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Naming the Animals: An Invitation to Creativity
What if creativity was not a talent given to a chosen few, but an invitation extended to us all? What if the desire for beauty was not gratuitous in life, but central to our faith? Drawing upon the biblical account of Creation and the witness of a myriad of creative thinkers, this book asserts that all of us—from plumbers to painters and meteorologists to musicians—were made in the image of an imaginative God. In that light, Naming the Animals encourages us to see creativity as an essential part of God’s design for partnership with humanity..
“Naming the Animals so gracefully guides artists into a deeper understanding of Kingdom creativity. The divine invitation to co-labor with the Creator pulls readers into the mystery of exponential possibilities and Spirit-breathed purpose…”
—Joy ike singer/songwriter
“Few people are willing to plumb the depths at the intersection of faith and art like Stephen Roach. He reminds me that the pursuit of creativity is also fellowship with the Divine, and his work has been a constant source of inspiration on my creative journey.”
—John Mark McMillan singer/songwriter
“…everything one could ask for in a representation of what is good, true, and beautiful. It is a rare offering served with common kindness, accessible language, evocative visual art, and the abiding presence of the unseen God. This is a book I will be re-reading again and again.”
—Lancia E. Smith The Cultivating Project
“Naming the Animals so gracefully guides artists into a deeper understanding of Kingdom creativity. The divine invitation to co-labor with the Creator pulls readers into the mystery of exponential possibilities and Spirit-breathed purpose…”
—Joy ike singer/songwriter
“Few people are willing to plumb the depths at the intersection of faith and art like Stephen Roach. He reminds me that the pursuit of creativity is also fellowship with the Divine, and his work has been a constant source of inspiration on my creative journey.”
—John Mark McMillan singer/songwriter
“…everything one could ask for in a representation of what is good, true, and beautiful. It is a rare offering served with common kindness, accessible language, evocative visual art, and the abiding presence of the unseen God. This is a book I will be re-reading again and again.”
—Lancia E. Smith The Cultivating Project
96 pages, Paperback
Published April 13, 2021
8 people are currently reading
195 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
September 14, 2021
A wonderful little book on our God-given mandate to be creative, no matter our individual vocations!
January 28, 2025
An inspiring book about finding and prioritizing creativity ❤️
March 1, 2021
Lawan Glasscock, executive director of Christians in the Visual Arts (CIVA), has said that this book is "a lovely primer about our collective call to be creative." And Lancia Smith of The Cultivating Project has written that this book "is everything one could ask for in a representation of what is good, true, and beautiful. It is a rare offering served with common kindness, accessible language, evocative visual art, and the abiding presence of the unseen God."
As the illustrator and co-author of this book, I can assure you that Stephen Roach has written a thoughtful, engaging book on creativity that EVERYONE should read.
Pick it up. Embrace creativity in your life!
As the illustrator and co-author of this book, I can assure you that Stephen Roach has written a thoughtful, engaging book on creativity that EVERYONE should read.
Pick it up. Embrace creativity in your life!
February 26, 2022
A short, sweet, and superb little book on the imago dei’s invitation to be a sub-creator alongside our Triune Creator.
Hitting on the essentials of creation, inspiration, contemplation, action, limitation, beatification, and glorification, this book argues for an absolute dependence upon God for all that is good, true, and beautiful in every form of human creativity.
With a large bibliography, interactions with a wide variety of authors, constant quotable paragraphs, and an ease of reading Roach’s work is immediately going on top of my life of recommendations for anyone who might want an introduction to the theology of creativity and the arts.
Hitting on the essentials of creation, inspiration, contemplation, action, limitation, beatification, and glorification, this book argues for an absolute dependence upon God for all that is good, true, and beautiful in every form of human creativity.
With a large bibliography, interactions with a wide variety of authors, constant quotable paragraphs, and an ease of reading Roach’s work is immediately going on top of my life of recommendations for anyone who might want an introduction to the theology of creativity and the arts.
August 29, 2021
There is a lot of talk about the melding of faith, the church, and creativity...but what does that look like? This little gem of a text, easily read in a day, shares that we are all born with the capacity to be creative; after all, we are made in God's image, reflecting His nature and capable of imagining, building, writing, painting, cooking...the chance of offering our gifts to others. We are made to bring beauty and goodness to the world. Delightful linocut illustrations by Ned Bustard add a simple image collection to this encouraging book.
April 12, 2021
One of the best ways I can describe this book is that it is encouraging.
If you are an artist needing permission or some fuel on the fire to make things that don’t fit in a box, or if you are feeling the boredom of a repetitious job, this book is for you.
‘Creativity is an inherent potential existing within everyone’.
I could list a thousand quotes from this book that make me excited about being a part of God’s kingdom but really you should just go and read this book for yourself.
If you are an artist needing permission or some fuel on the fire to make things that don’t fit in a box, or if you are feeling the boredom of a repetitious job, this book is for you.
