How the Tithe Saved Western Civilization

Dear Friends,

Over 500 years ago an Italian Friar named Luca Pacioli wrote a book on accounting titled, “Everything about Arithmetic, Geometry, and Proportions”. In it he recorded and further developed the dual accounting system used in Venice during the Italian Renaissance. To this day Luca Pacioli’s work is what accountants everywhere use to balance the world’s books. We can never underestimate the impact the Catholic Church continues to have on Western culture because of how they spent their money during the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and beyond. The reason you can use QuickBooks and it works is because some local Italian parishioners gave their tithe dutifully a few hundred years ago.

Whether or not the money the Catholic Church collected throughout much of Western history has been given freely or through compulsion can be argued ad infinitum. What did Europe experience as a result of the massive amounts of tithe money the Catholic Church accumulated since the establishment of Parishes around the 9th century? Advances in the arts and sciences that changed the world. As Thomas E. Woods puts it in his book, How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization , "One can scarcely find a significant endeavor in the advancement of civilization during the Middle Ages in which monks did not play a major role". Does the tithe still have this kind of impact on civilization?

The commonly accepted idea that there is some sort of division between secular and sacred pursuits has helped drive the tithe dollar away from the arts and sciences in the last two hundred years. Accepting this dualistic concept results in one of two approaches on the part of most churches, they either try to insulate themselves from secular culture or just go head to head by offering an alternative sub-culture. The Church does not have to participate in culture, or even combat culture, because when people of faith decide to give their hard earned money to artists and scientists once again the Church will be the one creating culture.

P.S.

Your Stories of 36 Parables:
Please let us know how you're using 36 Parables with your group, congregation, or classroom.
I especially would like to hear your thoughts on these questions:
-Have you used 36 Parables in "big church" or with an adult bible study?
-Do you think 36 Parables appeals to adults?
Please post your experiences and anwers here: http://www.illuminatingunderstanding.com/discuss

News and Reviews:

StewartHRedwine.com
My brand new personal website, featuring my writing and videos, designed by Able Parris.

The Kingdom Divided
A short I recently produced for DCLA2009 featuring Jeremy Collins brilliant artwork and Jason Livesay's excellent original score with animation provided by Three House Media using a DSLR and Dragon's stop motion animation software.

CIY.com
I am now a full time video producer at Christ in Youth. I wil continue to produce 36 Parables as well as write the monthly newsletter, and can say in the loop with what I am doing at StewartHRedwine.com.

Content and Sites:

36 Parables DVDs at youthspecialties.com - Blue, Cyan, Yellow, Amber, & Purple (October 2009)

Christ in Youth - Move - High School Conference - Request a Free DVD

One Time Blind - Mini Movies

MyCatholicVoice.com

Illuminating Understanding,

The Cinematographer
Stewart H. Redwine
C: 310-770-0448
E: sredwine@36parables.com

Failure
Stewart's June article at Christian Video Magazine
I distinctly remember sitting back stage at my Performance Art final when my stomach turned to lead and sunk to the Earth’s core. At least, that is what it felt like when I realized the intricately designed live switching between performance, remote camera, several audio feeds, and pre-recorded video was not patched correctly. I couldn’t figure it out; I had everything worked out perfectly just before the show. Then it dawned on me, that at the last minute one of the other students wanted to switch the order of performances so I patched her video deck into the projector. You guessed it! At the end of her performance I forgot to patch my master audio/video feed back in. I felt like I was going to throw up. But I couldn’t because my stomach was made out of lead and was now located in the Earth’s core. (Read More and get the entire Christian Video Magazine June PDF)

Love One
JCVD(Directed by Mabrouk El Mechri/2008)
vs.
SYNECDOCHE NEW YORK (Directed by Charlie Kaufman/2008)

Both of these independent films are about a father who has a broken relationship with his daughter. Both are introspective and deal with regret. In doing so both endeavor to break down the fourth wall of the screen, merging reality and cinema to such a degree you are not sure what you are watching. One of the films is full of hope while the other ends in utter despair. Both heroes spend the majority of their respective films remembering the mistakes they have made. Synecdoche New York ends with the hero, Philip Seymour Hoffman, dying alone with nothing but a swath of destroyed relationships in his wake. JCVD ends with the hero, Jean-Claude Van Damme, serving a prison sentence for his mistakes.

Though the films contain many of the same themes they are built on two different foundations. In exploring the meaninglessness of life through one man's introspection Synecdoche seems to end smuggly at a place often quoted from the Book of Ecclesiates, "Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Everything is meaningless!"(Ecclesiastes 12:8). JCVD offers a stirring monologue from Jean-Claude when he literally floats out of the movie set and shares with the audience his deepest regrets and love for his fellow man. This introspection of his mistakes causes him to rise to the occasion and help save lives.

