Creative Revolutionaries

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. - Ephesians 2:10

Creative work in fact is downright subversive, since it disrupts existing patterns of thought and life. - Richard Florida (The Rise of the Creative Class)

I am currently participating in a local project called the Knight Creative Communities Initiative which has been established to stimulate greater economic prosperity for all citizens by attracting more creative people in science, technology, architecture, the arts and "thought leadership" (i.e. intellectuals and opinion-makers); while also cultivating the creativity of the current population. The project which is part of a much larger creative economy movement has been inspired by the socio-economic research and theories of the highly regarded Richard Florida, who is not without his detractors. Florida asserts that any vibrant regional economy must be strong in certain key areas that he refers to as the "4 T's": Talent (people), Technology, Tolerance and Territorial Assets (buildings, transportation, parks, public art, green spaces etc.).

I am one of 30 Community Catalysts in the Charlotte area who are tasked with starting several initiatives which relate to the aforementioned categories in an effort to make a region that already has some very attractive qualities and a relatively robust economy even stronger. It all sounds reasonable enough, but what makes Florida controversial is the premium he places on artistic talent and tolerance - which is not just about ethnic and religious acceptance and appreciation, but also takes sexual orientation into consideration. As a matter of fact his Tolerance Index is based on the percentage of gay and lesbian people in a population, because in his estimation, if members of this community feel welcome, there is a high probability that other types of people will as well. The level of artistic creativity (whether it be visual, musical, theatrical or dance) is important because it creates a more stimulating environment for everyone and can serve as an outlet for scientists, engineers and business people and/or feed their creativity in their own fields through consumption of art and interaction with artistic people. The debate on this front is primarily related to the use of tax dollars in funding art programs in schools, as well as other arts based organizations and initiatives.

As a Christian and a creative person by nature, Florida's theories resonate with me on many levels. Tolerance (or equality and inclusion) in particular, should be integral to a faith that claims a Jewish peasant who was crucified for his creative interpretation of his religious tradition as their Lord and Savior. It was Jesus' creative and prophetic impulse which compelled him to embrace those who were discriminated against by the larger society - including women, the poor and the sick - and placed him on a path that could not have ended anywhere other than a Roman cross, because neither Caesar nor his underlings would tolerate any competition from creative challenges by outsiders. Jesus knew intuitively what Florida has learned from his own Roman Catholic upbringing and his years of research, and that is the fundamental acknowledgement that everyone has value. Florida emphatically stresses that everyone is creative, but we need an economy which allows all people to utilize that God given talent, especially those in the service and manufacturing sectors, so that they can contribute more ideas, and hopefully improve their compensation as well.

The kind of conversations I am having as a part of this initiative should be happening in the church, and a few congregations are having this dialog. But, are Christians as a whole ready to tackle some tough and uncomfortable questions? What happens when society becomes more accepting of gays and lesbians than the church? Racism and ethnic separation is a global problem, but churches are far more segregated than most corporations and many neighborhoods. Poverty and low wages are driven by economic structures and policies, though personal choices can play a role. Do we have the courage to ask if our capitalist economy can be made better and turn scarcity into abundance like Christ? How do these issues affect our ability to bear witness to the Good News of God's Kingdom? How can Christians become the creative Revolutionaries we are called to be?