To whom it may concern.
In our culture, there’s always a search for the fullness of life. That’s something we at Temple have. In our experience, there are two main barriers that stop people from having that fullness of life.
Perception of Faith in Culture
In the past people looked to the Church for their moral values, but since the early 2000s, the Church’s status as a primary moral influence has rapidly declined. Whether it’s because of the Churches’ slow movement and inconsistent stance on social issues or the continual, negative interactions young people have in church, the traditional idea of Christianity has so many harmful connotations in our society.
Lack of Space for Real Conversation
The further we go into the 21st century, the more divided our community becomes. Every topic is divisive, opinions are either given too much weight or too little acknowledgement. Society's ability to trust is disintegrating and there is no space to talk about any of these issues. Instead, there is fear. Fear of getting it wrong. Fear that there is no “right”. We live completely post-truth. If everything is down to experience, how can people with different experiences ever agree?
These problems have created a climate of separation. We’re in a time of disillusionment and fragmentation. Those that wish to follow the old traditions are doubling down on them, while those that want freedom from tradition are moving further and further away from them. We see this dichotomy as the Synagogue and the City; the split between Christian and Secular. These are the two spaces, both online and in real life, that the majority of people naturally orient themselves around.
Looking at this climate, the natural question is: how do we navigate and survive this? Then the arts come to mind. For us, the arts have been the alternative narrative through history; providing escapism and education to help people get through their days. Art gathers. Art informs. Art reflects the times. For so many people, life is lived through music, books, films and other forms of art.
Art is the solution to this crisis. There’s an example of art creating alternative pathways to understanding faith: The Chronicles of Narnia. For us, Narnia is the standard for what all faith-inspired art should be. These are incredible works of art that must be respected on a literary level. Stories that have impacted generations, woven into the fabric of culture because of the depth of storytelling and imagination.
Then, there is the deeper level. The descriptions of the nature of God and the nature of man. The internalisations of the meaning of the Bible to a level so profound that the author is able to reframe them and make them palatable for a different audience. This is exactly what is needed at this time. That is what can create the change of perception needed to allow people to engage with Jesus truly. That is what can power conversation between people who would never otherwise meet, let alone talk, if not for their shared love of a piece of art. That is what we will build through Temple.