani,” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”  This made some of the bystanders who heard it remark, “He is invoking Elijah!”  Immediately one of them ran off and got a sponge.  He soaked it in cheap wine, and sticking it on a reed, tried to make him drink.  Meanwhile the rest said, “Leave him alone.  Let us see whether Elijah comes to his rescue.”  Once again Jesus Cried out in a loud voice, and then gave up his spirit.

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The Way of the Cross – Twelfth Station

I will be showing my collage interpretation of The Way of the Cross March 29 through April 11.  

One piece will be shown each day along with the scripture passage or passages that go with it.  This is the project I am completing for my Creativity and Spirituality Doctor of Ministry Class at Wesley Theological Seminary.  

Please do not copy or post these images in any other place without my permission.  

The choice of scripture passages and translations are from Megan McKenna’s The New Stations of the Cross, based on a revision of the traditional stations of the cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991.

A few people have asked for a little more explanation about the symbolism in these pieces.  You can find a brief explanation here.

Note:  I have reversed the order of the Eleventh and Twelfth stations from McKenna’s order.

Jesus Promises To Share His Reign With the Good Thief

Luke 23:39-43

One of the criminals hanging in crucifixion blasphemed him.  “Aren’t you the Messiah?  Then save yourself and us.”  But the other one rebuked him:  “Have you no fear of God, seeing you are under the same sentence?  We deserve it, after all.  We are only paying the price for what we’ve done, but this man has done nothing wrong.”  He then said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter upon your reign.”  And Jesus replied, “I assure you:  this day you will be with me in paradise.”

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The Way of the Cross – Eleventh Station

I will be showing my collage interpretation of The Way of the Cross March 29 through April 11.  

One piece will be shown each day along with the scripture passage or passages that go with it.  This is the project I am completing for my Creativity and Spirituality Doctor of Ministry Class at Wesley Theological Seminary.  

Please do not copy or post these images in any other place without my permission.  

The choice of scripture passages and translations are from Megan McKenna’s The New Stations of the Cross, based on a revision of the traditional stations of the cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991. 

A few people have asked for a little more explanation about the symbolism in these pieces.  You can find a brief explanation here.

Note:  I have reversed the order of the Eleventh and Twelfth stations from McKenna’s order.

Jesus Is On the Cross, With His Mother and Disciple Below

John 19:25-27

Near the cross of Jesus there stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.  Seeing his mother there with the disciple whom he loved, Jesus said to his mother, “Woman, there is your son.”  In turn he said to the disciple.  “There is your mother.”  From that hour onward, the disciple took her into his care.  

Luke 2:3435

Simeon blessed them and said to Mary his mother, “This child is destined to be the downfall and the rise of many in Israel, a sign that will be opposed–and you yourself shall be pierced with a sword–so that the thoughts of many hearts may be laid bare.

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The Way of the Cross – Tenth Station

I will be showing my collage interpretation of The Way of the Cross March 29 through April 11.  

One piece will be shown each day along with the scripture passage or passages that go with it.  This is the project I am completing for my Creativity and Spirituality Doctor of Ministry Class at Wesley Theological Seminary.  

Please do not copy or post these images in any other place without my permission.  

The choice of scripture passages and translations are from Megan McKenna’s The New Stations of the Cross, based on a revision of the traditional stations of the cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991.

A few people have asked for a little more explanation about the symbolism in these pieces.  You can find a brief explanation here.

Jesus Is Crucified

Mark 15:22-26

When they brought Jesus to the site of Golgotha (which means “Skull Place”), they tried to give him wine drugged with myrrh, but he would not take it.  Then they crucified him and divided up his garments by rolling dice for them to see what each would take.  It was about nine in the morning when they crucified him.  The inscription proclaiming his offense read, “The King of the Jews.”

Luke 23:32-34

Two others who were criminals were led along with him to be crucified.  When they came to the Skull Place, as it was called, they crucified him there and the criminals as well, one on his right and the other on his left.  Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.”  They divided his garments, rolling dice for them.

