S11 E11: The Curation of Desire with Luke Burgis

Luke Burgis is an author , creative thinker and entrepreneur. He has founded and led multiple companies. He's currently Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Director of Programs at the Ciocca Center for Principled Entrepreneurship at the Catholic University of America, where he also teaches business and develops new education initiatives. He's the founder and director of Fourth Wall Ventures, an incubator for people and companies that contribute to the formation of a healthy human ecology. He graduated from NYU Stern School of Business and later from a pontifical university in Rome, where he studied theology.

In this episode, Luke talks with host Stephen Roach about the memetic nature of desire and how cultural influences shape the things we yearn for.

Patrons can enjoy an additional interview segment here.

Download The Transcript Here.

Author, authors, business, Creative Process, transcendenceStephen RoachApril 25, 2023Luke Burgis, Wanting, Memetic Desire

S11 E10: In The Moment with Julianna Barwick

Julianna Barwick is a Los Angeles based composer, vocalist, and producer who makes deep, reflective compositions rooted in the human voice.

Over the years she has made six critically acclaimed records as well as contributed her sound to the world of film scoring.

Her self-released debut “Sanguine” came out in 2007, followed by "Florine" in 2009, and “The Magic Place” in 2011.

In 2013, she released "Nepenthe," an album which marked Barwick’s first steps into collaborating, working with producer and film composer Alex Somers in Reykjavík, Iceland.

Her 2020 release "Healing Is A Miracle," features notable artists Jónsi (Sigur Rós), and earned Pitchfork's coveted 'Best New Music'.

In todays episode Juliana talks with Stephen Roach about her experience growing up in Louisiana, singing in choirs and the development of her experimental soundscapes.

REPLAY: Jeremy Begbie on Transcendence In The Arts

Jeremy Begbie is a Scottish theologian, author and musician. We interviewed Jeremy in Season 5 of the podcast on his book Redeeming Transcendence In The Arts.. In this bonus REPLAY episode, we are revisiting a segment from this conversation which ties in perfectly to the theme of Season 11.

More About Jeremy:

Jeremy Begbie teaches systematic theology and specializes in the interface between theology and the arts. His particular research interests are in the interplay between music and theology.

Previously associate principal of Ridley Hall, Cambridge, he has also been honorary professor at the University of St Andrews, where he directed the research project, Theology Through the Arts at the Institute for Theology, Imagination and the Arts. He is a senior member of Wolfson College and an affiliated lecturer in the faculty of music at the University of Cambridge.

He studied philosophy and music at Edinburgh University, and theology at Aberdeen and Cambridge. A professionally trained musician, he has performed extensively as a pianist, oboist and conductor. He is an ordained minister of the Church of England, having served for a number of years as assistant pastor of a church in West London.

He is author of a number of books, including A Peculiar Orthodoxy: Reflections on Theology and the Arts (Baker); Redeeming Transcendence: Bearing Witness to the Triune God (Eerdmans), and Theology, Music and Time (CUP). Resounding Truth: Christian Wisdom in the World of Music (Baker/SPCK) won the Christianity Today 2008 Book Award in the Theology/Ethics Category. Most recently, he has published Theology, Music, and Modernity (OUP). He has taught widely in the UK and North America, and delivered multimedia performance-lectures across the world, from Israel to Australia and Hong Kong.

For more information or to contact Jeremy Begbie, visit jeremybegbie.com.

S11 E09: A Fundamental Antagonism with Peter Rollins

Peter Rollins is an author, philosopher, storyteller, producer and public speaker. Peter gained his higher education from Queens University, Belfast where he earned degrees (with distinction) in Scholastic Philosophy (BA Hons), Political Theory and Social Criticism (MA) and Post-Structural thought (PhD). He's the author of numerous books, including Insurrection, The Idolatry of God, and The Divine Magician.

In today’s episode, Peter talks with Stephen Roach about the unexpected relationship between loss and transcendence or what Peter terms as a “fundamental antagonism at the heart of reality.”

Patrons of the podcast can enjoy an additional interview segment on how art informs our urge for transcendence.

Music for this episode is provided by Thousand Dollar Movie.

