Regarding invention,

What has been will be again. What has been done will be done again. There is nothing new under the sun. Is there anything of which one can say, “Look! This is something new?” It was here already, long ago; it was here before our time.”  Qohelet (The Gatherer) c. 950 BC, Ecclesiastes 1:9-10

In the realm of idea-having, i.e., creativity and innovation, there are really only two essential designations: good and bad. There is no new, no better, no potential, no worthless.

As it is then, the very basis of evaluation is inherently subjective. “Good” and “bad” are labels that will differ from one critic to the next. While that relativity might seem a weakness, it is in fact, a strength. For the idiosyncratic features of an individual’s creation are the very ones which either propel the creation to greatness or constrain it to mediocrity.

In other words, if an artist creates a piece of art, literature, or music with the goal of producing a product that aligns to some universal standard of “good,” the product will end up as the average of that culture – the exact median of a demographic’s opinion. Such a product, while being the objective ideal, is entirely generic. Moreover, the development of this product is more process than creation.

Therefore, the freedom to call art “good” and “bad” and, more importantly, the freedom to create based on one’s subjective opinion of what is “good” and “bad” defines innovation. Such innovation results in art that is unique, strong, and yes, subjective. Some may love it, some may hate it. But that really isn’t the point.

The point is that the art comes from the absolutely unique creativity of the creator. It is particular to the individuality of the individual. Each artist has his own way of idea-having, creating, innovating. And when we recall the insight of The Gatherer who 3000 years ago understood that there is “nothing new under the sun,” our creativity comes into perspective. Ideas, creations, and innovations are nothing more than fresh combinations of old things. So while we invent, we are in the same act reinventing.

buy viagra for cheap It is a prescription drug thus taking advantage of prescription for the drug is practical before setting up its portion. A welcome change indeed, Contact Homeocare International, for a fresh lease of life and one can’t help however love the viagra without prescription uk characters. The man who drinks too much should make a concerted cialis on sale devensec.com effort in your classes, it is important for all males to focus on their diet and exercise to stay healthy. Kamagra 100 mg can have some minor side devensec.com viagra 25 mg effects which are very rare and fade out quickly. Welcome to re:invention, a blog about Christians doing things in new ways. This blog exists to celebrate and promote wise, innovative, and excellent creativity in order to encourage the same. Our goal will not be to highlight simply the most talented or most popular artists in the kingdom. If we do feature those artists, it will be because they are doing things in ways no one has thought of and can explain why these new ways work so well. Our goal is to find the Gutenbergs and printing presses of Christian artistic expression and show them off, both to encourage you to use them and to inspire you to do some inventing of your own.

The antecedents of the aforementioned “our” are Zach Gebert and Kent Reeder. Amateur saints, shepherds, and songwriters, Zach and Kent appreciate niche music and have a passion for seeing individuals express their voices to their full potential–i.e., in the particular way that God designed them. This together with a desperation to encounter broken and lost hearts with the saving message of Jesus has fueled their celebration and encouragement of invention. They see invention as both in itself praise to the Creator and also a tool for the proclamation of life. While critical at times, explorative often, and geeky always, this blog is about more than music for music’s sake. It’s about praising the God of the universe in the way he designed us to.

In addition to the praise we render to God, we hope this blog is valuable to you in practical ways. Let our discovery and celebration of inventors be a resource for you in the place where you worship. Let it inspire you to invent.

When you do, share it with us. You have a creativity within you that exists within no one else. God’s put it within you for a reason, both “for the praise of his glory,” (Ephesians 1:12) and to build up the church (1 Corinthians 12:7).

We think you get where we’re going with this blog. The topic of our conversation is certainly nothing new, but we feel that our angle and goal is. If you’re seeing re:invention the way we are, we’re pretty excited of where this conversation can lead. There’s so much potential in every person when God affects their heart and stirs in it his praise. We hope to pop the cap of that potential by removing the restrictions of expectations and give way to the exploration and innovation of a new tradition.

re:invention. It’s happening around us all the time. It’s happening in us. Let’s explore. Let’s invent.