The Kindlings Muse

Brennan Manning was the Catholic-priest-turned-itinerant-evangelist who wrote the popular Ragamuffin Gospel. In Ruthless Trust he explores the question: “Can God be Trusted," and moves the conversation beyond simple intellectual assent to a deeper experience of joy found in passionately trusting God. A gem of an interview found in the Dick Staub archives from a man who knows whereof he speaks. The interview is broken into four segments. To hear the rest of the interview: Brennen Manning Part 2 Brennen Manning Part 3 Brennen Manning Part 4 This is part of the extensive archives we have here at The Kindlings. If you wish to find out more or join the movement, become a Kindling.

Our three film critics - Dick Staub, Josh Staub (Director of Look and Light at Disney Animation) and Jason Valles (Founder, Third Floor Inc.) start off discussing the distinction between a “film" and a “movie" and which has a higher value. With that settled, we find out what they though about the film, “The Way, Way Back." From the Writers of “The Descendants," we get a film that appears comedic, but also explores the awkward coming of age for 14-year old Duncan. The casts includes Steve Carrell, Toni Collette, Allison Janney, Sam Rockwell, Maya Rudolph, and Liam James. So you know it has potential!

This years WinterFest theme was: My Spiritual Journey (So Far), Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis. In this first of four talks, author Lauren Winner - who was born to a Jewish father and a Southern Baptist mother, and was raised Jewish - shares her round about experience in the “joy of finding God." Lauren is the author of numerous books, including Still: Notes on a Mid-Faith Crisis, Mudhouse Sabbath: An Invitation to a Life of Spiritual Discipline, Girl Meets God: A Memoir, Real Sex: The Naked Truth about Chastity. She has appeared on PBS’s Religion & Ethics Newsweekly and has written for The New York Times Book Review, The Washington Post Book World, Publishers Weekly, Books and Culture, and Christianity Today. Winner has degrees from Duke, Columbia, and Cambridge universities, and holds a Ph.D. in history. Lauren teaches at Duke Divinity School, and lives in Durham, North Carolina. When she’s home, you can usually find her curled up, on her couch or screen porch, with a good novel. If this made you wish you were there, you can be...Join us for Kindlings Fest this summer

The synopsis for “Touchy Feely" starts with: “What happens when a family’s delicate psychic balance suddenly unravels?" Our three film critics - Dick Staub, Josh Staub (Director of Look and Light at Disney Animation) and Jason Valles (Founder, Third Floor Inc.) - have an intricate discussion about a film that they wanted to give a 5 out 5 but didn't get quite there.  Find out what it is in the film that held them back.

The film “Breathe In" explores the tensions of music, intimacy, responsibility and fidelity. In short, “When a foreign exchange student arrives in a small upstate New York town, she challenges the dynamics of her host family's relationships and alters their lives forever." It has been picked up for distribution and so will be coming to a theater near you soon. Dick Staub, Josh Staub (Director of Look and Light at Disney Animation) and Jason Valles (Founder, Third Floor Inc.) each gave it high rankings. Find out why in this short review.

It has been said that, "a literary quarterly exists to acquaint unpopular writers with one another's writings." That is often true: but not always. Since its founding in 1989, Image Journal has not only emerged as one of North America's leading quarterlies but has also carved out a unique identity as the source for contemporary art and literature that grapple with the perennial questions of religious faith. In this show we will feature the book Bearing the Mystery (Eerdmans 2010), which brings together in one handsome volume the best of Image Journal's first twenty years.  The book features an all-star cast of seventy writers including Scott Cairns, Annie Dillard, Clyde Edgerton, Patricia Hampl, Ron Hansen, Edward Hirsch, Linda Hogan, Denise Levertov, Kathleen Norris, Richard Rodrieguez and Wim Wenders.Also featured are over twenty visual artists. Our first guest is Gregory Wolfe publisher and editor of Image Journal, writer-in-residence and Director of the MFA in Creative Writing Program at Seattle Pacific University. We will also feature readings from Image Journal Board member and poet Luci Shaw followed by IMAGE Journal Staffers Taylor Morris, Anna Johnson and Dyana Herron.  

A short review on “The Kings of Summer" (formerly titled "Toys house")a film by Jordan Vogt-Roberts. Dick Staub, Josh Staub (Director of Look and Light at Disney Animation) and Jason Valles (Founder, Third Floor Inc.) share their thoughts on a film that Dick describes as a combination of “Animal House meets Lord of the Flies."

