wfn.org | Third Way Cafi unveils Seeing Jesus pages

[BethAH <BethAH@mbm.org>]

August 8, 2001
Beth Hawn
Mennonite Board of Missions
(219) 294-7523
<NEWS@MBM.org>

August 8, 2001

Third Way Cafi unveils Seeing Jesus pages

HARRISONBURG, Va. (MBM)  When you think of the person of Jesus,
what images come to mind?  A tall, handsome man with wavy, brown
hair and blue eyes, surrounded by flocks of happy children?
Renaissance paintings of a sad-faced Caucasian crowned with a
halo?

I was struck by how many views of Jesus there are out there,
says Mennonite Media producer Jerry Holsopple, and how images in
the media dont match the picture I see.  His creative ambition
to show the Jesus he knows has led to a project that now pools
his artistic talents and vision with those of Kristin Kennedy to
create 20 digital artworks that depict Jesus in distinctive ways.

The finished product, called Seeing Jesus, now appears as a new
section on Third Way Cafi. From the very beginning of the site,
we have wanted to add a section like this since Jesus is so
central to Anabaptism, says Third Way Cafi team leader Sheri
Hartzler.  Seeing Jesus broadens the depth of the site by
including an essential element of Anabaptist thinking.  The site
features resources on the Mennonite faith as well as information
and discussion on current events and issues.

Each computer-generated piece is derived from still photographs
or video segments taken by Holsopple and photographer Wayne
Gehman on various assignments for Mennonite Media, the media
branch of Mennonite Board of Missions.  Some of the photos were
shot specifically for the project.

These images were then carefully tinted, altered, blended and
layered into the finished works. Five of the pieces are short
animated movies that overlap several photos with each other,
and some even include sound.  Every piece was inspired by a
particular piece of scripture, which it attempts to interpret in
ways that reach out to people who may be turned off by more
traditional art.

In The Bride, a patchwork image of a wedding dress emits an
ethereal glow against its dark background.  A closer look reveals
that the dress is made up of a collage of many photos.  The
countless faces within these images represent the righteous acts
of the saints mentioned in Revelation 19:8.  The members of the
church literally make up the fine linen of Christs bride.  In
a similar piece titled One, photos of believers are made into a
collage and superimposed over a loaf of communion bread,
signifying Anabaptist belief in the many grains that make up
the church.

Other works take on a more direct approach.  Unless,
representing Jesus commandment to become like children, shows a
mother and children playing on a sliding board simultaneously in
several poses.  Deserted Places is an ode to the secluded areas
where Jesus went to pray early in the morning.

We havent tried to do a historical Jesus, says Holsopple.
The biblical material will do that. Rather, the artists have
sought to interpret the spirit of these passages, to see the
interior of whats happening, says Kennedy.  According to
Holsopple, there are two ways to approach the artwork  as a
theological piece to be dissected, or as a way to see people
simply as places where we meet Jesus in each other.

That means people of different ethnic groups and backgrounds.
Its important to see Jesus in this way, he says, [and]
recognize how central Jesus is to Anabaptism.  The purpose of
the artwork, and the site overall, is to get people to challenge
their current perceptions and ideas about Jesus, and think about
who Christ is.  Holsopple says, We wanted to do something
different on the Web than writing theology.

After working with Kennedy in a class at Eastern Mennonite
University (EMU), Holsopple asked her to collaborate on the
project.  Kennedy, a 2000 graduate of EMU who worked as a summer
intern with Mennonite Media last year, was intrigued by the
possibilities of blending art and theology.  Both she and
Holsopple agree that their partnership has added a new dimension
to the pieces.  I think collaborative work comes out richer 
its like a conversation, she says.

The pages are formatted so that viewers will choose one of any
three images to view next, instead of the traditional linear
format, making every visit to the Jesus pages unique.  Most
people wont see the same set of images each time, says
Holsopple.  To view the pages, log on to www.thirdway.com/jesus.
Limited edition prints of the images are also available for
purchase by calling 800-999-3534.

In addition to Seeing Jesus, other new features can be found at
Third Way Cafi, including a search engine, which enables visitors
to locate any information pertaining to the site simply by typing
in the desired topic.  Also, some of the sections now have a new
look and the Peace Blend pages have been translated into
Spanish, with other sections to be translated in the future,
courtesy of Andy Hennig of Uruguay, and Gilberto Flores, of
Newton.

Mennonite Media, a ministry of Mennonite Board of Missions,
produces electronic and public media for the general North
American audience through:

7 Third Way Cafi (www.thirdway.com), a ministry web site.
7 Public service radio and TV spots.
7 A syndicated newspaper column, Another Way.
7 Video products for churches and other users.

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MBM Staff        PHOTO AVAILABLE