JCVD stands as a testiment to some very important verses immediately following the previous statement from Ecclesiastes. "Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil." (Ecclesiastes 12:13-14). Synecdoche left me empty because it presented the sadness of a man exisiting all alone. JCVD soars because it's hero embraces the beautiful truth that none of us are alone, and if their is breath in our lungs, our cheif duty is to keep God's commands; namely, to love God and love our neighbor.

At the very end of JCVD Jean-Claude's daughter comes to visit him in jail. He is overwhelmed by the site of her and the sound of her voice. None of his mistakes have any bearing on his love for her. Synecdoche had no such scene. In fact, the final grotesque confrontation between Philip Seymour Hoffman's character and his daughter revealed her inability to forgive him even on her death bed.

Synedoche falls flat because it begins and ends with a man alone who can neither love nor be loved by others. Though he tries desperately to carve out a meaning for himself in the infinite loop of introspection and regret he is ultimately left just as he has chosen to be, alone. JCVD has all the force of a Van Damme kick to the stomach because it embraces the only chance of escape a person has from the trap of introspection and regret, the God given ability to love someone else.

"A new command I give you: Love one another.
As I have loved you, so you must love one another."
John 13:34

-Stewart H. Redwine

The Matthew Principle

Dear Friends,

In order to understand Jesus’ penchant for speaking in parables look to “The Matthew Principle” found in Matthew 13, which is perhaps the single most illuminating chapter in all of the Bible concerning parables. In this chapter Jesus tells several parables; two of which I will be focusing on: The Parable of the Sower and The Parable of the Net. Immediatlely following Jesus’ telling of the Parable of the Sower the disciples come right out and ask what many people since have struggled to answer, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”.

To this day people disagree over why Jesus used parables. Some would argue Jesus chose to teach in parables in order to keep His distance from any dialectical confrontations with His opposition, while others might say His creative language was a revelation of God’s inherent creativity. Jesus' answer to this direct question is apparently too mysterious to satisfy most and so the deabte continues. His response has come to be known as “The Matthew Principle” and goes like this: “Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.” (Matthew 13:12).

This mysterious principle is explored in Jesus' explanation of the Parable of the Sower. The story is basically a list of different soils and what happens when the good seed of the message of the Kingdom is sown in them. Using the two most extreme cases from the parable: rocky soil has no chance for the seed to take root while good soil yields a massive crop. This parable was so elusive to the disciples when they heard it they requested Jesus explain what He meant. They seemed to be confounded by the apparent determinism found in “The Matthew Principle”; namely, only certain soils will be able to produce a crop once they have been given the seed and those that cannot produce a crop will be the same as if no seed had ever fallen on them.

Fast-forward to the end of the chapter and Jesus is sharing with His disciples the Parable of the Net. Unlike the Parable of the Sower, the disciples understand this one. He explains in this parable that at the end of the age angels will come and separate the wicked from the righteous. You have to remember the disciples were most likely anticipating Judgment Day would occur during their lifetime. Jesus was the Messiah after all. Immediately following the parable Jesus asks His disciples if they understand and for once they respond with a simple “Yes”. What they didn’t realize was the Messiah’s mission might be radically different from what their culture was anticipating. Once again “The Matthew Principle” was at work.

Saint Matthew doesn’t just leave us at the end of Chapter 13 with little more than an eschatological “what if” to ponder and debate. The brilliance of the writing in this chapter is captivating. Saint Matthew begins with the Parable of the Sower and an explanation of “The Matthew Principle” and ends the chapter with Jesus returning to his hometown, where He and His disciples experience “The Matthew Principle” at work. When the people of Jesus’ hometown dismiss Him as the carpenter’s son Jesus responds, “Only in his hometown and in his own house is a prophet without honor” and then He departs. With this sobering story the quintessential chapter on parables comes to a close and the “The Matthew Principle” rings true yet again.

The very thing Jesus’ hometown had, the Messiah, was taken from them. God is limitless, but we are not. Like those in Jesus' hometown we are restricted to being in one place at one time. So when you are presented with those moments where you must choose between the message of the Kingdom and the weeds of this world remember "The Matthew Principle":

Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him.
(Matthew 13:12)

P.S.

