SONGS IN WAITING
An Artistic Advent Celebration of Middle Eastern Canticles
Paul G. Chandler
Inspiring reflection and a sense of wonder along the journey toward celebrating Jesus’ birth, Paul G. Chandler highlights themes from the ancient Middle Eastern songs sung around the birth of Jesus: the Song of Mary – traditionally called “The Magnificat,” the Song of Zecharias, “The Benedictus,” the Song of the Angels to the Shepherds, “The Gloria,” and the Song of Simeon, “The Nunc Dimittis.”
These four songs, full of hope, mystery and divine purpose, have played an important role in religious celebration within the last two millennia, inspiring the work of artists and musicians over the centuries. Grounded in the original context of their Middle Eastern cultural settings, the talk draws from the arts, visual and literary, breathing new life into the scenes surrounding these songs sung around the birth of Jesus.
Artwork: Capturing the essence of these songs, the inspirational paintings of the celebrated contemporary sacred artist Daniel Bonnell, are woven throughout the presentation.
Daniel Bonnell, A Sword Shall Pierce Your Heart, Oil on canvas
This presentation is based upon Chandler’s book titled Songs in Waiting, a book of spiritual meditations on these four ancient Middle Eastern songs.
“This very moving little book shows God’s involvement with the Middle East and with us all. . .”