- Mar 26, 2021
- 769
- 491
- 33
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Faith
- Christian
- Marital Status
- Single
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.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
It used to be the primary means of catechesis for those who could not read back through the centuries.
Do you have a certain type of art in mind?
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.
What about art for its own sake? Is that a worthwhile pursuit?
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.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.
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.What about art for its own sake? Is that a worthwhile pursuit?
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.
What about art for its own sake? Is that a worthwhile pursuit?
. 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.