Ephesians 4: Living Together in Grace & Truth
“I can only answer the question ‘What am I to do?’ if I can answer the prior question ‘Of what story or stories do I find myself a part?’”
—Alasdair MacIntyre
Isn’t The Green Ember Like Watership Down?
They’re both rabbit books, after all…
I get asked this fairly often, so I want to go on record with my response. Here I stand, on the record. Read More ›
Fireballs, Fables, and Allies in Imagination
World Magazine’s Emily Whitten (also of Redeemed Reader fame) interviewed Zach Franzen, Andrew Peterson, Randall Goodgame, and myself for a spot on World Radio’s “The World and Everything In It.” It Read More ›
A Character Story
Some readers of The Green Ember, my first fantasy adventure novel for kids, found the ending to be a cliff-hanger. Some kids even shouted at their parents in frustration, “That is a horrible Read More ›
The Beautiful Irony of Ladysmith Black Mambazo’s “Amazing Grace”
You can’t imagine how this music (below) takes me back. It takes me back to a dusty township and dirty children, smiling wide, excited to come to church. It takes me back to Africa, to the beautiful Read More ›
On Living a Story Formed Life: Sarah Clarkson Live from Oxford
Our favorite Oxford student (since some dude named Jack Lewis) was recently interviewed about “living a storyformed life.” I thought it’d be swell to share that here. Sarah talks about The Rabbit Room, her new Read More ›
Why It Matters
Why do the arts matter? Why does beauty matter?
I don’t believe I have ever heard a better explanation than the song “Why It Matters,” by Sara Groves. I can Read More ›
Five Questions For Bluegrass Sensation Stacy Grubb
Stacy Grubb‘s new record, From the Barroom to the Steeple, has just been released. It’s beautiful and features some amazing musicians including Stacy (voice, wow) and Ron Block (banjo, mustache). It’s so Read More ›
Making Art For and With People You Love
I’m often tempted to be envious of friends who make music in community. The harmony on display is so attractive. I have friends in Nashville who have the kind of creative community people like me Read More ›
The Top Eleventy Reasons You Should Back The Green Ember
OK, eleventy would be too many, so let me just admit up front that the headline was designed to suck you in. Welcome to Downworthy dot com. I’m going with a gimmick that involves what Math Read More ›
Sticking It To God: Rebellious Stories As a Cliche to Play Against
“The sacred exists and is stronger than all our rebellions.” Czeslaw Milosz
Skipping the qualifiers, we live in an era where rebellion has been mainstreamed. Rebellion is, ironically, Read More ›
Why Are Storytellers Often Bad Preachers and Preachers Often Bad Storytellers?
This subject deserves more attention, but consider this a timid foray into a field with tall grass and various lurking beasts all of which this adventurer cannot hope to see. Read More ›