The Trinity Institute

THE ARTS AT THE INSTITUTE

Caedmon's Fellowship - Artist-in-Residence Program

The Caedmon Fellowship is the Artist-in-Residence Program of the Trinity Institute. The fellowship includes free residency at the Institute for a period of time for Christian artists so that they may have a place to work in a quiet and affirming environment without the normal day-to-day cares to worry about; thereby they can have uninterrupted time for their work, and be able to work in solitude and without distractions in any area of the arts.

The Caedmon Fellows are responsible for their own food, insurance and other expenses. Interested artists can apply to the Director for the Caedmon Fellowship.

A previous recipient of the Fellowship was Clint von Hummel, a L.A. actor and writer. With the fellowship Clint was able to complete some screenplays as well as a historical novel entitled Arminius.

The naming of Caedmon's Fellowship

The Caedmon Fellowship is named after Caedmon, the author of the very first poem in the English language, and herdsman who lived in the mid-seventh century England near Hild's monastery of Streanaeshalch (later known as Whitby - where a grand synod was convened in 661 to debate the differences between the Celtic and Roman churches); he probably worked as a laybrother at the monastery. Robert Boenig tells the story of Caedmon's call in the following way (in Anglo-Saxon Spirituality: Selected Writings, pg.47-48):

"... sometime close to the year 670, the miracle that initiated English poetry occurred to him. At a feast, a harp was passed around so each person there could in turn sing a song by way of mutual entertainment. But Caedmon left before it was his turn, for he had no skills at poetry. At watch among the animals that night he had a vision in which an angel appeared and demanded of him the song he had failed to produce earlier. After some protest, he complied, offering the nine-line creation-hymn (actually a poetical paraphrase of the first verse in the book of Genesis). This is the earliest recorded poem in the English language.

The next morning he sang it before the doubtless amazed reeve, his superior, who brought him to Hild, who, responsive to the miracle, elevated Caedmon to the status of choir monk (thereby conferring on him a sort of honorary literacy) and enjoined him to continue his poetic efforts. Bede (the first English church historian) recounts his methods. A literate monk would read him a passage from the Bible; he would ruminate over it like a cow chewing the cud (Bede's metaphor - taken from the Bible, of course, but also some sort of reference to caedmon's former employment), and then the next morning he would offer up a poem. Bede gives a short resume of Caedmon's publications, as we would now call it, including poetical versions of the books of Genesis and Exodus and a poem on Judgment Day. Caedmon lived for some years in his monastery, continuing his poetical efforts, and he died there a saintly, tranquil, and humble death."

Tehuacana Christian Arts Colony

The arts have always been an important component of the Trinity Institute. An emerging group of artists has begun to journey to Tehuacana because at the Institute they have found a safe place to grow in their Christian faith and develop their art. Whereas in many Christian groups the arts has at best been seen as trivial to the life of faith, at the Institute, it is respected and honored as a gift from God to be nurtured and cultivated in a supporting, safe and healing environment.

To this end the Institute seeks to:

Provide seminars for both artists and non-artists in the creative arts, learning how to think clearly, creatively and reflectively from a Biblical worldview on what it means to be a Christian and an artist. The purpose of the time in Tehuacana is not to be a "connection " or pathway inroad into the various industries related to the arts but rather a place where a person has the space to develop spiritually, theologically and artistically to return to their regular lives, better equipped and refreshed to be what they need to be in the world they live in. This would take the form of the annual Trinity Arts Conference in Dallas, summer week-long workshops in Tehuacana with leading artists in various disciplines holding "master class" type seminars; artists from various disciplines would be able to study with their peers under a master teacher, presenting some of their works-in-progress for constructive evaluation. Along with times of spiritual devotion, Bible study and worship, the participants will be helped to think reflectively about their work by the presence of a theologian/philosopher-in-residence. Check back for dates and topics.
Provide a place for the exhibition of their craft through the art gallery and or/performances in Texas Hall.
Provide library and resource materials for reference, research and educational purposes in the Trinity Institute Library (4th floor of Texas Hall).
Sponsor other national and regional specialized arts-related conferences. Watch the web site for announcements of such events.