Tamisha Tyler
8 min read ⭑
“It was always difficult to find my place as an artist and a Christian. It was as if everyone wanted me to talk only about Sunday when I was more interested and invested in the Saturday shadows and deep pain that existed before the Sunday dawn.”
Dr. Tamisha Tyler is a theologian, artist and — above all — lover of people. She currently serves as a visiting professor of theology and culture and theopoetics at Bethany Theological Seminary. Tamisha’s hunger for knowledge and connection has been a consistent theme in her life, from deep conversations in her single-parent upbringing to diving into Octavia Butler’s genius for her Ph.D. Her poetry, artwork and collaborations are just a few ways she strives to spread love and empathy in this broken world of ours. Join us for an enlightening conversation about karaoke, the trappings of social media, theopoetics (and what that means) and more.
QUESTION #1: ACQUAINT
There’s much more to food than palate and preference. How does a go-to meal at your favorite hometown restaurant reveal the true you behind the web bio?
Food is where I show my California roots the most. My top three cuisines are soul food, Mexican food and Korean food. Soul food is my heart food and probably what I cook the most, but I remember growing up sharing menudo with my mom every weekend from the local restaurant down the street from our home in Long Beach, California.
As I got older and moved around Southern California, I developed my own palate, but a warm bowl of menudo stuck with me. It’s probably why I’m drawn to comfort stews in most cuisines.
We have some of the best Korean food in the world in Los Angeles, so it wasn’t hard to fall in love with it. Kimchi Jjigae and Soondubu are two Korean stews that still have my heart. If I had to pick a restaurant, though, it would be the local diner in my home of Pasadena, California. They have the best American breakfast in the city. You will always catch me there on a Sunday morning, at the bar with my Kindle and a steaming cup of coffee (with vanilla creamer, of course).
Nikola Đuza; Unsplash
QUESTION #2: REVEAL
We’ve all got quirky proclivities and out-of-the-way interests. So what are yours? What so-called “nonspiritual” activity (or activities) do you love engaging in, which also help you find essential spiritual renewal?
Karaoke. It may not be the most conventional of answers, but there’s a lot to be discovered in this practice. I’ll start by saying this isn’t just a personal practice; it’s a family tradition. Ever since I was little, my mom, my siblings, and I would always sing on whatever karaoke machine we had at the moment. It could be for a holiday (like Mother’s Day, when we would sing songs about moms or anything our mother requested) or for no other reason than boredom.
Throughout the years, though, this fun activity has taught me many lessons. First, there’s something deeply moving about feeling those deep, resonating vibrations when you sing. It brings me such joy and really has a way of calming me. Secondly, singing in a room full of strangers who don’t care about your talent and will often join in creates this unique communal space that makes you feel so seen. I’ve met many wonderful people from all walks of life in karaoke bars.
QUESTION #3: CONFESS
Every superhero has a weakness. Every human, too. We’re just good at faking it. But who are we kidding? We’re broken and in this thing together. So what’s your kryptonite, and how do you hide it?
I would say that my weakness is social media. Not posting, just scrolling. At first, it started as a fascination with how people portrayed their lives online. I would follow lives and read comments and learn so much. But at some point, it became my way to escape. Whenever I’m feeling anxious, I just scroll. It became a way to avoid what was going on in my own life by watching the public portrayal of others.
QUESTION #4: FIRE UP
Tell us about your toil. How are you investing your professional time right now? What’s your current obsession? And why should it be ours?
It was always difficult to find my place as an artist and a Christian. It was as if everyone wanted me to talk only about Sunday when I was more interested and invested in the Saturday shadows and deep pain that existed before the Sunday dawn. It was also always difficult to understand why it felt like creative practice was abandoned unless it served a particular purpose of sharing the gospel.
It wasn’t until graduate school that I discovered theopoetics. Theopoetics is a way of approaching relationship with and discovery about God that was unafraid of my doubt and pushback. Through creative, embodied practices, I learned to articulate ideas about God. It was less about being right and more about being curious.
Secondly, the work of Octavia Butler gave me a wake-up call to the ways religion can and has been used for change. This is why I study her work in relation to religion. These experiences are also why I teach on Butler and other aspects of theopoetics, including a class on Afrofuturism and an upcoming class on worldbuilding and theology where we explore theology through playing tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons. Immersing my students in experiences aids in their transformation. If I could be anything, I’d be the “Miss Frizzle” of theological education!
QUESTION #5: BOOST
Cashiers, CEOs, contractors, or customer service reps, we all need grace flowing into us and back out into the world. How does the Holy Spirit invigorate your work? And how do you know it’s God when it happens?
