CCCA Launch, 2013

Biola University’s Center for Christianity, Culture and the Arts officially launched Sept. 20,, 2013 with the dedication of the newly renovated art gallery — dedicated to Earl and Virginia Green — and a concert under the stars. Drawing from Christianity’s rich historical past of incorporating beauty and art, the new center seeks to close the schism of faith and art that arose in the past century with contemporary Christianity. To celebrate and launch the center’s exploration of the arts and faith, the gallery featured the show Amass: The Paintings of Linnéa Gabriella Spransy. Spransy’s show is about limitation and finding harmony within limitation. Her paintings seek to reflect the belief that limits can result in freedom. The evening concluded with a jazz concert on the lawn featuring five renowned musicians — Biola professor Rique Pantoja, keyboard; Alex Acuña, drums and percussion; Abe Laboriel, Sr., bass; Mike Bagasao, sax; and gospel vocalist Linda McCrary — who share a spiritual and artistic depth as they play across musical idioms encompassing jazz, contemporary Christian, Latin and gospel music forms.