What is the role of art in the Christian life?

Michie

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Do you believe it should play a central role, or do you think that it is one of many of life's dimensions?
Art has always been a very important aspect of Christianity in reflecting the Gospel and capturing moments of Christianity in the artist’s imagination. You may be interested in JP11’s ‘Letter to Artists’ about art and it’s role and the vocation of the artist.


LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE JOHN PAUL II
TO ARTISTS


1999

To all who are passionately dedicated
to the search for new “epiphanies” of beauty
so that through their creative work as artists
they may offer these as gifts to the world
.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Gn1:31)



The artist, image of God the Creator

1. None can sense more deeply than you artists, ingenious creators of beauty that you are, something of the pathos with which God at the dawn of creation looked upon the work of his hands. A glimmer of that feeling has shone so often in your eyes when—like the artists of every age—captivated by the hidden power of sounds and words, colours and shapes, you have admired the work of your inspiration, sensing in it some echo of the mystery of creation with which God, the sole creator of all things, has wished in some way to associate you.

That is why it seems to me that there are no better words than the text of Genesis with which to begin my Letter to you, to whom I feel closely linked by experiences reaching far back in time and which have indelibly marked my life. In writing this Letter, I intend to follow the path of the fruitful dialogue between the Church and artists which has gone on unbroken through two thousand years of history, and which still, at the threshold of the Third Millennium, offers rich promise for the future.

In fact, this dialogue is not dictated merely by historical accident or practical need, but is rooted in the very essence of both religious experience and artistic creativity. The opening page of the Bible presents God as a kind of exemplar of everyone who produces a work: the human craftsman mirrors the image of God as Creator. This relationship is particularly clear in the Polish language because of the lexical link between the words stwórca (creator) and twórca (craftsman).

What is the difference between “creator” and “craftsman”? The one who creates bestows being itself, he brings something out of nothing—ex nihilo sui et subiecti, as the Latin puts it—and this, in the strict sense, is a mode of operation which belongs to the Almighty alone. The craftsman, by contrast, uses something that already exists, to which he gives form and meaning. This is the mode of operation peculiar to man as made in the image of God. In fact, after saying that God created man and woman “in his image” (cf. Gn 1:27), the Bible adds that he entrusted to them the task of dominating the earth (cf. Gn 1:28). This was the last day of creation (cf. Gn 1:28-31). On the previous days, marking as it were the rhythm of the birth of the cosmos, Yahweh had created the universe. Finally he created the human being, the noblest fruit of his design, to whom he subjected the visible world as a vast field in which human inventiveness might assert itself.

God therefore called man into existence, committing to him the craftsman's task. Through his “artistic creativity” man appears more than ever “in the image of God”, and he accomplishes this task above all in shaping the wondrous “material” of his own humanity and then exercising creative dominion over the universe which surrounds him. With loving regard, the divine Artist passes on to the human artist a spark of his own surpassing wisdom, calling him to share in his creative power. Obviously, this is a sharing which leaves intact the infinite distance between the Creator and the creature, as Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa made clear: “Creative art, which it is the soul's good fortune to entertain, is not to be identified with that essential art which is God himself, but is only a communication of it and a share in it”.(1)

That is why artists, the more conscious they are of their “gift”, are led all the more to see themselves and the whole of creation with eyes able to contemplate and give thanks, and to raise to God a hymn of praise. This is the only way for them to come to a full understanding of themselves, their vocation and their mission.

The special vocation of the artist

Continued below.
Letter to Artists, (April 4, 1999) | John Paul II
 
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Eftsoon

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Art has always been a very important aspect of Christianity in reflecting the Gospel and capturing moments of Christianity in the artist’s imagination. You may be interested in JP11’s ‘Letter to Artists’ about art and it’s role and the vocation of the artist.


LETTER OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE JOHN PAUL II
TO ARTISTS


1999

To all who are passionately dedicated
to the search for new “epiphanies” of beauty
so that through their creative work as artists
they may offer these as gifts to the world
.