“This is Martin Bonner" is described as “a subtle meditation on friendship, faith, and human connection."  Dick Staub, Josh Staub (Director of Look and Light at Disney Animation) and Jason Valles (Founder, Third Floor Inc.) share their thoughts on a film about an older man (Martin) who changes his life by relocating to Reno, NV and takes part in a church-based mentoring program of released prisoners. A visual story-telling that is filled with many moments of awkward silence, the stuff of life in transition.

“It began with a group of brave young Egyptians who had searched for each other their entire lives, brought together by a revolution they found each other in the Square." Dick Staub, Josh Staub (Director of Look and Light at Disney Animation) and Jason Valles (Founder, Third Floor Inc.) briefly talk about how they experienced the documentary, “The Square" - a film about the revolutionary movement in Egypt that became known as The Arab Spring.  How does film shape change? What happened that we missed in the headlines?

This year the Rock n Roll all of Fame inductees are: Rush, Heart, Randy Newman, Public Enemy, Donna Summer, Lou Adler, Quincy Jones, and Albert King. These artists have had their hand on everything from Pixar films, the Rocky Horror Picture show; the sound behind the sound of your favorite songs, top charted pop sons to fight-the-system hip-hop and blues riffs. With host Jennie Spohr,  Dr. Jeff Keuss and our panel discuss how these iconic figures have been Cultural Curators.

Earl Palmer and Dick Staub look at two poets that, whether known or unknown, have shaped our understanding of the Holy Week.  Earl says “the role a poet plays in helping us focus, in helping us understand the huge events of our lives and, also, to see and feel a resonance with great truths" is something we rarely are aware of and yet need to understand more. With that in mind, Earl expounds upon the poets George Herbert and Isaac Watts and how they approach the events leading up to Easter. Malcolm Guite's, “A Sonnet for George Herbert," is mentioned in this podcast. Below is the text, and if you wish to hear Malcolm reading his work you can do so at his site:   “Gentle exemplar, help us in our trials,With all that passed between you and your Lord,That intimate exchange of frowns and smilesWhich chronicled your love-match with the Word.Your manuscript, entrusted to a friend,Has been entrusted now to every soul,We make a new beginning in your endAnd find your broken heart has made us whole. Time has transplanted you, and you take root,Past changing in the paradise of Love,Help me to trace your temple, tune your lute,And listen for an echo from above,Open the window, let me hear you sing,And see the Word with you in everything."

Dick Staub sits down Josh Staub (Director of Look and Light at Disney Animation) and Jason Valles (Founder, Third Floor Inc.) to discuss their thoughts and experience in viewing “Gideon's Army." It  “follows the personal stories of Travis Williams, Brandy Alexander and June Hardwick, three young public defenders who are part of a small group of idealistic lawyers in the Deep South challenging the assumptions that drive a criminal justice system strained to the breaking point." 

What is it like to make your living with your art? The fame? The fortune? The Limos? Each of us has a unique creativity but only a few pursue their artistic impulses... and only a few of those are able to make their living at it. The rest wonder---chip away at their novel, poem, songwriting, painting Wonder if they should give it a go. Is to too late? Tonight we'll get acquainted with three who have pursued the artistic life. Rick Stevenson is an accomplished Director/Writer/Producer whose latest movie, EXPIRATION DATE was filmed in Seattle, has been invited to over 50 film festivals around the world and has taken over 30 prizes. Jeff Berryman is a playwright, novelist, actor, and teacher probably best known for “Leaving Ruin," his novel and one-man show that chronicle the story of Cyrus Manning, a West Texas pastor. Sam Vance has been active in the Pacific Northwest arts scene for 20 years in a number of different mediums including music, theatre and the visual arts. He is currently the Director of Public Programming for Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum in Seattle. Photo above shows a winged Sam Vance at The Glass Museum.

We start off our Sundance Series as Dick Staub sits down Josh Staub (Director of Look and Light at Disney Animation) and Jason Valles (Founder, Third Floor Inc.) to briefly talk about the various films at the  Sundance Film Festival and how they interact with faith and religion. Some of the films they discuss are “C.O.G.,"“This is Martin Bonner," “Valentine Road,"“There Will Come a Day,"“The Square", & “Circles" just some of the 15 films they had the chance to see during the week.

Where do Love and Truth exhibit complimentary, generative outcomes in Raskolnikov's life? How did Dostoyevsky come to write the such a compelling story that affirms the oft-resisted truth that joy is found in suffering, redemption found in confession and owning up to our darkness? Earl Palmer and Dick Staub take a thorough look at a true classic, Fyodor Dostoyevky's masterpiece Crime and Punishment.