Richard James continues his series looking at youth ministry through a range of academic filters, by suggesting that youth workers should think of themselves less as social engineers and more as ‘cultural artists.’ Includes practical suggestions to help young people to explore ‘the art of life.’

Accompanied by my Dad, I left the sunny London South bank and entered via the continually revolving doors at the riverside entrance to the Tate Modern. Striding across the polished concrete floors we advanced towards the intriguingly titled Turbine Hall.

As we arrived on the observation balcony our vigorous strides slowed gradually to a cautious stop. We were now in the heart of this temple of modern art surrounded by merry throngs and clicking cameras. In front of us, laid out like a sanitised warehouse, was a dystopian vision of a plastic, synthetic future. The exhibition we were looking at comprised hundreds, if not thousands of plastic cubes that had been cast and clumped together to create the impression of a cityscape, with low lying suburbs and central sky scrapers. As we looked on we noticed that among these artificially created streets people were wandering; touching; feeling, and for us as balcony observers, being a part of this artistic impression of life.

Intrigued by the artistic pattern of life being performed in front of us, my Dad and I turned and ventured down the steps that led to the entrance to the installation. As we disappeared into the synthetic city we realised we had now stopped becoming mere observers and critics of art, and instead become participants in the art of life.

The art of life

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From the very earliest times, people have sought to explain and understand their identity and the world around themselves through artistic expression. From the ancient paintings on cave walls to the modern installations in galleries such as the Tate, art has not only been a form of expression but also a means of interaction and explanation. Having examined the history of art in his book The Sacred Neuron, John Bowker suggests a definition as ‘the interaction between presence and absence’. In other words, just as a holiday photograph is not a frame of a landscape we once visited but rather a stimulus for our memories, emotions and ideas, so art is a means by which we connect that which is real with that which is ideal.

For people like Bowker, art is a connector between all forms of human emotion, a gatherer of memories and new ideas; a place where we give coherence and convergence as to who we are, and who we long to be. Whether we are writing, performing or singing, we use practical tools to express hopes and despairs, desires and dreams, and roles and relationships. When our creative expressions go beyond merely imitation we enter a field of adventure where Bowker claims ‘body and brain, reason and emotion, are tied together.’

Philosopher and postmodern thinker Jean Baudrillard goes further, suggesting that every object has two identities; the first to be put to use and the second to be possessed. The first involves the practical use of the item; for example a flat panel lying on top of four wooden legs performs a role as a table. The second is an abstract, subjective response to the item whereby the item is ascribed beauty by the viewer; the table becomes not just a table, but a Chippenfield table, valuable not just for its function but its created form.

As youth workers and ministers, art and creativity is a great lens through which we can explore human existence and thus our role as relational workers. We follow a creator God and as we explore what that creativity means, so we can start to see our vocation in new and exciting ways. Most importantly we can move from seeing people as ‘functional objects’ - things to be moved through prescribed programmes - to appreciating the uniqueness and personal form of each individual.

The art of youth work

This article will therefore seek to explore what it can mean to understand the role of a youth worker as an artist of life, someone who both creates and inspires others to create lives as living pieces of art. Rather than starting with programmes and plans it is a way of approaching youth work that starts with people and passions.

Jesus was an artist

The role of art is a turbulent one throughout Christian history. It has veered between the extremes of iconoclasm and tokenism. Yet both these extremes use art as an object, an item of otherness by which we can either reflect on ourselves or can create an opportunity to talk to people about what we believe. While both of these have a role in the Christian life, there is another way to see art and it is one that Jesus used wonderfully.

From the very start of his ministry we see how Jesus uses the creative tradition of the poetic and prophetic writings of the Old Testament to launch his own ministry with a vision of a beautiful new world. Matthew focuses this mandate into a piece of poetic prose, an artistic expression of a way of life that is practically-based, but full of anticipated expressed hope. Luke similarly describes it as a prophetic echo, a response to the temple reading from Isaiah. No matter whether it is in Matthew or Luke that we read these beautiful attitudes, we see a way of life that is truly blessed, where the poor inherit, the mourners are comforted and the seekers of justice are satisfied. If we were unsure of Jesus’ artistic method at this initial stage then we are soon convinced of it as he launches into his teaching programme, not with a doctrinal outline of systematic theology, but with a series of stories. These creative tales, rooted in the practical everyday experience of his listeners, were designed to creatively invite the hearer into the story; to encourage them to see themselves as players within the narrative. His stories did not lead to a three-point sermon conclusion, but left the hearer with the challenge of continuing the act of creativity as they sought the purpose behind the parable.

Jesus’ creative intentions did not end with his teaching, but continued into his relationship with his disciples. In place of a focused mission statement and implementable strategy, and in an echo of Adam’s role outlined in Genesis 2 v 15, he gives them creative freedom and sends them out (Matthew 10). Their role is not programmatic but rather purposeful; they are called to venture into the world taking the everyday and connecting it with the heavenly through their creative and passionate engagement. In this, the disciples are players in God’s new covenant play; performers in the new kingdom, seeking to express meaning and create hope in a world of hunger, pain and struggle.

This idea of being performers in God’s play is an idea explored by N T Wright and subsequently developed by theologian Samuel Wells. They suggest that we need to see God’s actions in the world as part of a play. For Wells this involves five acts: Act One is creation, Act Two is Israel, Act Three is Jesus, Act Four is the Church (now) and finally Act Five is the kingdom come, otherwise known as the eschaton. Our calling as is to learn and absorb the first three acts, as well as understanding the conclusions of the fifth. Wells says ‘Christians are taken into a drama, where God has created them and others for a purpose; where Israel has answered a call and pursued a vocation; where Jesus has become like one of them and has conquered sin and death; where the Spirit has empowered the church to follow Christ and where God will end the drama when he sees fit. Christians find their character by becoming a character in God’s story’.

