Executive Director, The Hymn Society in the United States and Canada
“Although there have been a number of recent hymns exploring new images for God, such texts have usually been geared for adults, while hymns and anthems for children have continued to use a more limited stock of titles and metaphors mistakenly regarded as an appropriate expression of tradition.
In this fresh and creative musical, author and composer make available a more comprehensive range of biblical images, celebrating both God and humanity in language that has been too long neglected. In doing so, they have helped to prepare the children who perform it and the audiences who attend it for greater appreciation and understanding of the images they will encounter in much new hymnody. In fact, several of the pieces in the musical could well be used as anthems interspersed in a hymn festival exploring the images of God being recovered and developed in recent hymns.
Imagine God! will open minds and hearts to a new appreciation of imagination as an essential element of sung faith.”
Molly T. Marshall
Professor of Theology and Spiritual Formation, Central Baptist Seminary, Kansas City, Missouri
“Jann Aldredge-Clanton and Larry Schultz perceptively understand that transforming the church’s language for God can profitably begin with children, whose imaginations are less bound to traditional images. Exploring the breadth of biblical metaphors, this winsome musical offers a fresh vision of the Triune God who reveals self in all of creation, especially through human creatures who share the divine imagination.
The composers know that naming the divine is fraught with challenges, yet necessary in order to know and love the God who delights in creaturely imaging. Most profound is the way the musical invites all to participate in the life of God as it is expressed in such earthly effects as breath, light, and friendship.”
C. Michael Hawn
Associate Professor Sacred Music, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
“At last, a musical that assumes children are more than cute and entertaining. Imagine God! encourages children to find both their theological and musical voice. Each melody enhances the simple, straightforward text without resorting to cliché. The vocal ranges bring out the authenticity of the children’s voices. The varied musical styles and accompanying instruments add colorful variety. The part writing is logical and attainable. Woven together, these elements form a wonderful blend of biblical truth and musical artistry.”
Evelyn Parker
Assistant Professor Christian Education, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas
“Imagine God! is a brilliant musical that will nurture a vibrant Christian faith in older children. Its creative use of metaphor invites children to explore concrete images of God and opens their imagination to infinite possibilities for naming and knowing God. Through these metaphors abstract ideas about God become more accessible and memorable.
Likewise, children experience different images for God through their multiple intelligences. This musical not only appeals to children’s musical intelligence, but also includes spatial, bodily-kinesthetic, linguistic, logical-mathematical and interpersonal intelligences.
Imagine God! is a valuable resource for Christian educators who nurture children’s faith in VBS and church camp settings.”