God saw all that he had made, and it was very good” (Gn1:31)



The artist, image of God the Creator

1. None can sense more deeply than you artists, ingenious creators of beauty that you are, something of the pathos with which God at the dawn of creation looked upon the work of his hands. A glimmer of that feeling has shone so often in your eyes when—like the artists of every age—captivated by the hidden power of sounds and words, colours and shapes, you have admired the work of your inspiration, sensing in it some echo of the mystery of creation with which God, the sole creator of all things, has wished in some way to associate you.

That is why it seems to me that there are no better words than the text of Genesis with which to begin my Letter to you, to whom I feel closely linked by experiences reaching far back in time and which have indelibly marked my life. In writing this Letter, I intend to follow the path of the fruitful dialogue between the Church and artists which has gone on unbroken through two thousand years of history, and which still, at the threshold of the Third Millennium, offers rich promise for the future.

In fact, this dialogue is not dictated merely by historical accident or practical need, but is rooted in the very essence of both religious experience and artistic creativity. The opening page of the Bible presents God as a kind of exemplar of everyone who produces a work: the human craftsman mirrors the image of God as Creator. This relationship is particularly clear in the Polish language because of the lexical link between the words stwórca (creator) and twórca (craftsman).

What is the difference between “creator” and “craftsman”? The one who creates bestows being itself, he brings something out of nothing—ex nihilo sui et subiecti, as the Latin puts it—and this, in the strict sense, is a mode of operation which belongs to the Almighty alone. The craftsman, by contrast, uses something that already exists, to which he gives form and meaning. This is the mode of operation peculiar to man as made in the image of God. In fact, after saying that God created man and woman “in his image” (cf. Gn 1:27), the Bible adds that he entrusted to them the task of dominating the earth (cf. Gn 1:28). This was the last day of creation (cf. Gn 1:28-31). On the previous days, marking as it were the rhythm of the birth of the cosmos, Yahweh had created the universe. Finally he created the human being, the noblest fruit of his design, to whom he subjected the visible world as a vast field in which human inventiveness might assert itself.

God therefore called man into existence, committing to him the craftsman's task. Through his “artistic creativity” man appears more than ever “in the image of God”, and he accomplishes this task above all in shaping the wondrous “material” of his own humanity and then exercising creative dominion over the universe which surrounds him. With loving regard, the divine Artist passes on to the human artist a spark of his own surpassing wisdom, calling him to share in his creative power. Obviously, this is a sharing which leaves intact the infinite distance between the Creator and the creature, as Cardinal Nicholas of Cusa made clear: “Creative art, which it is the soul's good fortune to entertain, is not to be identified with that essential art which is God himself, but is only a communication of it and a share in it”.(1)

That is why artists, the more conscious they are of their “gift”, are led all the more to see themselves and the whole of creation with eyes able to contemplate and give thanks, and to raise to God a hymn of praise. This is the only way for them to come to a full understanding of themselves, their vocation and their mission.

The special vocation of the artist

Continued below.
Letter to Artists, (April 4, 1999) | John Paul II

I like the idea of creative dominion. That is, we have headship over creation, but we are called to create and not destroy. Also I agree that that the fundamental motivation should be worship and praise.
 
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Eftsoon

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It used to be the primary means of catechesis for those who could not read back through the centuries.

Your avatar is wonderful. I think that every time I see it, but wanted to put it in writing :-D

And yes, that is such a good point. The gospel was preached through hymns, icons and even architecture.
 
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HTacianas

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Do you believe it should play a central role, or do you think that it is one of many of life's dimensions?

Art and iconography have always played a central role in Christianity. Most of the icons of Christianity told, and continue to tell, the bible for Christians who could not read. That has been the overwhelming majority of Christians up until the last 100 years or so.
 
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Eftsoon

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Art and iconography have always played a central role in Christianity. Most of the icons of Christianity told, and continue to tell, the bible for Christians who could not read. That has been the overwhelming majority of Christians up until the last 100 years or so.

What about art for its own sake? Is that a worthwhile pursuit?
 
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HTacianas

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What about art for its own sake? Is that a worthwhile pursuit?

Whether it is a worthwhile pursuit or not is entirely up to the individual. Personally, I don't see art itself solely as a worthwhile pursuit. I see it as a "sideline" for lack of a better term. But then again I'm not an artist.
 
