Writer Heidi Johnston, poet Andrew Roycroft, and painter and sculptor Ross Wilson discuss art as the light and language of the eye, asking why poetic beauty and integrity matter and exploring the role of story in shaping our understanding of the Biblical narrative.

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J. R. R. Tolkien and G. K. Chesterton both make cases for the necessity of fantasy literature. In "Recovery, Escape, & Consolation: The Gifts of Fantasy," Jonathan & Helena discuss three of Tolkien’s primary arguments.

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Ruth Naomi Floyd explores how the blues were birthed from the African American Spirituals, which is the root of American music. This body of music is deeply Christian in its pursuit of justice, and its lament is the ache for human dignity and belonging.

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It is our pleasure to share Dr. Russell Moore's session "Why We Need Fiction for Moral Formation" from 2020's Hutchmoot: Homebound. Dr. Moore explores the ways in which fiction and story are fundamental and indispensable building blocks in our our understanding of the world, ourselves, and God.

P.S. In addition to Dr. Moore's session, this episode features Andrew Peterson's welcoming address as well as his performance of "Many Roads.”

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Michelangelo's David is widely regarded as one of the most perfect works of art ever achieved. But the artist himself was neither the first nor the last to make his mark upon that famed piece of marble. In this episode, Russ Ramsey explores the story behind this magnificent sculpture and reveals how our longing to be in the presence of perfection can often weaken the very object we long to be near.

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In this episode, we're joined by legendary musicians Buddy Greene and Odessa Settles. As they tell their stories, they explore the ways in which we grow in our understanding of the world, of each other, and of God when music allows us to see the world through someone else's eyes. After all, none of us can see the whole picture alone, and the arts are a vital way in which we discover a fuller view of everything around us.

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In this conversation from Hutchmoot 2019, acclaimed jazz musician Ruth Naomi Floyd and author Mark Meynell use African American spirituals and the works of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich to examine the power of music and its ability to carry us through the darkest of human experiences.

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We are eager to share with you a wonderful session from Hutchmoot 2019, given by Jennifer Trafton and Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson on the compelling hospitality to be found in George MacDonald's life and work, his home as well as his books. This second part consists of Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson's portion of the session.

Romans 12 calls for us to “practice hospitality,” or (as another translation puts it) to “be inventive in hospitality.” George MacDonald—forefather of the Inklings, author of The Light Princess, The Princess & the Goblin, At Back of the North Wind, and more—was renowned amongst his peers for how he imaginatively approached this calling in his household, in his companionship, in his conversation, and even in his books. We will look at some of the ways in which, as an author, teacher, and community-builder, MacDonald intentionally manifested hospitality, and how his understanding of hospitality was shaped by both family and mentors—a compelling legacy of influence inspiring communities such as the Inklings and The Rabbit Room.

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We are eager to share with you a wonderful session from Hutchmoot 2019, given by Jennifer Trafton and Kirstin Jeffrey Johnson on the compelling hospitality to be found in George MacDonald's life and work, his home as well as his books. This first part consists of Jennifer Trafton's portion of the session.

Romans 12 calls for us to “practice hospitality,” or (as another translation puts it) to “be inventive in hospitality.” George MacDonald—forefather of the Inklings, author of The Light Princess, The Princess & the Goblin, At Back of the North Wind, and more—was renowned amongst his peers for how he imaginatively approached this calling in his household, in his companionship, in his conversation, and even in his books. We will look at some of the ways in which, as an author, teacher, and community-builder, MacDonald intentionally manifested hospitality, and how his understanding of hospitality was shaped by both family and mentors—a compelling legacy of influence inspiring communities such as the Inklings and The Rabbit Room.

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Only a very few novels come together in such a way as to perfectly capture the aspects of language, faith, adventure, beauty, and mystery that we love so much in the Rabbit Room, and Leif Enger is the rare author who has written more than one of them. Whether it's the miraculous tale of Peace Like a River, the conversational grace of So Brave, Young, and Handsome, or the high-flying kites of Virgil Wander, Leif is a teller of the kind of tales that we love to love. Here, in his 2013 Hutchmoot address, he reminds us that we’re all driven by a holy wind, and we’re at our best when we relax into its mystery, and sail a course full and by.

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