As leaders of a group of (young) people, the idea of being participants in God’s unfolding drama theologically locates the Christian youth worker not as the play’s producer but more as one of the actors who also has directorial responsibilities. The parts may be written, the stage set and the plot already developed yet the director is called to bring out the best performances from the actors; to make sure the parts of the play that are most important are not missed and the actors do not miss their opportunities. Likewise the calling of Christian youthworkers and ministers is not to write the play, to set the scene or to create the individual scripts, rather they are called to bring out the best performances in the actors; to hone their skills and creative talents. They aren’t there to play the title role or to be the celebrity contributor so commonly found in London’s West End - chosen for their name and fame. Rather they are there to enter in and help the players immerse themselves in the play so that the most important parts of the theological drama are not missed, and crucial plot points are not skipped over.

This revised pedagogy needs the youth leader to think of themselves as a cultural artist rather than social engineer. Ours is not to build middle class, well-behaved clones, rather it is to see these young people we work with as concentrations of divine creativity. They are, in the infamous words of Pip Wilson, ‘beautiful human people who are unique, special and divinely called and commissioned’.

The challenge for the youth worker or minister as cultural artist then is to create the creative conditions whereby their beauty and uniqueness may shine. This means creating a place where young people are encouraged to develop in their own identity through a process of self-reflection as well as managing the external social context in which that reflection is played out. Through this perpetual internal external dialogue the art of life will be played out.

So how can ‘the art of life’ be played out through this perpetual internal and external dialogue?

Internal art of life

Creating a place for questions: As youth leaders we need to create groups and environments in which questions such as ‘who am I’ and ‘why am I here’ are routinely explored and investigated. The young people with whom we work are passing through a phase in their lives when they are undergoing huge emotional and neurological change. This means that they have lots of questions, and are inevitably seeking feelings, meaning and purpose in their individual context. However, exploring questions is different to providing answers, so as leaders while we need to create a place for exploring responses, we need to do so without seeking easy solutions that are more about satisfying the youth leader than the young person.

Creating a place for dramas: Our best place for self-reflection, for exploring response to the questions of identity, belonging and purpose, is the living word of God. So rather than seeking trite solutions from out-of-context verses we need to find ways to use the living word as a living example. Our youth work needs to create places where young people can sing and rage with King David, where they can run away like Jonah, be confronted with betrayal like Peter and most importantly be confronted with the love of Jesus.

Creating a place for passion: Our churches have developed a reputation for being dry, boring and stale, yet the young people whom we seek to serve have so much life; so much energy; so much passion. We need to make sure we create our youth work as a place for passion, where the skills, talents, abilities and heart of the young people is broken out for all to see; where their naivety, their courageousness; their outrageousness is on display. We need to let them frustrate the older and wiser; we need them to be full of adventure, mischief and energy. But while this is taking place, we as leaders need to journey with them, to suffer for them and with them. We need to know when to listen and when to speak; when to challenge and when to support.

External art of life

In addition to creating the individual conditions we also need to be aware that creativity isn’t just the property of individuals, but also the property of social groups. Only through the interplay between internal and external factors will the full art of life be revealed.

Creating a place for awe: We need to have places that allow young people to see themselves in context; places that take them (and us) out of the dominant everyday existence and into a place of transcendence that reveals the awesomeness and mystery of God. However we also need to ensure that this transcendence is not dominated by group singing, but includes other ways in which the majesty of God is imparted. Such awe needs to draw on all cultural and geographical sources so that young people can find the awesomeness of God when surveying the busyness of the world from the top of a tower block, in a chorus of a cathedral choir or in the peace of a cliff top sunrise.

Creating a place for creative social construction: In her book Practicing Passion, youth theologian Kenda Creasy Dean suggests that postmodern progress has resulted in young people who are now expert deconstructionists. They know how to take things apart; they are trained in how to dissect and reduce theories, systems and ideas to their constituent parts. Yet this social reductionism strips all meaning and value from the very things that young people need so much. As youth leaders we need to address this cynical trend by creating places where young people can develop the social building blocks for a new imaginative social construction. So we need to expose our young people to both the ecstasy and suffering of the world around them. From the extremes of starvation, substance misuse, sporting triumph and service projects, young people will be able to build towards a better future.

Creating a place for creating: Finally we need to create places where youthful creativity, artistic energy and performance passion are encouraged and developed. If we are involved in programme-driven rather than people-driven ministry then those who are creative and passionate are soon driven to the margins, and then out. As cultural artists, composers of God’s orchestra in a particular place and time, we need to allow the passion, energy and creativity of the youth we lead to grow, develop and lead to the transformation of the world and the church. Young people need to be presented not just the prescriptive, rehearsed solutions to issues from poverty to church membership, but they need to be given the freedom to innovate and imagine, to attempt to live a new way to be and to the beautiful and creative human beings they were made to be.

Returning to the Tate Modern, we need to remember one final challenge. Just as my Dad and I were both participants and part of the art in the Tate modern on that sunny morning, so the role of youth worker is a dual one. We are called to observe, to look on, to comment and to conduct and yet like Jesus we too are called to enter in, to be part of the art. And as we do, just like the people who saw my Dad and I enter into the Tate’s polystyrene city, when we enter into God’s big art of life project, people will see us, be intrigued, and then they too will want to be part of the creativity.

Richard James is the Director of Oxygen, Kingston YFC.