‘Creativity is an inherent potential existing within everyone’.
I could list a thousand quotes from this book that make me excited about being a part of God’s kingdom but really you should just go and read this book for yourself.
January 14, 2022
I really enjoyed this tiny little book which is filled with good thoughts about beauty and faith and creativity and that every human is creative. I read it by the fire in the week after Christmas but the ideas in this book will warm any soul whenever and wherever it's read.
October 3, 2021
Easy, inspiring and encouraging read.
May 29, 2025
4.5 rounds up to 5
April 2, 2021
Great book. Inspiring.
Naming the Animals is a book that goes into why creativity and beauty is so importnat to life. Stephen Roach uses deep, convincing theology as well as practical apllication. I learnt a lot through reading this book and it really helped in renewing my mindset in the area of beauty and creativity.
I like how it is emphasised that we are made in the image of the Creator, a creative. If we are made in His image, then creativity is not for a select few but for all.
I was inspired by the chapters on contemplation and beautification. I have since been seeing beauty in the mundane and have been acknowledging the way we were created to long for beauty. If God is the most beautiful then it makes sense that we were made to desire beauty.
Stephen also writes about limitations and how important they are, where freedom is not found by trying to rid ourselves of any and every limitation. That rather leads to destruction. A great example he used was by saying how spontaneity is a reward for preparation, rather than a result of disorganisation.
If there is something that I would say I disliked, it would be that to get a real grip on all that Stephen shares would take multiple more reads. Either way, the book is short enough for that to be possible.
This book was amazing. It is a short book but requires time, thought and contemplation as it will take you deep into creativity and beauty, inspiring your call to reflect you Creator.
Naming the Animals is a book that goes into why creativity and beauty is so importnat to life. Stephen Roach uses deep, convincing theology as well as practical apllication. I learnt a lot through reading this book and it really helped in renewing my mindset in the area of beauty and creativity.
I like how it is emphasised that we are made in the image of the Creator, a creative. If we are made in His image, then creativity is not for a select few but for all.
I was inspired by the chapters on contemplation and beautification. I have since been seeing beauty in the mundane and have been acknowledging the way we were created to long for beauty. If God is the most beautiful then it makes sense that we were made to desire beauty.
Stephen also writes about limitations and how important they are, where freedom is not found by trying to rid ourselves of any and every limitation. That rather leads to destruction. A great example he used was by saying how spontaneity is a reward for preparation, rather than a result of disorganisation.
If there is something that I would say I disliked, it would be that to get a real grip on all that Stephen shares would take multiple more reads. Either way, the book is short enough for that to be possible.
This book was amazing. It is a short book but requires time, thought and contemplation as it will take you deep into creativity and beauty, inspiring your call to reflect you Creator.
March 29, 2021
There are some books that I know will always remain on my shelf, wherever I go. Stephen Roach’s ‘Naming the Animals’ has just joined the club.
This ‘invitation to creativity’ (to use the author’s own words) is a brilliant little book. Divided into seven memorable sections i.e. Inspiration, Glorification, Beautification, Roach offers deep insights into the creative process and the role of creativity in our world, drawing from the Genesis account.
It’s clear to me that this book has been born out of deep contemplation. Stephen Roach has done the hard work behind the scenes, and it pays off. This book put words to so much that I’ve felt but not been able to express; I don’t doubt that other artists will feel similar. It gives us permission to be who we are, while also calling us into who we may be. Naming the Animals has left me inspired and encouraged; in both the vision it paints for our lives, and the restoration of our world.
I’d recommend this to any fellow artists and people of faith. It may be short, but not a word is wasted. I’ll be quoting it and re-reading for years to come.
This ‘invitation to creativity’ (to use the author’s own words) is a brilliant little book. Divided into seven memorable sections i.e. Inspiration, Glorification, Beautification, Roach offers deep insights into the creative process and the role of creativity in our world, drawing from the Genesis account.
It’s clear to me that this book has been born out of deep contemplation. Stephen Roach has done the hard work behind the scenes, and it pays off. This book put words to so much that I’ve felt but not been able to express; I don’t doubt that other artists will feel similar. It gives us permission to be who we are, while also calling us into who we may be. Naming the Animals has left me inspired and encouraged; in both the vision it paints for our lives, and the restoration of our world.
I’d recommend this to any fellow artists and people of faith. It may be short, but not a word is wasted. I’ll be quoting it and re-reading for years to come.
May 2, 2021
As the producer of Makers and Mystics podcast and founder of The Breath and the Clay creative movement, Stephen Roach has normalized talking about faith in art and in bringing art back to our places of faith.
Naming the Animals reads like a summary of what we have learned over the years in those online and in-person forums. Those who are new in their faith in Christ and learning how to encounter God will find this a useful guide. Actually, what you are likely to discover is that God has been with you in the making all along.
