Beauty | Explorations Media

Which Is the Better Story @Image Journal’s Good Letters blog

Image courtesy of 20th Century Fox Studios.

“There’s a scene early in Ang Lee’s majestic Life of Pi film in which the main character watches everything he loves die. Pi is floating in a vast, murky sea as the ship carrying his family and their zoo animals recedes into the distance and sinks. His arms are stretched out wide and his whole body seems to reach for them as they slip away.

This is the moment when I forgot I was wearing 3-D glasses and felt as if I was in the water with Pi, losing everything I love. I’m not sure I would have reacted as viscerally as I did to the scene if it had not been produced in 3-D. As it was, I sat in my seat and wept.”

Read my whole [spoiler alert!] review at Good Letters. It’s my first appearance at the Image blog and I’m honored to see my byline there.

Posted on November 24, 2012 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Books, Christianity, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, Humanism, Islam, Philosophy, Redemption, Theology, Travel, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

3-D, Ang Lee, Art, Atheism, Beauty, Books, Christianity, Community, Culture, death, Entertainment, Epistemology, Ethics, Faith, Family, filmmaking, Friendship, grief, Humanism, Islam, Judaism, Life of Pi, lost at sea, movie review, ontology, Philosophy, Redemption, religion, suffering, Theology, tragedy, Travel, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk, Yann Martell

Recapturing Innocence With Ang Lee @TheHighCalling

Director Ang Lee in New York City, courtesy Explorations Media, L.L.C.

The sound of a baby’s laughter. A six year old’s wide-eyed wonder on Christmas morning. The moment you first believed. Who doesn’t want to relive innocence like that?
For Academy Award-winning director Ang Lee, recapturing innocence in life, in filmmaking, in the cinematic experience is at the heart of his film adaptation of Yann Martel’s best-selling novel, Life of Pi. Speaking to a group of journalists in New York City last month, Lee said the film is about what happens to a young boy’s innocence after the ship carrying his zoo-keeping family sinks and he’s set adrift on a lifeboat with a dangerous tiger.

The ocean becomes like a desert, Lee said. “It’s a test of his faith, his strength.” …

Read the whole thing at The High Calling.

Posted on November 24, 2012 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Christianity, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, Humanism, Islam, Leadership, Travel, Vocation

Ang Lee, Art, Beauty, burn out, Christianity, Community, creativity, Culture, David Magee, Ethics, Faith, Family, filmmaking, Friendship, grief, Humanism, innocence, Islam, Judaism, Leadership, Life of Pi, mentoring, religion, suffering, Suraj Sharma, TheHighCalling, Travel, Vocation

A New Kind of Heroine @TheHighCalling

Katherine Sarafian (Photo by Deborah Coleman / Pixar.

The protaganist of Disney/Pixar’s newest feature film “Brave” is an unlikely heroine. The Scottish princess confronts and overcomes what she views as a constricted future for her life, but she also learns that her own unfettered dreams can be both limiting and dangerous. The film’s producer Katherine Sarafian identifies with the character and says working on “Brave” taught her to more fully integrate the diverse components of her own life. Sarafian has been withPixar since 1994 and has done production work on blockbusters from “Toy Story” and “A Bug’s Life” to “Monsters, Inc.” and “The Incredibles.” She has also served as director of marketing for the studio. The High Calling talked to Sarafian about what it’s like to work for a company that is notorious for its habit of changing course mid-project, how “Brave’s” protaganist Mirada inspired her, and how her faith informs her work.

Read the interview at TheHighCalling.

Posted on November 19, 2012 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Christianity, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, Family, Leadership, Redemption, Technology, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Art, Beauty, Brave, Christianity, Community, Culture, Entertainment, Ethics, Faith, Family, heroines, Katherine Sarafian, Leadership, Mirada, Pixar, Redemption, storytelling, Technology, TheHighCalling, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

A Funky Retirement: Celebrating Cornel West @UrbanFaith

In this audio clip, Lupe Fiasco dedicates a song to the well educated women of Princeton and talks about West’s influence. And, in these videos he, George Clinton & P-Funk jam.

In this audio clip, comedian Bill Maher talks about how he’ll use Cornel West to get into heaven if there is one.

In this audio clip, actor Harry Belefonte talks about how Cornel West inspires him.

In this audio clip, the Princeton University Gospel Ensemble, who opened the show, gives praise to Jesus.

In this audio clip, jazz musician Terrence Blanchard talks about Cornel West’s influence on him and then he and his band jam.

In these two audio clips, you’ll hear the Cornel West Theory perform. You have to see them live though. Really you do.

Finally, in this audio clip, Dr. Cornel West gives thanks.

To read my reflections on Cornel West, go to UrbanFaith.com.

You’ll find my full photo set at Flickr.