I find inspiration in the making. Sometimes, it’s hard just to make things as a hobby, especially when everyone thinks that the things you make are for the public because you’ve made the vocational decision to be an artist. But before I used my creativity (especially my poetry) as part of my vocation, I used it as part of my healing and connection to my spirituality. Writing was the first way I learned to articulate my feelings and needs.
Now that I write and teach for a living, other forms of creativity help me return to myself. Coloring is a great way to get quiet and just play. Learning to play the guitar gets me away from words and into my body. Singing reminds me that I have been given the tools for my journey of healing. It is in making that I sense God’s presence the most.
QUESTION #6: inspire
Scripture and tradition beckon us into the rich and varied habits that open our hearts to the presence of God. So let us in. Which spiritual practice is working best for you right now?
Because I’m a “Saturday” girlie, and because I often study and teach dystopia and sci-fi, I often find that I focus on the critical or try to take back control by preparing for the worst-case scenario. Because of this, I started incorporating a meditation that I call “best way forward.” I do this by finding my favorite place to sit (for me, that’s my comfy, bright yellow chair with an ottoman so I can put my feet up) and getting really comfortable. I close my eyes, take a few deep breaths and think about a situation in my life. But instead of thinking of the worst-case scenario, I think of the best one. What is the best possible outcome that could happen? I imagine it as clearly and in as much detail as I can. Then, I take note of how I would feel at that moment.
I do this because I want to be someone who expects the best from God, not the worst. I want the expectation that Jesus describes in Matthew 7, where we expect the good things we ask for. Often, I’m the child who expects a stone when I ask for bread. This meditation reminds me of the good gifts God has for us.
QUESTION #7: FOCUS
Looking backward, considering the full sweep of your unique faith journey and all you encountered along the way, what top three resources stand out to you? What changed the game and changed your heart?
One of the questions that drives my work is very simple: What are the artists doing? I want to know how artists are responding to various things happening in the world, and I want to know how faith changes that (if at all).
The one book that solidified this question for me was Octavia E. Butler’s “Parable of the Sower” (and “Parable of the Talents”). This book is about a 15-year-old’s journey in thinking through who God is in response to the injustice happening in her world. It’s raw and often hard to face, but that’s because Butler holds up a mirror and pulls you into the truth. The other resources that helped in that regard are Monica A. Coleman’s “Making a Way out of No Way,” and Rubem Alves’ The Poet, The Warrior, The Prophet.
We all have things we cling to to survive (or even thrive) in tough times — times like these! Name one resource you’re savoring and/or finding indispensable in this current season, and tell us what it’s doing for you.
Currently, “This Here Flesh” and “Black Liturgies” by Cole Arthur Riley are two works that are helping me stay grounded. “Rest Is Resistance” by Tricia Hersey is reminding me to stop and rest, and “Homecoming” by Dr. Thema Bryant is helping me return to myself.
QUESTION #8: dream
God is continually stirring new things in each of us. So give us the scoop! What’s beginning to stir in you but not yet fully awakened? What can we expect from you in the future?
Right now, I’m working on two books. The first is an in-depth look into theopoetics. So much of what we have on the topic is historical. The view in my book will help us to ground it in practice and to pay attention to how our imagination plays a central role in our faith.
The second is a book on the work of Octavia E. Butler and religion. She has so much to share with us, and I’m honored to work on this project.
I’m also working on a new podcast highlighting women of color who incorporate spirituality into their work and may bring back the “Why We’re Friends” podcast through Level Ground, a Los Angeles-based arts collective.
How much has social media permeated our society? Consider a few facts:
Facebook alone had over 246 million U.S.-based users in 2023.
The average person spends over 2.5 hours on social media per day.
50% of adults in the U.S. sometimes or often get news from social media.
Of course, these statistics aren’t inherently good or bad — they’re just numbers. But considering that research has linked social media use with poor sleep (which, in turn, is connected to depression, memory loss and low academic performance), it’s worth paying attention to how (and how much) we consume social media.
If you want to be more intentional with your social media consumption, try reflecting on the following questions: How is social media influencing my thoughts, desires and actions? What changes might be helpful to make (e.g., not following certain influencers anymore, decreasing time spent on certain apps, etc.)?
May this be our prayer this week: “Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word” (Psalm 119:37, NIV).
Dr. Tamisha A. Tyler (she/her) is a Theopoet, scholar and visiting assistant professor of theology and culture and theopoetics at Bethany Theological Seminary in Richmond, Indiana. Her research interests include theopoetics, theology and the arts, Afrofuturism, Black popular culture and science fiction. She is part of the Level Ground artist collective in Los Angeles, California, and her work can be seen in Feminism in Religion’s blog and Fuller Magazine. Her latest project explores religion in the literary world of Octavia Butler.
