Ruminations and Ramifications

Art and Christianity

I've been mulling recently the relationship of my artistic pursuits with my faith, my beliefs, my doctrine.

Doctrine really does matter. It has helped me align my perspectives in a way that permits pursuit of all things as unto the Lord. Where His Word ends, so do I. I learned in college that I could "make truth" and probably could have earned a very comfortable living writing manifestos on architecture and photography that garnered a cult following.

But God's Word is clear. And that provides relief, and a place to start searching.

This post is a good conversation about the subject at hand. Where does art become idol worship?

Truthfully, we live in a sinful fallen world, so the notion of finding a "perfect" use for art is nonsense at best. There was even greater beauty, I believe, on this planet at one time, created by God and existing before the Fall of man. But this was not a problem while the relationship with God was unbroken, and the fellowship with and adoration of Him was pure and undefiled. But now place us in an environment where our creativity is pursued apart from Who God is, from sound doctrine, and in a sinful world, and we begin to think "I, too, can be like the Most High."

Seriously, create something that takes even your own breath away and see what I mean. If the honor and glory is not directed straight back to God, our pride will suffocate us, and even the art will become empty and meaningless. We'll continue to create, and search for that next "high" we get from creating beautiful things (in the order established by the God who determines beauty) without acknowledging God, and we'll take a step further down the road of self-exultation and idolatry.

Bless the Lord for His wisdom in all things.

posted by Marcian @ 10:04 AM