This blog won’t begin with one of those. It will begin right in the middle of what’s going on in my life. A certain special son-in-law was helping me get my blog set up by giving gentle critique and encouragement from his vast store of blogging expertise (check out his blogs in the blog roll on the right). After I submitted the text of the “About Me” section that you see in the bar on the right to him for editing, he responded with a question:
“My only curiosity is, what have you learned from all those experiences that confirms your beliefs, especially about Art and all that?”Instead of answering him, I grabbed at the offering of blog fodder and told him I’d make the answer part of one of the first posts (pretending, of course, that I had so much to say already that I was making a bit of a sacrifice to bump his question up to ‘one of the first’ posts, when the truth was I was so desperate for a subject for the first post that I grabbed at his question like a drowning man…).
Well, Stephen: thanks to you, here is my first official post on HoldFast.
Let The Feast Begin
I’ll have to start here, with Art, because that is the easiest, and I’m quite the novice at this blogging thing. What have I learned from all the experiences in the “About Me” that confirms my beliefs about Art?
*Waits for readers to ponder*.
Ah, yes! Good question. What ARE my beliefs about Art anyway? That would be important to know, don’t you think?
Not being a person of great intellect, I am grateful for those who are smarter and more erudite than I. Bob Kauflin, author of Worship Matters: Leading Others to Encounter the Greatness of God, lays it out in the chapter headings pretty well, I think:
- “A Faithful Worship Leader…
- …Magnifies the Greatness of God…
- …In Jesus Christ…
- …Through the Power of the Holy Spirit…
- …Skillfully Combining God’s Word…
- …With [fill in your favorite artistic medium here]…
- …Thereby Motivating the Gathered Church…
- …To Proclaim the Gospel…
- …To Cherish God’s Presence…
- …And to Live For God’s Glory.”
*Spots hand waving in the the back of the room*. Yes? *listens to question*.
Wow, am I blessed with thinking readers! Great insight: it’s true that the above description doesn’t really define Art so much as it defines an artist. And it does a magnificent job of it. Change the wording just a bit, and you get the following, broader description of any kind of (Christ-following) artist.
i.e.:
“A faithful [painter, dancer, musician, woodcarver, sculptor, potter, etc.] magnifies the greatness of God in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, skillfully combining God’s Word with [artistic medium through which artist expresses his/her art] thereby motivating the gathered church to proclaim the Gospel, to cherish God’s presence, and to live for God’s glory.”“But wait, Esther. You have only defined a Christian artist. There are a lot of artists who are not Christian!”
True, young grasshoppa. But consider. Who is The First Artist? Who created Art? Who first used Art to communicate the gospel and draw us into His Presence and glorified Himself through it?
Because you have already proved yourself a very smart audience, I will take the risk and make a leap of logic here—but let me know if I get ahead of you:
Who among humans, then, is the true artist? The most like the First Artist?
Thinky Things
So here is your first HoldFastFeast. Think upon the following, and post a comment if you like.
1. Who among humans is the true artist? Which category of humans (choose between the following: Christians or non-Christians) is most like the First Artist?
2. How would you re-word Mr. Kauflin’s definition so that it defines Art instead of the artist?
3. Meditate upon the following verse. What, if anything, does it have to say to us concerning Art?
As I have yet to come up with a good sign off, I’ll plagiarize a bit and borrow from one of my favorite radio program hosts. As Todd Friel of Wretched Radio says:Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works (Hebrews 10:23-24)
“And now…Go serve your King!”Esther
P.S. Don’t worry. Not all the posts here will be this ponderous, nor will they all be about art, I promise. As they say here in Texas, “If you don’t like the weather, just wait a minute”. Well…if you don’t like the thinkiness here, just wait a minute…
Welcome to the Blogosphere!
ReplyDeletePondering your first post made me think that too often when it comes to understanding, discussing, and participating in art, those of us who know the gospel and stand firmly on the Word of God are rather quick to play the part of the Artful Dodger!
Why? Why indeed. We serve a Creative God who has created us in His image. Part of redemption is the rediscovery of the great and good gifts He has given us.
True appreciation for art is really an appreciation of the Artist - it is to look at creation and creativity and be moved to worship God!