Author, Philosophy, transcendenceStephen RoachApril 4, 2023Peter Rollins, Philosopher, Irish Philosopher, mystics

S11 E08: A Golden Thread with Bruce Herman

Bruce Herman is a contemporary artist, writer, and speaker. His art has been shown in more than 150 exhibitions — nationally in many US cities, including New York, Boston, Washington, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Houston — and internationally in England, Japan, Hong Kong, Italy, Canada, and Israel.

Bruce taught at Gordon College for nearly four decades, and is the founding chair of the Art Department there. He held the Lothlórien Distinguished Chair in Fine Arts for more than fifteen years, and continues to curate exhibitions and manage the College art collection.

In this episode Stephen Roach talks with Bruce about his current inspirations and the winding spiritual pilgrimage woven throughout his 51 years working as a master artist.

Continuing our season theme of art and the urge for transcendence, Bruce shares his early experiences of psychedelics and the transformation that led him from Eastern mysticism to become a follower of Jesus.

S11 E07: Redeeming Vision with Dr. Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt

Dr. Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt is Assistant Professor of Art and Art History at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia. Her research and writing consider representations of race and gender in 19th and 20th century art and visual culture, but she is most passionate about equipping laypeople to engage generatively with the images they already see.

In this episode, Dr. Weichbrodt and I discuss her book, Redeeming Vision: A Christian Guide to Looking at and Learning from Art, which at the time of this recording was just released from Baker Academic.

In our conversation, we talk about how we might engage with art that makes us uncomfortable, challenges us or takes us outside our familiar ways of seeing.

One of the chapters in Redeeming Vision is titled Wondering at God’s Transcendence. Of Course, given our theme for the season, I couldn’t resist spending some time unpacking this chapter specifically.

S11 E06: Haunted By Eden with Father Christopher Foley

Father Christopher Foley is the priest at Holy Cross Orthodox Church in Kernersville, NC where he has been serving for 17 years. Fr. Christopher is a convert to the Orthodox faith from an Evangelical background. While studying missiology and art history in college, he became interested in Eastern Orthodoxy and went on to receive a Master of Divinity degree at Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary in NY.

In addition to his duties as a parish priest, Fr. Christopher has been active in writing and recording music with his band, Luxury, for over 30 years. The documentary Parallel Love tells the story of the band and how three of its members each became Orthodox priests.

In this episode Fr. Christopher discusses art in sacred contexts, the tension between embracing tradition and the artist’s aversion to being labeled. Host Stephen Roach and Fr. Christopher talk about what it means to be haunted by Eden and how the longing for transcendence stays with us even for those who have deconstructed their faith.

Patrons of the podcast can enjoy an additional interview segment on idols and icons.

S11 E05: Love & Unknowing with Brie Stoner

Brie Stoner is a bilingual indie rock musician and songwriter, creative thinker and podcaster.

She co-hosted Richard Rohr’s “Another Name for Every Thing” podcast before launching her own podcast titled “Unknowing”, which explores the unexpected path of creative possibility with guest artists, authors, and activists.

Brie studied at the Chicago Theological Seminary and served as program designer at the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

In this episode, Brie brings a thoughtful perspective on art and the urge for transcendence. She talks with Stephen about embodiment, being grounded and the somatic connections of our deeper, spiritual yearnings.

S11 E04: Dangerous with Hip-Hop Artist KB

Kevin "KB" Burgess is a Dove-Award winning rapper, speaker and podcaster with four full-length albums to his name.

In this episode, KB talks to me about the importance of staying rooted in truth as an antidote to living the status quo.

His book Dangerous Jesus much like his music, presents a disruptive, subversive, system threatening portrait of jesus that counters the Christianity of the land and our own tendency toward complacency.

Be sure to listen to the end of this episode to hear KB share his perspective on our theme of art and the urge for transcendence.

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Author, black artists, hip-hop, spoken wordStephen RoachFebruary 28, 2023KB, Dangerous Jesus, hip-hop

S11 Bonus: Artist's Round Table P2: Longing & Survival

This is Part 2 of our Roundtable discussion on Art & The Urge For Transcendence, featuring cultural theologian, author, and fellow podcaster Paul Anleitner (Deep Talks Podcast,) Chicago pastor, Ted Kim and singer/songwriter John Mark McMillan.

