2 posts tagged “art”

So this has nothing to do with theology...but heck, art is theological.  I just made a picture frame from plexiglas, and I am trying to sell my photos at coffee shops here at home.  So here's hoping...and here is a picture of my picture frame

All my other pictures are at my flickr page, so...I guess check that out?
All the best
Theodoulos

This may sound like me ranting, but I am not.  This is my true hope for Christianity in the future.

In Portland, there is this amazing church, that has been there for one hundred and ten years.  It has a gorgeous steeple, and takes up an entire city block, half of which is a garden, half which is the cathedral.  The inside is amazing too.  An organ takes up the entire front of the church, there are gorgeous stained glass windows, and the designs in the rafters are amazing.  It truly takes my breath away, and every time I get a chance, I go inside.  I went to a service, not because I am a fan of traditional churches, but because I wanted to see a service go on in this amazing building.  It is the home of First Presbyterian Church in Portland, and I have a deep respect for the church and the preacher, who is actually a very good speaker and teacher of the Word.

I tell this story to make a point: Christianity has lost its place in culture, particularly in art.  Not saying the Christianity ought to be strictly cultural; indeed, many heresies have from immersing the church in culture.  But the Church has forgotten how to inspire the awe of the Lord through art.  Many of the churches I see now meet in warehouses and old supermarkets.  Although it is very functional, so were cathedrals.  I am not saying that we should return to cathedrals; instead, we need a new generation of Christian-led architecture.  A great example is the chapel on Seattle University's campus, as seen below.  It isn't old and stuffy, like old chapels.  It is new.  It redefines architecture

This is true in most aspects of the artistic culture.  In the Renaissance, Christianity changed the face of art.  All the great classical music was composed by Christians, along with my favorite number, Handel's Messiah, the lyrics of which are drawn completely from the Holy Scriptures, as well as Bach.  I'm not saying that we should exclude non-Christians from art, as was done back in the day; I am just saying that Christians need to engage in art more.  I am not a big fan of some Christian music, because it is saying the same things over and over.  Where is Luther's Mighty Fortress for today's world?  I am not saying all Christian music is bad; I am just saying a good amount is not very productive.  Use words and music to paint a picture of our Christ, and glorify him.  And please, churches, stop singing songs all about us; let us glorify God, not make Christianity a self-help religion full of trite, repetitious songs.  I'm all about new music, as well as old lyrics put to new music.  Just not bad music.

But this doesn't stop with art.  It goes to science as well.  Christian culture has created this rift with it and science, and so many Christians, even if they have the aptitude, turn their nose up to science, because it is a "godless study."  But in history, it was Christians who defined science.  Galileo was a devout Catholic.  We hold him up as this victim of the Catholic Church, but it was the Catholic Church, and God, to which he bowed.  Christians used to be at the forefront of almost every discipline.  Great writers were produced, with insightful novels and theological works; now we have Your Best Life Now and Purpose-Driven Life, not exactly a Chesterton or Lewis or Tozer.

I ask, and admonish Christians, to push to the forefront of their disciplines.  Glorify God in your work.  In your church buildings.  Help us soon forget when we built church malls instead of a new kind of cathedral.  Let everything we do smell and appear of Christ.  Let people stand in awe of churches, and then fall on their knees to the God being worshipped there.