artistic [sophomores] 101 One of the most unique aspects of Harding was the opportunity it provided students to participate in home Bible studies onWednesday nights. Instead of going to a church building, students could gather together in a home environment, allowing them to enjoy a more intimate atmosphere. However, the Bible studies would not have been possible without teachers and other adults from the community who graciously opened their doors on a weekly basis. But there were some people in the Harding community who wanted the chance to do things a little differently. Instead of taking the traditional approach to a Bible study,Art and Graphic Design Professor Daniel Adams wanted to create an environment in which creative, artistic students could incorporate their talents into the devotional. “Several years ago I noticed that there are not very many creative opportunities for doing a Bible study,”Adams said.“A lot of creative people find it foreign to go to a traditional Bible study because most Bible studies are very linear in approach. Sometimes it’s just hard to maintain focus.” Adams took the framework of a typical Bible study and added a more creative twist. Each week the group discussed one main thought. After applying Scripture, they broke down the point further. Students then had “homework.”They took the thoughts discussed at the Bible study and created some form of art that expressed their thoughts. The next week, students brought their work, shared what it meant and why they created what they did. “It’s a way of connecting scripture on a more personal level,” Adams said. “For creative people, we internalize things better once we’ve dealt with it in a creative way.” In the creative Bible study, students were able to combine their love of God and art. Whether students were writers, painters, musicians or sculptors, they were all welcomed to join the group. Junior Andrea Sagredo joined the creative Bible study in the fall of 2007 and enjoyed the unique opportunity it created. “It’s really open,” Sagredo said. “We can write a song, write a play or almost anything you want to do. In my case, I’mmore hands on— painting or drawing. Sometimes I use things that I’ve learned in my art classes.” Because of the smaller size of the group, everyone was given the chance to actively participate. For Sagredo, traditional Bible studies were difficult to participate in.The creative Bible study gave her the opportunities that she was looking for. “In a normal Bible study,sometime I don’t talk at all,”Sagredo said.“But in this Bible study, when I [create] things…I actually get to talk about it.” Adams’ goal was to create an open environment in which people felt comfortable sharing their art, which was what made the creative Bible study unique. “Everyone is there because they want to be there,and everyone participates,” Adams said. “At a lot of Bible studies, people want to be there, but they just want to listen. In this [Bible study] the whole purpose is to share- to share how you’ve dealt with those particular topics.” According to Adams,the creative Bible study was not designed to replace traditional Bible study; there was a place for both.He simply wanted students to have a different option for their Wednesday night Bible study.The most important part was that students got something and grew from their time in worship in the way that worked best for the individual. For Adams and other artists, creating artwork provided a different sense of understanding than just discussing. “When you create something, you have to work through it, and then you’re faced with what you’ve thought about,”Adams said.“It’s a good way of rethinking what may already be in your head.” [Hannah Ware] Unique Bible study encourages creativity expressions
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