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Listen to Paul’s Deep Talks Podcast

March Book Club: Faith, Hope & Carnage by Nick Cave & Sean O'Hagan

Join the Makers & Mystics Creative Collective for our March Patron-Only Book Club! Each Wednesday night starting March 8th at 8pm Eastern Time we will read and discuss Nick Cave’s book, Faith, Hope & Carnage.

If you are not currently a patron, you can sign up here to join in the Book Club.

Stephen RoachFebruary 22, 2023

S11 E03: Artist's Roundtable P1: Longing & Survival

This Roundtable discussion on Art & The Urge For Transcendence, features cultural theologian, author, and fellow podcaster Paul Anleitner (Deep Talks Podcast,) Chicago pastor, Ted Kim and singer/songwriter John Mark McMillan.

In this loose discussion, the conversation meanders its way to the subject of longing and survival and how these sometimes competing drives can lead us to the doorway of transcendence.

S11 E02: Embodiment & Transformation with Actor Wynn Everett

Wynn Everett is an American actor based in Atlanta Georgia. She has acted in films such as Justin Timberlake’s Palmer, HBO’s Doom Patrol, Marvel’s Agent Carter as well as familiar Television shows - Modern Family, The Walking Dead and will appear in the upcoming season of Sweet Magnolia’s.

In this episode, Wynn and Stephen discuss the contrast between performing and transforming, discovering transcendence within the ordinary and what it is like for an actor to take on the emotions and characteristics of another.

S11 E01: Strong Like Water with Aundi Kolber

Aundi Kolber is a licensed professional counselor and author of the critically acclaimed Try Softer. She has received additional training in her specialization of trauma- and body-centered therapies and is passionate about the integration of faith and psychology. As a survivor of trauma, Aundi brings hard-won knowledge about the work of change, the power of redemption, and the beauty of experiencing God with us in our pain.

In this episode Stephen Roach talks with Aundi about her latest book Strong Like Water and how we can move through pain into the expansiveness of our true selves. Aundi shares about the importance of feeling safe in our bodies that we might experience those deeper yearnings for transcendence, beauty, and wonder.

S11: The Primer with Stephen Roach

In this Season Opening Primer, Makers & Mystics host Stephen Roach sets the stage for the season’s conversations on Art & The Urge For Transcendence.

You can download a transcript of this episode here.

Music provided by Some Were At Sea.

Season 11 Trailer: Art & The Urge For Transcendence

The human heart is designed to be astonished. We carry within us, an innate yearning for wonder, for awe, for reverence. This deep-rooted urge to reach beyond ourselves, to be immersed in that which is greater than our own limitation, greater than our own materiality is where the spiritual and the creative impulses overlap.

What does it mean to carry within us, such deep longings for something beyond ourselves and how can the arts act as both a catalyst and the overflow of these yearnings?

I invite you to follow along over these next few months as we hear from artists, musicians, therapists, and theologians. We’re going to take a deep dive into this subject. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast and get ready to gain a deeper understanding on how art and the urge for transcendence can transform your own creative work.

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Bonus: Poetry Reading with Jeri Jones Sparks - Bright Wings Contest Winner

Jeri Jones Sparks is a Tamil Indian-Australian poet and writer living on Wangal Country.

She is the winner of the third annual Bright Wings Poetry Contest hosted in partnership with Ekstasis Magazine.

She works as the Outreach Pastor at St James Anglican Church in the Inner West of Sydney.

In this bonus episode, Jeri shares her winning poem, January Born.

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Read Jeri’s Poem

Artist Profile Series 36: Ernest Shackleton

Ernest Shackleton was an Anglo-Irish, polar explorer born February 15th 1874 and died on January 5th, 1922. Although Shackleton is arguably neither artist nor mystic, the key events of his life carry both a beautiful tale of artistic level devotion and deep mystical encounter.

In this artist profile, host Stephen Roach details a mystical encounter that transpired in Shackleton's life during his most horrific struggle to survive in the famous arctic shipwreck of the Endurance.

Patrons of the podcast can download a written transcript of this episode along with a Patron-Only segment called, "The Shadow Side of Our Heroes."

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Sponsored by Brightbell Creative: Designing Meaningful Marketing for The Creative Artist.