The first half of the book sheds light on how God invites us to create with him and how we keep reconnecting to that invitation. The second half of the book empowers us to action - proving that God means for us to bring art into the world via the gifts he has given us. Our gifts and our works are not only meaningful, they are essential to establishing God's kingdom on earth.
Naming the Animals reads like a summary of what we have learned over the years in those online and in-person forums. Those who are new in their faith in Christ and learning how to encounter God will find this a useful guide. Actually, what you are likely to discover is that God has been with you in the making all along.
The first half of the book sheds light on how God invites us to create with him and how we keep reconnecting to that invitation. The second half of the book empowers us to action - proving that God means for us to bring art into the world via the gifts he has given us. Our gifts and our works are not only meaningful, they are essential to establishing God's kingdom on earth.
November 22, 2025
Stephen Roach draws from various sources and points of inspiration to highlight the spiritual-ness of creativity that will inspire and challenge your perspective on the subject — after all, what does it mean to be creative? What does it mean to have been created by a creative God? And what is the role of the human towards the rest of creation?
Don't let the size of the book fool you into thinking this is another light serving of fluff : this slim volume is full of insights to chew on and talk about with fellow creatives as well as with those who think that they're not creative at all. The researcher in me is already honing in on some of the other works he referenced as potential next reads (also, this book has great endnotes!). As a bonus, you can read this book in tandem with the episodes of his podcast "Makers & Mystics" aptly entitled "Naming the Animals" from 2022, though this is a good read on its own.
Don't let the size of the book fool you into thinking this is another light serving of fluff : this slim volume is full of insights to chew on and talk about with fellow creatives as well as with those who think that they're not creative at all. The researcher in me is already honing in on some of the other works he referenced as potential next reads (also, this book has great endnotes!). As a bonus, you can read this book in tandem with the episodes of his podcast "Makers & Mystics" aptly entitled "Naming the Animals" from 2022, though this is a good read on its own.
March 25, 2021
I’m a pastor and visual artist. This is my kind of jam.
I heard about it on a fluke, was intrigued by the title, was disappointed and skeptical about the length at first, but was willing to give it a shot, and ultimately was blown away.
This tiny volume is carefully curated and cultivated. It beautifully weaves Biblical narrative, a harvest of compelling quotes, smart illustrations, and the wisdom that comes from lived experience.
Check it out: It will give your mind pause, enlarge your heart, call you to a higher humanity, and inspire you to create.
It's a must-have resource and a worthy gift for creatives in your life!
Thank you, Stephen Roach, Ned Bustard, and Square Halo Books!
I heard about it on a fluke, was intrigued by the title, was disappointed and skeptical about the length at first, but was willing to give it a shot, and ultimately was blown away.
This tiny volume is carefully curated and cultivated. It beautifully weaves Biblical narrative, a harvest of compelling quotes, smart illustrations, and the wisdom that comes from lived experience.
Check it out: It will give your mind pause, enlarge your heart, call you to a higher humanity, and inspire you to create.
It's a must-have resource and a worthy gift for creatives in your life!
Thank you, Stephen Roach, Ned Bustard, and Square Halo Books!
October 29, 2022
In high school and college I thought a lot about the intersection of faith and art. Through my own experiences, I came to an understanding of how these two things are integrated, but I never came across anything in writing that satisfactory reflected my own views.
As I read this little book, I kept thinking about how un-new these ideas were, because Roach articulates *so many* of the thoughts I’ve had over the years.
I also appreciated how Roach considered creative endeavors that aren’t traditionally associated with the arts.
As I read this little book, I kept thinking about how un-new these ideas were, because Roach articulates *so many* of the thoughts I’ve had over the years.
I also appreciated how Roach considered creative endeavors that aren’t traditionally associated with the arts.
August 9, 2023
When I picked up this book, I did it entirely based on the uniqueness of the title and the subtitle. I liked the concept of "An invitation to Creativity".
Little did I know the religious aspect of the book - that, was an amazingly pleasant surprise for me!
I learned a lot, and further understood my own relationship with God.
This book not only enhanced my spiritual beliefs but showed me the glory of what creativity really is.
Would highly recommend for anyone searching for a deeper meaning of what "creativity" actually means.
Little did I know the religious aspect of the book - that, was an amazingly pleasant surprise for me!
I learned a lot, and further understood my own relationship with God.
This book not only enhanced my spiritual beliefs but showed me the glory of what creativity really is.
Would highly recommend for anyone searching for a deeper meaning of what "creativity" actually means.
January 28, 2026
I have been reading this one off and on for a few months. I'm not sure why it took me so long to read it though because it is phenomenal. It is so encouraging and inspiring. As my kids get older, I think I'm going to include it as part of their homeschool just because I think it's such a good resource on the theology of creating.
March 2, 2025
This book does a good job of picturing creativity as a collaborative outpouring of communion with God.
April 10, 2025
Delightful and encouraging small book exploring the big ideas of faith and creativity.
December 30, 2024
A beautiful concise reflection on Christianity and creativity!
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews