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Dedicated to fully integrating Christianity and a Flourishing Creative Practice

CHRISTIAN
CREATIVITY

The Humble Creative

Moral Vice & the Pursuit of Flourishing Creativity

Open any other book on creativity, and you will hear the clichéd rallying cries of current creative culture: Be True to Yourself! This book is different.


Examining the current creative culture, The Humble Creative argues that creativity can easily become disordered by vices that Christianity has long understood, but most have forgotten; vices such as vainglory, envy, sloth, anger, lust of the eyes, greed, and pride.

The Humble Creative integrates the long-held Christian understanding of moral vice with creativity, providing an accessible exploration of individual vices and their role in disordering creativity—ultimately offering exercises for moral and creative formation.

Written in an accessible way, this book explores the stories of several individuals whose creativity have become disordered by vice, introducing the reader to the often overlooked relationship between the moral character of the creative and the successful pursuit of flourishing creativity.

DENNIS HOLLINGER

President Emeritus
Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
“Drawing together cultural analysis, student narratives, theological reflection, and spiritual formation...this is an important and readable book for our times!"

J. RYAN LISTER

Director of Discipleship
Humble Beast
"Our World puts a high price on creativity today - but what is often sold in this exchange is the soul of the creative. This is why this is such an important project!"
 

BYRON SPRADLIN

President
Artists in Christian Testimony, Intl.
"We finally have a biblical perspective providing theological and practical insight on the arts and their practitioners.  This book is a masterpiece!"
 

Christian
Creative
Design
Organizations

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CHRISTIAN FAITH INTEGRATION

Combining his experience in Theology & Creative Design, Dr. Niermann brings to life the role that Christian Theology and Virtue plays in the formation of creativity that flourishes as intended.

SPEAKING TOPICS

TOPICS

+ Humble Creativity

+ Christian Creative Process

+ Christian Witness of Creatives

WORKSHOPS

+ Curriculum Development

+ Christian Creative Identity

REVD MATTHEW NIERMANN, PH.D.

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Dr. Matthew Niermann serves as Professor of Architecture and Associate Dean of the College of Architecture, Visual Arts & Design at California Baptist University.  His work is dedicated to cultivating the plausibility of Christ by advancing the role of aesthetics.

Niermann serves as a director of the Lausanne Movement and editor of the State of the Great Commission Report prepared for the 4th Global Congress in Seoul, Korea in 2024.

In addition, Niermann provides leadership at the intersection of arts and missions with his role as Director of the Center for Creativity and Christian Missions, and Fellowship of Faithful Creatives. He is the author of The Humble Creative: Moral Vice and the Pursuit of Flourishing Creativity.

Niermann holds a Ph.D. in Architectural Design from the University of Michigan, M.A. Apologetics from BIOLA, M.A. Theology and Th.M. of Missiology from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

CONTACT  | 

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Email:             mniermann(at)calbaptist.edu

Phone:           (951)-552-8670

Address:

California Baptist University

8432 Magnolia Ave

Riverside, CA 92508

Profiles:         

For more information about speaking or consulting:

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