Each morning before work my father read his Bible in the living room while he pulled up his socks and laced his shoes. I waited in the hallway for him to close the book and I’d go to him and sit on his knee. When my father bought a Bible for me, and with it a purple devotional, I joined him in the living room, reading and bowing my head in silent prayer.

When my friends, burdened, come to me and say they no longer believe in God, I tell them I love them nonetheless and understand their plight; that the faith of their parents no longer resonates with their hearts. The words used to describe my faith, the ones I read in old translations and from bright colored devotionals, are clichés and I no longer know what they mean. I must … Read More »

when you picture someone reading your work, how do you see them? what do they think about, wear, and do? or, maybe a better way to say it: who do you write for? and how do you see your writing nourishing others?

My readers include anyone who is genuinely interested in the spiritual and philosophical journey. Since much of my work focuses on Judaism and Jewish philosophy, many of my readers are Jewish. Some are very committed, Orthodox Jews, but others are less traditional. But I also have many Christian readers. Since the book is very philosophical, it is not light reading and therefore not everybody’s cup of tea. But, since my newest book, “The Conversation,” is a novel, it allows the reader to follow the main character through a spiritual and philosophical journey that is also intensely personal. Some of my … Read More »

I don’t know how to live as a writer.  I mean sure, I’ve lived almost thirty years and studied poetry, but I often find myself teaching and not writing, serving coffee and not writing, playing Settlers of Catan, eating ice cream, attending church and not writing.  Some days I think I should just be happy with these things– some days I am– but then the unrest returns, and I can’t sleep because I’m a terrible person, my life is meaningless, and I’ll fail at everything I care about.  Once I’ve stopped exaggerating, I think, “Maybe the unrest is legitimate; maybe I need to write.” I love Madeleine L’Engle because she feels a similar unrest, and as she writes through hope and doubt, she gives me courage to try.

I call her my friend Madeleine and speak of her in present tense, … Read More »

[the following is part two of Callid Keefe-Perry's interview about his new film "Made As Makers." you can read part one here. if you believe in the vision of the movie, please circulate these materials around your religious community! the film is free, accessible, and a great tool for starting discussion about faith, imagination, and making art.]

in your mind, what aspects of creativity most effectively bring the Kingdom of God into our reality–what do you do to make this Kingdom revealed in your own life?

I don’t actually think about it this way. I mean, the way the question is asked is a very normal way of asking things: Which kinds of X are good at getting us to Y? This seems upside-down when thinking about how God (and how God’s / kairos time) works. Things do not map … Read More »

[this week, Callid Keefe-Perry's documentary "Made as Makers" is released! the documentary is an exploration of how faith, imagination, and art come together in faith communities. Callid's interview below (and later this week!) discusses the film, his thoughts on creativity, and what he hopes the film might accomplish. the movie is great! and we hope that you'll check it out and show it to your faith community soon--movie night!']

your film “Made as Makers” is released on june 1. can you tell us about your hope for the film and what inspired it?

Sure. From its inception the film was supposed to be practical. That is, a discussion of theological topics addressed in such a way that they connected to the experience of people of faith. The film is intended as a tool to encourage dialogue and conversation about topics that … Read More »