Posted on May 18, 2012 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Christianity, Community, Culture, Education, Ethics, Faith, Friendship, Humanism, Leadership, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Public Square, Race, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Art, Beauty, Bill Maher, Christianity, Community, Cornel West, Culture, Education, Entertainment, Ethics, Faith, Friendship, George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic, Harry Belefonte, Humanism, Leadership, Lupe Fiasco, Philosophy, Poetry, Politics, Princeton University Gospel Ensemble, Public Square, Race, Redemption, Social Action, Terrence Blanchard, the Cornel West Theory, Theology, UrbanFaith, UrbanFaith.com, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Photojournalism from Whitney Houston’s Home-going Service

Whitney Houston funeral guest showing program to journalists (photo by Christine A. Scheller)

For more photos from Whitney Houston’s Homegoing Service, click here.

Trying to Get the Money Shot at Whitney Houston's funeral (photo by Christine A. Scheller).

Trying to Get the Money Shot at Whitney Houston’s funeral (photo by Christine A. Scheller).

Posted on February 19, 2012 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, Journalism, Public Square, Redemption, Theology, Travel, Vocation

Art, Beauty, Celebrity, Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Faith, Fame, Family, Friendship, grief, Journalism, Journalists, Paparazzi, Privacy, Public Square, Redemption, Theology, Travel, UrbanFaith, Vocation, Whitney Houston Funeral

Photojournalism by Explorations Media, L.L.C.

I’ve recently created what I think are some compelling photo sets on Flickr. As a journalist, I prefer realism to photo-shopped images, though artistic renderings can sometimes reveal truth better than fact. I recommend viewing these sets as slideshows, as I’ve arranged each one to tell a story.

Seaside Heights Italian Festival & Columbus Day Parade

Laity Lodge 2011 Writers Retreat

Movement Day

New York City Premiere of Machine Gun Preacher

9/11 Tenth Anniversary Memorials

Jesus, Bombs, & Ice Cream by M.W. Scheller

Hurricane Irene

Posted on October 8, 2011 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Books, Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Democracy, Education, Ethics, Faith, Family, grief, History, Leadership, Medicine, Politics, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, Travel, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

& Ice Cream, 9/11 Tenth Anniversary, A.R. Bernard, Art, Beauty, Bedrooms, Bombs, Books, Christianity, church life, Collections, Community, Culture, DeForest Soaries, Democracy, Education, Entertainment, Erwin McManus, Ethics, Faith, Family, Gerard Butler, grief, History, Hurricane Irene, Jersey Shore, Jesus, Judaism, Leadership, Machine Gun Preacher, Manasquan, Medicine, Michelle Monaghan, Movement Day, Musical Instruments, Ocean Grove, Politics, Pt. Pleasant Beach, Public Square, Redemption, Religious Artifacts, Sam Childers, Shane Claiborne, Social Action, Spring Lake, Theology, Tim Keller, Travel, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

What I Wrote This Week @UrbanFaith: September 19-23

Mari White Presents the Newsboys: Entertainer Mari White hopes her new reality show about the popular Christian rock band The Newsboys is fresh, family-friendly television.
Christians Speak Out on Davis Execution: Death row inmate Troy Davis may be innocent, but he is scheduled to be executed tonight and Christian reactions are mixed.
Black Churches Buck Trends: While American churches overall have declined in attendance, Black churches thrive and encourage entrepreneurship, outreach, and profit-making.
“Machine Gun Preacher” Poses Tough Questions: A major new film presents an unsanitized portrayal of Christian conversion, but it also poses challenging questions about “redemptive violence.”

Posted on September 24, 2011 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Capitalism, Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, Friendship, grief, Leadership, Politics, Public Square, Race, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Angels of East Africa, Art, Baylor Religion Survey, Beauty, Black Church, Capital Punishment, Capitalism, Christianity, church life, Community, Culture, Entertainment, Ethics, Faith, Friendship, Gerard Butler, grief, Hartford Institute for Religion Research Decade of Change Study, Josephy Kony, Leadership, Lord's Resistance Army, Machine Gun Preacher, Mari White, Michelle Monaghan, Newsboys, Pacifism, Politics, Public Square, Race, Reality Television, Redemption, Redemptive Violence, Sam Childers, Social Action, Sudan, Theology, Troy Davis Execution, UrbanFaith.com, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

What I Wrote This Week @UrbanFaith: September 12-16

Truth at a Beauty Pageant: Miss Universe winner Leila Lopes of Angola highlights her nation’s troubles, says she’s happy with the way God made her, and declares racism so last century. Is her win redemptive?
Psalms for Poverty Statistics: The U.S. Census Bureau released its annual report today and the news isn’t good, but the Psalms offer hope to the people of God.

Posted on September 24, 2011 by cascheller

Beauty, Christianity, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, History, Leadership, Politics, Public Square, Race, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Angola, Beauty, Census Bureau Poverty Statistics, Christianity, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, History, Leadership, Leila Lopes, Miss Universe, Politics, Psalms, Public Square, Race, Racism, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, UrbanFaith.com, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Jesus, Bombs, & Ice Cream

Explorations Media sent photographer M.W. Scheller to cover this variety show that was co-hosted by activist/author Shane Claiborne and Ben & Jerry’s co-founder Ben Cohen. See the whole photo set here. Christine A. Scheller talked to Claiborne earlier in the week for Urban Faith. This is a bit of what he said about the event:

We planned Jesus, Bombs, and Ice Cream before we realized it was the tenth anniversary of 9/11, but then when we realized it was, we decided that there’s no better way to honor those who died on September 11 and those who are continuing to die now than to try to celebrate the possibilities of another, better world.

