This is probably my favorite painting of all time. Painted in 1872 by Ivan Nikolaevich Kramskoi (Иван Николаевич Крамской) - don't know if you can see that, it's cyrillic if you can't - (1837-1887).This painting brings me to the point of tears, my heart aches for the humanity and humility that seeps through Kramskoi's almost photographic technique. I had heard that paintings could be "haunting" but I didn't know what that meant till I saw this. Kramskoi basically reaches in and rips out your heart, dropping you to your knees in reverential awe of Christ's wilderness trials.
Christian art plays one of the most important parts in the believer's life and in the witnessing to non-believers. Art has the ability to grab from within, those outside. But I think the placement and usage of Christian art is something with which we need exercise great care. Let me explain.
The second commandment in the Decalogue says,
Decalogue by Jekuthiel Sofer (1768)
As well, paint, stone (and all too often, language) tend to make us think in concrete ways of what is often so broad in scope that we do it a great injustice. Michelangelo's works are absolutely fantastic, but they do seem to draw more attention than direct it to Him Who Michelangelo intended to honor. Also we have the very sticky problem of people coming to think that the God of heaven and earth is a bearded old guy.
Though works of art or literature or sculpture can be used - and I feel should be used - for the glory of God, they may also be detrimental to our faith. The danger lies in the power of the works to raise our emotional and psychological states to the equivalent of drug-like highs. Outside the church meeting place this can prove a wonderful miracle; inside it can give us a false sense of spirituality. We walk into a beautiful and mysterious architectural opus, the interior walled with fantastic stained glass, lighting it in ways that evoke such splendor and awe that our soul truly feels the humility that such buildings purpose. Canters swing, the choir chants and small candles lit in the front all speak of transient glory. This is wonderful - but it is not founded in anything in the New Testament or teachings of Christ, and more to the point, it has nothing to do with true spirituality.
Mucha's stained glass, St. Vitus Cathedral, Prague
Art can bring us to the edge of wonder where dazzling emotion and inspiration are taken for spiritual. This is a terrible thing! The senses overflow our brain chemistry, filling us with feelings of love and reverence. But these are feelings. Love is really an action verb. Worship is sacrifice. God is the God who speaks. He acts, He does. He loves. He gives.
When I first saw my wife I thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. I still do. I could not even imagine that she would go out with me so I didn't ask. I just sat back and appreciated. I even went out of my way to catch a glimpse and "appreciate." In short, I adored her looks. But it had nothing to do with her, who she was. Nor was that adoration really loving her. In fact, it had (still has) very little to do with loving her at all aside from perhaps the initial attraction. Real love costs and it costs dearly. It costs time; it costs sacrifice; it costs you. In fact, it costs your life. It even cost God His.
Week after week, Christians walk into a "church building," affected by sculptures, artworks and speeches, architecture and music meant to honor the Living God. And they do. But I do so wish that you and I would let it be at that and not be moved by our emotions which produce such subtle workings of our subscious that an irreparable rift forms between our "House of God/Spiritual" life and our daily spiritual life. O that our experience of God might not rely on a specific place, time, or subconscious feeling, but that our Spiritual High take place every moment of every day, with the God Who walks among us.
I wish for us to gather together and honor God with our whole lives, in spirit and in truth. I wish for us to create but not be so swayed by the responses that those creations, the art and the speech of men bring that we mistake the works of Man or even works of God for God Himself.
So go. Go create, paint, write - speak with whatever voice God has granted you. And go love. Do it with the reverence and affection for our Lord that He deserves. In all you do, do it for the glory of God. Worship but worship in spirit and in truth.
Next: Spiritual Gifts or the Kingdom!
(1) Jimmy Swaggert . Originally, "Music..."
all artwork is the copyright of their respective owners.
Christian art plays one of the most important parts in the believer's life and in the witnessing to non-believers. Art has the ability to grab from within, those outside. But I think the placement and usage of Christian art is something with which we need exercise great care. Let me explain.