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Akita Suggagaki

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Your avatar is wonderful. I think that every time I see it, but wanted to put it in writing :-D

And yes, that is such a good point. The gospel was preached through hymns, icons and even architecture.
Thanks. That's Ruby... friendliest dog in the world. She is getting a hair cut this week. I hate to do it but she will be more comfortable.
 
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com7fy8

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What about art for its own sake? Is that a worthwhile pursuit?
God "gives us richly all things to enjoy," we have in 1 Timothy 6:17. So, I would consider that God gives us art which is for us to enjoy, and for the artist to enjoy making. And enjoying might include sharing with people while you share your art.

But it needs to be what God has you doing.

And I need to be humble, not trying to look better than other artists, not trying only or mainly to get praise and attention.
 
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mama2one

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art plays a big part in our child's life

she's taken art classes at museums/other places
her bedroom looks like an art gallery with her 4 walls covered with paintings/pieces she's created

God as our creator allows us to be creative
 
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OldWiseGuy

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What about art for its own sake? Is that a worthwhile pursuit?

Art is often a distortion of reality. I was married to an artist, who tried to refashion life into an art form that was more to her liking than reality.
 
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Eftsoon

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Art is often a distortion of reality. I was married to an artist, who tried to refashion life into an art form that was more to her liking than reality.

It can become escapism. I think it reaches its highest point where it becomes about revealing God's glory in the things here below. Begbie has a lot to say about art and the transfiguration of creation. It is a vision of the restoration of all things.
 
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The Liturgist

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What about art for its own sake? Is that a worthwhile pursuit?

Yes, absolutely, because this refines the abilities of the artist. Some of the best composers of sacred music, such as Byrd, Palestrina, Bach, Bortniansky, Handel, Haydn, Schubert, and Chesnokov, also composed secular works, sometimes in large quantities. Rachmaninoff’s setting of the Divine Liturgy and the All Night Vigil is beloved, deservedly so, and he was primarily a secular music composer, but a man with a deep faith.

Likewise, in recent years, some of the most beautiful churches, in both traditional and contemporary styles of architecture, have been the work of artists specializing in both.

Even in the specific case of Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox iconography, which follow specific standards and have moved away from the near photorealism we see in the ancient icon of Christ Pantocrator at St. Catharine of Sinai, to an intentional stylized effect intended to convey the spiritual attributes of the subject, and also to mask the identity of the icon painter (or icon writer in Orthodox parlance), sublimating individual creativity for the creative direction of the entire church through theandric synergia, so that the icons themselves can be seen as fruits of theosis, having an underlying skill in painting acquired through painting secular art outside the formal strictures of Orthodox iconography I have been told is beneficial, because it improves the craftsmanship of the icon writer and also provides an outlet for individualism which might be inappropriate in an icon (there is one individualistic icon painter who has acquired a bad reputation among many Orthodox Christians I know due to their unique approach to certain facial features, which because it deviates from the tradition, comes across as flat).

Likewise, the predominant form of Western iconography, the stained glass window, tends, at its best, to resemble Orthodox icons, and in many cases you can see where famous Orthodox icons influenced stained glass windows. In other cases, it takes on a more realistic, Renaissance approach, which is still beautiful, and I would argue not inappropriate because stained glass windows are not objects of veneration like Orthodox icons, but rather either are bland and iconoclastic, or narrative, illustrating in either a stylistic or naturalistic way our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the Gospel narrative, and the saints of the Church Triumphant, such as the Virgin Mary and the Apostles. Some of the most beautiful stained glass windows were done by Louis Comfort Tiffany, who was one of the greatest glass artists of all time, and also one of the finest artists in the Art Nouveau period, so cutting edge that much of his work anticipates the Arts and Crafts movement, without compromising the organic fluidity one associates with Art Nouveau architects such as Antoni Gaudi or Hector Guimard. And in the case of Gaudi, a career building the exquisite art nouveau apartments of Barcelona led to his masterpiece, dedicated to the glory of God, the Sagrada Familia basillica, which, like many of the great churches of the world, was not completed in the lifetime of the architect but is only now reaching a status of completion.