Here’s what Claiborne had to say about the event at The Huffington Post.

Posted on September 11, 2011 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Christianity, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, Leadership, Politics, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, Theology, Vocation

& Ice Cream, 9/11 anniversary, Art, Beauty, Ben Cohen, Bombs, Christianity, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, Jesus, Leadership, Politics, Psalters, Public Square, Redemption, Shane Claiborne, Social Action, Theology, Vocation, World Cafe Live

Only a Number Takes Top Prize at Jersey Shore Film Festival @NJ Shore Patch

Steven Besserman shares his ailing mother’s Holocaust memories in award winning documentary.

“A17855: This became my only identity. This was Auschwitz,” Aranka Besserman says in the film tribute to her memories of the Holocaust that her son Steven Besserman directed.

Only a Number premiered at the Garden State Film Festival in March and won the Best Feature Documentary prize in a field of about 100 documentaries at the Jersey Shore Film Festival last week.

“This is where my mother lost her mother. This is where she lost all human dignity. This is where she became only a number,” Steven says as he narrates her story from the fairytale-like places where it unfolded.

Hers is an unlikely story of finding lasting love amidst unspeakable evil. …

Read the whole thing at Manasquan Patch.

Posted on August 13, 2011 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Books, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Politics, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, Travel

Art, Beauty, Books, Community, Culture, Ethics, Faith, Family, Friendship, grief, History, Judaism, Politics, Public Square, Redemption, Social Action, Travel

Globetrotting toward a Spiritual Center and a Sense of Shared Humanity @NJShorePatch

Dean Fengya’s accidental adventure evolved into a business with a spiritual core.

If you’ve driven the stretch of Route 88 where Point Pleasant Beach meets Bay Head, you’ve probably noticed Dean Fengya’s colorful collection of ceramic pots at Globetrotter, the import store he’s been running for 17 years.

What you may not have noticed is the religious statuary that grounds the carefully arranged field of blue, green, and beige. Fengya doesn’t import it for its religious significance, but that hasn’t stopped customers from turning some of the artifacts into shrines.

“My criteria is beauty. I see something that’s beautiful or I meet people that I know can make something that’s beautiful, perhaps with a little bit of my guidance and direction… and we work together,” said Fengya.

The pursuit of beauty has led Fengya to over 100 countries and he has integrated goods from close to 30 nations into Globetrotter and a second location that is set to open on Route 35 in July, he said.

Take those brightly colored ceramic pots that surround the flagship store, for example. …

To read all about this delightful man and to see more photos of his beautiful wares, go to Manasquan Patch.

Posted on June 17, 2011 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Buddhism, Culture, Faith, Friendship, Islam, Philosophy, Public Square, Theology, Travel, Vocation

Art, Beauty, Buddhism, Culture, Faith, Friendship, Islam, NJ Shore Patch, Philosophy, Public Square, Theology, Travel, Vocation

What Does It Mean to Live Out Vocational Calling in a Local Context? @TheHighCalling

David Greusel has designed stadiums for major league teams including the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Houston Astros.

Yet this principal architect at Convergence Design in Kansas City, Missouri, suffered for years under the message that his work didn’t matter.

“It’s all going to burn anyway,” he heard from fellow Christians. “The only thing that lasts is the human soul.” Dualistic evangelical theology taught Greusel that designing buildings had no value, especially designing the kind of sports architecture that is his specialty.

Only in the last five or ten years has the architect felt confident in his vocational calling.

“God has called me to be an architect, to design buildings for people and communities and that’s what I’m supposed to be doing. That’s my ministry,” said Greusel.

More than just creating spaces though, his design style confronts the nihilistic philosophy that has dominated architecture for the last 80 or 90 years. …

Read the article here.

Posted on May 9, 2011 by cascheller

Art, Beauty, Community, Culture, History, Leadership, Philosophy, Public Square, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

Art, Beauty, Community, Culture, History, Leadership, Philosophy, Public Square, TheHighCalling, Theology, Vocation, Walkin' the Talk

1 2 3 »

Which Is the Better Story @Image Journal’s Good Letters blog

Recapturing Innocence With Ang Lee @TheHighCalling

A New Kind of Heroine @TheHighCalling

Photojournalism from Whitney Houston’s Home-going Service

Globetrotting toward a Spiritual Center and a Sense of Shared Humanity @NJShorePatch

What Does It Mean to Live Out Vocational Calling in a Local Context? @TheHighCalling

Homepage

Print →HTML

Print → Emoji

Print → Emoji

Emoji & Cursive > Print

Cursive → Print

Cursive → Print

Emoji and Cursive > Print

Cursive → Print

Cursive → Print

Cursive → Print

Cursive > Print