Your Stories of 36 Parables:
Please let us know how you're using 36 Parables with your group, congregation, or classroom.
I especially would like to hear your thoughts on these questions:
-Have you used 36 Parables in "big church" or with an adult bible study?
-Do you think 36 Parables appeals to adults?
Please post your experiences and anwers here: http://www.illuminatingunderstanding.com/discuss

News and Reviews:

Matthew McNutt, the Youth Pastor at Brandywine Valley Baptist Church and a former contestant on NBC's Biggest Loser where he lost 176 lbs, reviewed 36 Parables: Blue.
http://matthewmcnutt.com/2009/04/07/36-parables-blue/

DCLA 2009: Are you going? If so, let me know so we can meet up in LA June 25th-28th! (my company, Heart Initiative, is producing some of the video content!)
http://dcla2009.com/

Watching Movies: an insightful article courtesy my 36 Parables co-producer and the series Director John Schimke
http://scienceblogs.com/cortex/2009/05/watching_movies.php

Products:

36 Parables DVDs at youthspecialties.com - Blue, Cyan, Yellow, Amber, & Purple (October 2009)
http://www.youthspecialties.com/shop/index.php?manufacturers_id=157

Drive to Church - a funny video about one man's "real" behavior on the way to church
http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/11456/

Designed & Broken - The Story of Creation and the Fall of Mankind in Kinetic Typography:
Designed: http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/20552/
Broken: http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/20553/

I Have a Dream - a short documentary
http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/23435/

Prayer - a "lightwriting" stop-motion photography devotion
http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/20611/

onetimeblind at worshiphousemedia:
http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/producers/170/Onetimeblind

MyCatholicVoice.com - Catholic content and social networking
http://www.mycatholicvoice.com/

Illuminating Understanding,

The Cinematographer
Stewart H. Redwine
C: 310-770-0448
E: sredwine@36parables.com

Matthew McNutt, the Youth Pastor at Brandywine Valley Baptist Church and a former contestant on NBC's Biggest Loser where he lost 176 lbs, reviewed 36 Parables: Blue.

http://matthewmcnutt.com/2009/04/07/36-parables-blue/

Check out 10 mini movies John Directed and Stewart Shot/Produced for OneTimeBlind:
http://www.worshiphousemedia.com/producers/170/Onetimeblind

Dear Friends,

Starting today I am switching from a weekly to a monthly newsletter. That means those of you who actually read this will only be allowing me the great privilege of inspiring and challenging your thinking in regards to Art, Faith, and Culture once a month. It is humbling to see how many of you read my words and now I will have much longer to prepare each newsletter for your enjoyment and edification.

Single-Mindedness
Jesus Christ says to us, “Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No’”(Matthew 5:37). We all know there is nothing quite like a person who has said Yes to something and meant it. When one accepts and acts on the simplicity of this “on or off” approach to dedication astounding stories of accomplishment spring forth. Simply saying Yes to something does not mean the pursuit will be easy. However, part of truly saying Yes is following through. What I am getting at is this, if you say Yes and don’t do it, you didn’t really say Yes. Yes is a word you say with your mouth but has to be accompanied by action.
Take Mackintyre Kindol McDill-Garton, a 9 year old boy who recently died of a brain aneurysm, who since he was 6 years old talked about the church he would build on his grandparents land. Guess what? His parents and grandparents are building the church. Or Rick Hoyt, who wanted to compete in marathons, and since he cannot speak or walk his father has made his dream a reality by pushing him. My last example is Susan Boyle, a living testament to what thirty years of saying Yes to a dream can get you, even when the cover of the book is quite misleading.

Are you saying Yes to the dream God has put on your heart?

Mackintyre Kindol McDill-Garton’s Church

Rick Hoyt’s Race

Susan Boyle’s Song

Other News and Products:

36 Parables DVDs at youthspecialties.com - Blue, Cyan, Yellow, Amber (May 2009), & Purple (October 2009)

Drive to Church - a funny video about one man's real behavior on the way to church
http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/11456/

Designed - The Story of Creation in Kinetic Typography:
http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/20552/

I Have a Dream - a short documentary
http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/23435/

Prayer - a "lightwriting" stop-motion photography devotion
http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/20611/

Christian Manifesto: C.E. Moore - 36 Parables Yellow Review
http://thechristianmanifesto.wordpress.com/2009/02/12/36-parables-yellow-a-review/

Christian Manifesto: C.E. Moore - 36 Parables Cyan Review
http://thechristianmanifesto.wordpress.com/2008/12/09/36-parables-cyan-a-review/

onetimeblind "the stool" at Sermonspice.com
http://www.sermonspice.com/videos/21240/the-stool

MyCatholicVoice.com - A great place for Catholic content and social networking
http://www.mycatholicvoice.com/

Illuminating Understanding,

The Cinematographer
Stewart H. Redwine
C: 310-770-0448
E: sredwine@36parables.com

Check out our upcoming ad we will be running in the May/June issue of Relevant!
Be sure to pick up a copy of the magazine at a Barnes & Noble or Borders near you in May!