I look forward to your musings.
~pastorway
Hmmm... I think the transition should go something like this:
ReplyDelete“A (Painting, dance, book, etc.) has the potential to magnify the greatness of God in Jesus Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, when it illustrates God’s Word with [artistic medium through which artist expresses his/her art] thereby motivating the gathered church to proclaim the Gospel, to cherish God’s presence, and to live for God’s glory.”
I still say "through the power of the Holy Spirit" simply because it is through His power that any heart is touched by God's glory yet. And I begin to think that perhaps a Christian artist should focus on ministering to the church for the simple reason that art is such a very un-efficient way of witnessing, but I could be persuaded otherwise :D
My 2cents :)
BTW, it does seem that there is no option for someone who does not have a specific account to comment, might want to check on that.
>>Pondering your first post made me think that too often when it comes to understanding, discussing, and participating in art, those of us who know the gospel and stand firmly on the Word of God are rather quick to play the part of the Artful Dodger!
ReplyDeleteWhy? Why indeed. We serve a Creative God who has created us in His image. Part of redemption is the rediscovery of the great and good gifts He has given us.
True appreciation for art is really an appreciation of the Artist - it is to look at creation and creativity and be moved to worship God!<<
Precisely right, Pastor Way. Although I would state your last sentence thus "True art is really an appreciation of the Artist".
So...*firmly anchors tongue in cheek*
that being the case, when you finish with the Eph. 6 series, will you be preparing a series on True Art? From what scripture reference will you teach it?
*painfully extracts tongue from cheek*.
Rhiannon, thanks for the heads up on the need for an account to comment. I am going to check this out, but I will make the point that one doesn't have to make a blog to have a blogger account. I have had this account for years but haven't used it for blogging.
As to your description, I think you're falling all over yourself to avoid including anything that would not be Christian art. Remember: we have narrowed it down to describing TRUE Art, so there's no need for that. Once we have a scriptural, working definition of True Art, then we will be able to compare that with that which appears to be Art, but isn't.
My suggestion is that you amend your definition, beginning thus: "Art magnifies the greatness of God...skillfully illustrating God's Word...thereby (etc.)"
Could you accept that rewrite of your definition?
Also...I'd be careful stating that art is an inefficient way of witnessing. One excellent example of "witnessing" art is the OT tabernacle and temple. God gave very detailed instructions for the art there...and each detail had a purpose. What was the purpose?
Absolutely,I like your rewrite better :D Just thought that we were specifically talking about Christian art. I have no doubt that much "secular" art is actually much better at fulfilling that purpose than Christian art, actually!
ReplyDeleteOn the tabernacle: Wasn't that specifically for God's people though? His "church" as it were at the time? Gentiles weren't even allowed in, so as a witness it was only a clear one to the Israelites. Even the pagan gods had temples, so from a distance it wouldn't have done much to show those outside the 12 tribes anything about God.
Happy to be convinced otherwise, though :D
"For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
ReplyDelete(Ro 1:20)"
True that the tabernacle and temple were for instruction to God's people only. I submit to you that they needed the gospel no less than the Gentiles...Nevertheless, the above scripture shows that The Great Artist's Art in Creation was designed in such a way as to witness to His eternal power and divine nature. So are you saying that God is inefficient when He uses Art in this way?
The shadows of the Old Covenant are one way to look at artistic renderings in the Scripture. I would also likely spend some time exegeting the worship themes found in the Psalms - song, poetry, dance, etc.
ReplyDeleteI would also have gone to the Tabernacle, the Ark of the Covenant, and even the clothing worn by the priests and the High Priest. Again, this is part of the shadows of the Old Covenant, so I would end with a look at Christ (probably in the Book of Hebrews), the One to Whom all this points!
~pw
Pastor Way;
ReplyDeleteExcellent! So...*ahem*...when can we at PRBC be expecting to begin THAT series? Let me know if you need a demonstration of worship dance...I got connections. ;P
Well.....
ReplyDeleteI am still praying about our next series. The current series on "The Whole Armor of God" will take us through October 24. Oct 31 is Reformation Sunday. After that...God knows. He just needs to tell me!
~pw :)