Jason Byassee: Innovate (non) violently
An art exhibit explores the way Picasso tried to "innovate violently." This is a nice contrast for traditioned innovation.
Arts & Culture
Most Recently Published
Will Blythe: On the Duke/North Carolina basketball rivalry
The author of a book on the joys of the great sports rivalry talks about yelling at the TV, coaches’ parables and basketball games as morality plays.
Monks, mushrooms and the sacramental nature of everyday eating
Thanksgiving isn’t just a rote exercise over turkey and stuffing one time a year. Truly giving thanks means making the connection between our daily bread and the Bread of Life, writes Fred Bahnson.
Truth and memory
Even the most honest storytellers shave details or spin behavior in the best possible light, writes Brian Volck. Does that mean they are not telling the truth?
John Schmalzbauer: southern gospel is a key to understanding our culture
It might not be cool to listen to southern gospel music in American academia. But to understand it is to understand the rest of our culture.
The holiness of place
Both the contemporary poet Wendell Berry and the Iron-Age writers of the psalms evoke the sacredness of ordinary space and of ordinary work, writes Ellen F. Davis.
Jason Byassee: The moral challenge of our century
An old-time evangelist spoke at Duke recently. His name wasn't Graham or Jakes. It was Kristof.
Jason Byassee: The banjo lesson
Leadership is about providing a space for another to grow into. Witness "The Banjo Player," an old-time musician, and the Carolina Chocolate Drops.
When the spirit says sing
Sweet Honey in the Rock creates music. Both sacred and secular songs come out of the rich textures of the African-American tradition.
Nick Liao: Theological Brinksmanship
The recent slate of books stemming from evangelical ethnography show that whatever our theological persuasion, we all love a good conversion story.