An interesting article you may want to check out-
"How to Discourage Artists in the Church"
http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2013/05/28/how-to-discourage-artists-in-the-church/
You need to be a member of CCAS - Christian Comic Arts Society to add comments!
Replies
This is an excellent article and I want to bump it back up into the light of day.
Amen! I couldn't agree more.
Steve Crespo said:
I see this form post is kinda old but..... i'mma put something anywho. I can relate a lot to the article yeah.
Also
I can sorta understand in reformation how Martin Luther might cut some art things out. Art isn't evil, all good and perfect things are from God but art appeals heavily to the flesh and some of the ways art was used back in the day was almost like pagan worship. Statues and images that were prayed to like gods in the catholic church and for a time in reformation needed to be removed so people could separate themselves from it.
now it's just a matter of biblically reestablishing the place of art in the church. Maybe this is an age where we bring art back? Lord knows. It's a passion I think God will just put in his people and it will just increase over time.
Alec
I'm not saying that Martin Luther was necessarily anti-art, but that it was during this time of the Reformation he did go to certain extents to 'trim' the art on Church. I don't remember the page, but the book I read at this time that mentioned this in more detail was "Walk On" the journey of U2.
Martin Luther employed Lucas Cranach the Elder to create woodcuts for his German translation of the Bible, as well as for tracts exposing the fallacy of Roman Catholicism---and, sadly, for his anti-semitic rants (later in life) which Adolf Hitler notoriously seized upon, quoting in Mein Kampf. I don't know why you think Martin Luther was anti-art. Cranach was a famed Renaissance painter who also did the portraits of Luther and his wife, and his parents.
Alec
When I was working on my Masters, I wrote a paper on the Christian Influence of modern rock musicians. While researching, I found that after the Reformation is when artist had a hard time getting back in with the church. Martin Luther got rid of all the pomp of Christian tradition but that also included stain glass and paintings. Fast forward to today and we see that artist still haven't been properly reconciled with the Church. I think the only way to fix this is to educate Churches on what is supposed to do, not what they want it to do.
You can accomplish all that without without being too "preachy". One can mention Jesus Christ one time in an issue and still minister or bring forth the Gospel. Did Christ constantly use scriptures to minister or convey his point? No... He used Parables also.
2 Corinthians 4:1-7
1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God.
3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.
6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
Thanks Steve; that was REALLY binding me up!!!
Robert,
Yes, there is great pressure for Christian artists to work on only committee approved Christian themes and images. It is a shame.
The biggest misconception in art in general, and Christian art specifically, is that the work is just a means to an end. Many in the church think that if a song, or a painting, or a story, or anything creative doesn't lead someone to the Lord, if it doesn't evangelize, then it is either worldly, worthless, or evil.
But art, from what I see in history, and in creation, is it's own end. We ought to create from the joy of the Lord, in whatever form it takes, with no other purpose than to create with, through, and in Him.
Paul's admonition to set our minds on that which is good, true, and noble ought to be a primary guide. Let the work speak for itself. Just create, and do so firmly planted in the freedom of Christ.
There will ALWAYS be those in the church thumping away, hurling Scriptures at us like rocks, and telling us we're on a slippery slope. Blah. Blah. Blah.
Create WITH God, and let the thumpers thump away.
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next