The Other 167 Hours

A Glance at Faith as Creativity

In the 1950’s psychologists began to study creativity in earnest and today there are thousands of research projects to draw from if one is interested in the topic. I check in on the topic now and then out of curiosity but also for professional reasons because I always have a number of artists of one sort or another in my case load. Just as great wealth takes more time to manage, so also a person with exceptional creativity needs to see managing the creativity as a responsibility they dare not neglect.

I came across an article in Review of General Psychology* that presented a model of 4 types of creativity, called the four-c model. As I read the examples and definitions of each type it occurred to me that a developing faith and a growing relationship with Christ may have a meaningful overlap with these types of creativity. So, I’ve set out to briefly discuss here, the four-c model and what, at first glance, seems a useful way to think about faith development, especially as it relates to seeing Christian meaning in the world.

Of course, it would be a mistake to think of faith as a merely creative process whereby we “make up” the idea of God and spirituality ex nihilo, from our whim and fancy. When I refer to faith as creativity, I am thinking less of the absolute truths from revelation and more of the expression, illustration, and experience of those truths, something along the lines of being a “sub-creator” in Tolkien’s terms.

Here is a quick summary of the four-c model of creativity presented by Kaufman and Beghetto** and my parallel application to faith. Drawing on their observation that research in creativity tends to go down one of two paths, that of everyday creativity (little-c), and the creativity of the famous and influential giants (Big-C), the authors seek to make a finer distinction, breaking the two types into four. They refer to the additional types as Pro-C and mini-c.

Big-C

Creativity: These are creators that have produced works that have lasted for centuries. They have, in many instances been “willing to sacrifice everything in their life for the use of their creative gifts” according to Kaufman and Beghetto.

Faith: As to faith, besides the Creator, Himself, this would include Prophets and writers of scripture, the Church Fathers, Reformers, along with some more contemporary personalities. They contribute to a change of course in history. They set, or reset a stable framework for how we experience and understand the truth about God and His world. . Though not an exhaustive list, Hebrews, chapter 11, the “faith chapter” is the Hall of Fame for these people. Too much thought on these people in the wrong sort of way might lead us to think that only certain people can be “faithful” or truly spiritual.

Pro-C

Creativity: This new category allows for those that are somewhere between the Big-C and the little-c. With the right mentoring and enough time, a few may move closer to Big-C. They are working at creative endeavors full-time. They have “quit their day job” so to speak. History may decide looking back that one of these was indeed a Big-C creator.

Faith: As it applies to faith, I would guess that multiple others have recognized the inspiring faith of this person and officially recognized the role they have. This person is one who views the life of faith as a full-time responsibility, not a hobby. They may one day be recognized as being in the Big-C category.

little-c

Creativity: This is the widely distributed creativity of everyday activities that, while not timeless and well known, never-the-less requires a level of skill and motivation. Personal characteristics involve self-discipline, a tolerance for ambiguity, and a drive that comes from enjoyment and passion rather than money or fame. The products are novel or unique, at least in a local context, and are either useful, aesthetically pleasing, or both.

Faith: This is the lay person last year in the morning service, whose story of coming to Christ moved you so, that it still contributes to your own spiritual life today. This is a friend who inspires and motivates you with their own experience and expression of faith. I would expect this person to be involved in spiritual disciplines, understanding that preparation over time is often how God develops us, not all at once. This person can handle the fact that God does not reveal everything to us and we have to work with ambiguity, discovering the meaning as we go sometimes. Madeleine L’Engle***  says that a Christian artist sees cosmos in chaos. I believe that this is also the work of the faithful, finding meaning in apparent meaninglessness.  The Christian finds the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of what is unseen. This person is driven by a passionate connection to Christ, not simply a pragmatic, what’s-in-it-for-me attitude.

mini-c

Creativity: This is also a new category proposed by the researchers. This creativity is the type necessary for any real learning to take place. It is the shift in understanding as a child moves from addition and subtraction to multiplication and division. It is present in all of us. It allows us to solve problems that we have never seen before, to find solutions in an “ah-ha” moment.

Faith: In the area of Faith, this is common grace that leads each of us to seek and recognize something greater than ourselves, a larger story, the certainty that something can exist without directly impacting our physical senses. This is the basic, the minimum, and yet also a marvel of creativity. In the language of software engineers, it is the “back door” written into our code so that the author can always have a means of getting inside, past our shell and defenses to our heart.

Conclusion

I wonder where you find yourself in this model, both as a creative person and a person of faith. For you who regularly enjoy acts of creativity, I hope that you can see faith as not so far removed from the creative activities you love. For you who have never thought of yourself as creative, yet walk daily by faith, I hope that you can recognize the shared creative process that God is doing in your life. For myself, I would like to think that the nourishment of creativity in my children and others is a celebration of the image of God in them as sub-creators, and may prepare the mechanisms of a life of faith in the Creator.

* Kaufman, J. C., & Beghetto, R. A. (2009). Beyond big and little: The four c model of creativity. Review of General Psychology, 13, 1-12.

** I know nothing about these researchers beyond their university affiliations and the text of their research so cannot speak to the issue of whether or not they are Christians or people of faith in any manner.

*** in Walking on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art, 1980.  See also http://www.madeleinelengle.com In the process of writing this article, I found out that she had recently passed away at the age of 88. She was a remarkable writer, artist, intellectual, and Christian. My daughter loves her books.