The second commandment in the Decalogue says,
"4 You shall not make for yourself an idol, whether in the form of anything that is in heaven above, or that is on the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I the Lord your God am a jealous God..." (Exodus 20:4-5)Clearly man's propensity is to worship the Created instead of the Creator, the seen rather than the unseen. "[Art](1), ladies and gentlemen, is the gift of God; it was given to man to offer praises to God and to lift us up to him and to exalt Him, to touch the tender recesses of our hearts and of our minds."
Decalogue by Jekuthiel Sofer (1768)As well, paint, stone (and all too often, language) tend to make us think in concrete ways of what is often so broad in scope that we do it a great injustice. Michelangelo's works are absolutely fantastic, but they do seem to draw more attention than direct it to Him Who Michelangelo intended to honor. Also we have the very sticky problem of people coming to think that the God of heaven and earth is a bearded old guy.
Though works of art or literature or sculpture can be used - and I feel should be used - for the glory of God, they may also be detrimental to our faith. The danger lies in the power of the works to raise our emotional and psychological states to the equivalent of drug-like highs. Outside the church meeting place this can prove a wonderful miracle; inside it can give us a false sense of spirituality. We walk into a beautiful and mysterious architectural opus, the interior walled with fantastic stained glass, lighting it in ways that evoke such splendor and awe that our soul truly feels the humility that such buildings purpose. Canters swing, the choir chants and small candles lit in the front all speak of transient glory. This is wonderful - but it is not founded in anything in the New Testament or teachings of Christ, and more to the point, it has nothing to do with true spirituality.
Mucha's stained glass, St. Vitus Cathedral, PragueWhen I first saw my wife I thought she was the most beautiful woman in the world. I still do. I could not even imagine that she would go out with me so I didn't ask. I just sat back and appreciated. I even went out of my way to catch a glimpse and "appreciate." In short, I adored her looks. But it had nothing to do with her, who she was. Nor was that adoration really loving her. In fact, it had (still has) very little to do with loving her at all aside from perhaps the initial attraction. Real love costs and it costs dearly. It costs time; it costs sacrifice; it costs you. In fact, it costs your life. It even cost God His.
Week after week, Christians walk into a "church building," affected by sculptures, artworks and speeches, architecture and music meant to honor the Living God. And they do. But I do so wish that you and I would let it be at that and not be moved by our emotions which produce such subtle workings of our subscious that an irreparable rift forms between our "House of God/Spiritual" life and our daily spiritual life. O that our experience of God might not rely on a specific place, time, or subconscious feeling, but that our Spiritual High take place every moment of every day, with the God Who walks among us.
I wish for us to gather together and honor God with our whole lives, in spirit and in truth. I wish for us to create but not be so swayed by the responses that those creations, the art and the speech of men bring that we mistake the works of Man or even works of God for God Himself.
So go. Go create, paint, write - speak with whatever voice God has granted you. And go love. Do it with the reverence and affection for our Lord that He deserves. In all you do, do it for the glory of God. Worship but worship in spirit and in truth.
Next: Spiritual Gifts or the Kingdom!
(1) Jimmy Swaggert . Originally, "Music..."
all artwork is the copyright of their respective owners.
2 comments:
Interesting post, James. I think the issues you've identified were identified by Luther and his followers during the Reformation - they threw out most of the trappings of the Catholic church: statues, gold, elaborate alters, even changed the architecture of the churches significantly, making it a lot simpler. I think we are seeing a bit of a shift back to the pre-Luther days in some of the larger churches around the world. And I do think this takes away from the real meaning of the place. People can get so caught up in what it looks like they forget WHY its there. And its not just the people in the pews. Sometimes it's the man up front that drives the quest for bigger and 'better'.
I think what you've briefly mentioned about where we get our spiritual high from is an issue that needs a post of its own, and I might do that on the weekend. Its something that particularly concerns me as a high school teacher. Watch this space!
Good article James. Poignant, because yes, we do tend to worship the created more than the Creator. Boy oh boy do I love singing at our church, but there are too many times I find myself bummed when the choir starts to perform a tune with a melody or arrangement that does not jive with the big M-E. There's absolutely nothing wriong with a powerful and emotional song. I'm sure Amazing Grace has converted thousands and subsequently millions because of its emotional impact; but as already-believing Christians we need to train our hearts to be true worshipers that resonates throughout the week, not just concert goers looking for a 5-minute thrill.
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