Bonus Interview: Half-Handed Cloud

John Ringhofer, the man behind Half-handed Cloud, is as joyful and frugal as his music. An economical thinker, Ringhofer prefers the subway over a taxicab, is a recycler of plastic, a compulsive note-taker, and a habitual optimist. Half-handed Cloud started as a home-recording project in Chattanooga, TN in 1999. Ringhofer was later based in the California Bay area for over a decade (where he worked as a part-time custodian) before moving with his young family to Helsinki, Finland in 2015 for his wife’s linguistics research. Half-handed Cloud is able to ensconce complicated theological concepts into catchy and sublime playground songs that refuse to condescend to its subject or its listener. He has collaborated with artists Sufjan Stevens, Daniel Smith of the Danielson Family and is currently an Asthmatic Kitty recording Artist.

In this bonus episode, Stephen talks with John about the creative process of his latest album, Flutterama as well as the mischief of Jesus, satire and how environment shapes the art we make.

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January Book Club: Yes To Life by Victor Frankl

Our January #bookclub features a 4-week discussion on Victor Frankl’s book, 𝙔𝙚𝙨 𝙏𝙤 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙄𝙣 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. ⁣
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If you aren’t familiar with Frankl’s life or his writings, I highly recommend you participate with us. You won’t walk away unchanged! ⁣
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If anyone has the authority and experience to speak on finding hope and greater meaning in the midst of adversity, it is neurologist, psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor Victor Frankl. ⁣
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His work has impacted millions of people and we are going to start off the year diving into his book 𝙔𝙚𝙨 𝙏𝙤 𝙇𝙞𝙛𝙚 𝙄𝙣 𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙤𝙛 𝙀𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙜. ⁣
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Book Club starts next Wednesday January 11th at 8 pm Eastern time. You can join in from this link. (available to all Maker tier patrons; like 2 cups of coffee to join in.)

Stephen RoachJanuary 4, 2023bookclub, book club, Victor Frankl, Yes To Life In Spite of Everything

S10 E15: Restoring The Future (Season Finale)

When we think about restoration, we typically refer to restoring something that once was but no longer is. We mean bringing something back to its original condition that was either altered or strayed from the intended design. But restoration doesn’t necessarily mean going back to something that once was. We can ‘restore the future’ as well.

In this season finale episode, Makers and Mystics host, Stephen Roach discusses what it means to restore the future, what it means for artists to become wounded healers, bridge builders and those who re-story the narratives of our lives to reflect original design.

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S10 Bonus: A Brief Word on Patronage

Patronage has long been a vital part of enabling artists to create their work. I think of historical examples like Lorenzo de’ Medici who funded artists as Leonardo da Vinci, Sandro Botticelli and Michelangelo. I think of Peggy Guggenheim whose patronage gave us Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko.

In this brief bonus episode, I share with you how you can help Makers & Mystics continue our work of fostering conversations on art, faith and culture.

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S10 E14: On Duality & Union with Arthur Aghajanian

Arthur Aghajanian is a Christian contemplative, essayist, and educator. His work explores visual culture through a spiritual lens. His essays have appeared in a variety of publications, including Ekstasis, Radix, Saint Austin Review, The Curator, and many others. He holds an M.F.A. from Otis College of Art and Design.

In this episode, I talk with Arthur about his spiritual background, the nature of non-dualistic thinking and the concept of art set free from the ego.

If you’ve followed the podcast this season, you’ll recall that woven throughout our conversations has been the underlying theme of restoration for the heart of the artist. As we approach the final episodes of this discussion, I wanted to revisit our theme in a more direct way. So I asked Arthur to speak into each thread of restoration, wounded healers, existing in the splice and re-storying the narratives we believe.

Your support of the podcast enables us to continue producing these vital conversations on art, faith and culture. Please consider joining today and lend your support to this work.

Music Provided by: Some Were At Sea

Bright Wings 2022 Contest Winner

We’re excited to announce the winner of our third annual Bright Wings poetry contest in partnership with Ekstasis Magazine!

The submissions this year were incredible. This made the process for our judges challenging but nonetheless, we chose our winners. You can see the winning post announcement here.

On behalf of Makers & Mystics and Ekstasis Magazine, I want to say thank you to every poet who entered the contest. Your work is important. We believe in you and we want to encourage you to never give up on your work.

What’s Next?

We will be recording our episode with the winners of the podcast which will air in January.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram and sign our email list for updates and opportunities.

Thanks again everyone!

Stephen Roach

Stephen RoachDecember 20, 2022