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The Way of the Cross – Ninth Station

I will be showing my collage interpretation of The Way of the Cross March 29 through April 11.  

One piece will be shown each day along with the scripture passage or passages that go with it.  This is the project I am completing for my Creativity and Spirituality Doctor of Ministry Class at Wesley Theological Seminary.  

Please do not copy or post these images in any other place without my permission.  

The choice of scripture passages and translations are from Megan McKenna’s The New Stations of the Cross, based on a revision of the traditional stations of the cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991.

 A few people have asked for a little more explanation about the symbolism in these pieces.  You can find a brief explanation here.

Jesus Encounters the Women of Jerusalem

Luke 23:27-31

A great crowd of people followed him, including women who beat their breasts and lamented over him.  Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me.  Weep for yourselves and for your children.  The days are coming when they will say, ‘Happy are the sterile, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin saying to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ If they do these things in the green wood, what will happen in the dry?”

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The Way of the Cross – Eighth Station

I will be showing my collage interpretation of The Way of the Cross March 29 through April 11. 

One piece will be shown each day along with the scripture passage or passages that go with it.  This is the project I am completing for my Creativity and Spirituality Doctor of Ministry Class at Wesley Theological Seminary.  

Please do not copy or post these images in any other place without my permission.  

The choice of scripture passages and translations are from Megan McKenna’s The New Stations of the Cross, based on a revision of the traditional stations of the cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991.

A few people who have been watching over the past few days have asked me to explain some of the symbolism in my non-representational (meaning that the shapes are not identifiable as persons or things) interpretation of the stations of the cross.  Without going into the full explanation that will be quite long for the doctoral class, let me give a few tips to understanding these pieces.

The “gray scale” painted canvases represent the growing darkness leading to the cross. Brush strokes represent different emotions underlying each step.

The large central rectangle of hand made paper on each represents Jesus Christ, and the metal mesh is representative of the cross, and more importantly, the barriers we put up between ourselves and God and one another.  You will see that barrier represent betrayal, denial and other forms of separation.  Other small rectangles of paper represent various people, such as disciples, the Sanhedrin, and others along the way to the cross.  

The fibers represent the composure, or equanimity of Christ as he goes through the increasing levels of suffering.  He maintains a steadfastness and calmness of mind and spirit in the midst of growing persecution.  The changing colors of the fibers add another layer of both betrayal and denial that he experiences from his followers, as well as demonstrating the growing authentic royalty of Jesus as he moves closer to the cross.  Crimson represents the denial, betrayal, and other wounds.  Purple represents royalty.  The grays and whites in the early pieces turn quickly to crimson as Jesus’ friends fall away.  

While this is not a complete explanation, it may be helpful to those viewing these pieces.

Jesus Is Helped By Simon of Cyrene

Mark 15:20-21

When they had finisehd mocking him, they stripped him of the purple, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to crucify him.  A man named Simon of Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was coming in from the fields, and they pressed him into service to carry the cross.

Luke 23:26

As they led him away, they laid hold of one Simon the Cyrenian who was coming in from the fields.  They put a crossbeam on Simon’s shoulders fro him to carry along behind Jesus.   

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The Way of the Cross – Seventh Station

I will be showing my collage interpretation of The Way of the Cross March 29 through April 11.  

One piece will be shown each day along with the scripture passage or passages that go with it.  This is the project I am completing for my Creativity and Spirituality Doctor of Ministry Class at Wesley Theological Seminary.  

Please do not copy or post these images in any other place without my permission.  

The choice of scripture passages and translations are from Megan McKenna’s The New Stations of the Cross, based on a revision of the traditional stations of the cross by Pope John Paul II in 1991.

Jesus Carries His Cross

John 19:17

Jesus was led away and, carrying his cross by himself, went out to what is called the Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha).

Mark 15:20

When they had finished mocking him, they stripped him of the purple, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to crucify him.

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