The arts--merely entertaining or indispensable? The arts belong to the Christian life. And in 'The Liberated Imagination, ' author Leland Ryken explores the God-ordained significance of art--its nature and purpose in relating to truth and everyday life. For both artist and audience, for student, teacher, and critic, this book is a road to discovering how participation in art and the imagination leads to a more intense sharing in life's riches, a deeper celebration of all that God has created, and a new awareness of the wideness of his grace. 'The Liberated Imagination' is a civilized, not to say baptized, treatment of what happens when a Christian confronts culture. What Leland Ryken has done is simply to validate the artistic experience and to tell Christians the deep artistic truth that they already unconsciously know."" --William Griffin, contributing editor of 'Publisher's Weekly' Professor Ryken reawakens the wonder and tension in our response to the arts by suggesting ways in which the Christian may find and value intimations of the divine in human creations. --Sr. Maura Eichner, Professor of English, College of Notre Dame of Maryland All too many Christians are uneasy about the arts. This book provides a brilliantly clear and systematic approach to the arts from a Christian perspective."" --Corbin Scott Carnell, Professor of English, University of Florida, Past President of the Conference on Christianity and Literature Leland Ryken is an eminently reasonable and insightful critic. All the essential questions about the arts and Christianity are here. 'The Liberated Imagination' should liberate its readers to experience the reflection of God's glory to be found in the arts. I recommend it highly."" --Harold Fickett, author of The Holy Fool Leland Ryken is widely respected in Christian higher education as a scholar and prolific writer. His reputation for being both thorough and insightful is borne out in this examination of the relationship of the Christian faith to the arts. Thoughtful Christians will find 'The Liberated Imagination' to be provocative and highly readable."" --Karen A. Longman, Greenville College Leland Ryken is Clyde S. Kilby Professor of English at Wheaton College. He has authored fourteen books including 'How to Read the Bible as Literature, ' 'Worldly Saints: The Puritans as They Really Were, ' and 'Work and Leisure in Christian Perspective.'