So for this reason I disagree with @HTacianas ; I believe that since secular structures like markets, transportation buildings, hospitals, offices, schools, and housing are required, artists can hone their skill by making these as beautiful as possible, and with their skill thus refined, apply that talent within the liturgical requirements of the Christian church. I think if we deprecate secular art, we risk iconoclasm, in that, if everything except the church is made to look ugly, it will cause the church to seem overbearing and imposing, but when the church is the crowning jewell of a beautiful city, like St. Alexander Nevsky in Sofia, or St. Basil’s and St. Savior’s in Moscow, or St. Paul’s in the City of London and St. Peter’s (Westminster Abbey) in the adjacent City of Westminster, or St. Mark’s in Venice, or the Frauenkirche in Dresden, or St. Sophia’s in the southwest area of Los Angeles, the effect is beautiful and uplifting. And Paris is an immensely beautiful city, and my heart bled at the apocalyptic sight of Notre Dame burning, and likewise the structural failure of Christ Church Cathedral in New Zealand following an earthquake has left the city seemingly adrift while the cathedral is rebuilt. At least in the case of Notre Dame, the walls held and only the roof and the interior were destroyed, so a semblance of the beauty of the structure is retained.

And in the case of Constantinople, the Muslims never managed to surpass the Hagia Sophia; the city is filled with mosques which attempt to imitate it, such as the Blue Mosque and the Sulimanye Mosque, which one cannot help but feel one day will be reconsecrated as cathedrals, parish churches and convents, just as the Hagia Sophia and Hagia Irene were desecrated. In particular I think the Sulimanye Mosque would make a splendid site for a Neo-Studion monastery due to its extensive support structures, and I would love to see the Blue Mosque dedicated to the Dormition of the Theotokos, and the New Mosque to the Holy Ascension.
 
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The Liturgist

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By the way, I think iconoclasm is devastating, and my greatest regret about the dark Puritan past of my Congregationalist heritage is how iconoclastic we were. Fortunately, over the course of the 18th century we mellowed out, and started building really beautiful churches, like the Park Street Church in Boston, and by the 19th century, there was a high church movement in the the Congregational churches in the US and the UK that built some of the most beautiful churches, with rich iconography, and beautiful liturgies, especially Devotional Services by Rev. John Hunter of the King’s Weigh House in London, to go with them. Indeed, in downtown Los Angeles, the most beautiful church is First Congregational, which also features two of the largest pipe organs in the world. I am a friend of Christopher Bull, the very talented resident organist, although I disagree with the liberal theology of that church, which just became even more liberal by joining the United Church of Christ, which I left due to liberalism.

The second century synagogue and the early Christian church at Dura Europos, which were destroyed by ISIS, do indicate that neither Judaism nor Christianity was historically iconoclastic. By the way @BobRyan , one thing I appreciate about the SDA is that once, when I was relatively young, when a relative of mine had to be rushed to a hospital due to acute food poisoning, which happened to be an Adventist hospital, there was a tremendously comforting image in the lobby, which I believe was a posed photograph, which depicted Jesus Christ embracing a family with children. It had a reassuring effect, and my relative was alright, thanks to the ER, and we went home later that evening.
 
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BobRyan

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. By the way @BobRyan , one thing I appreciate about the SDA is that once, when I was relatively young, when a relative of mine had to be rushed to a hospital due to acute food poisoning, which happened to be an Adventist hospital, there was a tremendously comforting image in the lobby, which I believe was a posed photograph, which depicted Jesus Christ embracing a family with children. It had a reassuring effect, and my relative was alright, thanks to the ER, and we went home later that evening.

Nice to hear that, thanks for sharing it. No doubt there are images in pictures etc of heavenly things as also there were images of angels on the curtains in the OT sanctuary and Angel statues on the ark of the covenant in the most holy place.

But they were not allowed to "bow down before them, or serve them" as in the angel beings that they represented or the images/pictures etc. So then we would not bow down before a picture of Christ - yet such pictures are helpful in directing our thoughts toward Him.

In the Adventist church you can find a lot of pictures of 3 angels blowing trumpets outside of Earth's Atmosphere to symbolize Rev 14 and its three angel's messages.
 
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