Art & Theology - Intro

     

     Great art; I mean the exciting, outstandingly beautiful, and horrifyingly authentic kind of art, is often a bearer of great truths about the human condition. The Christian community, however, has neglected much of this art, because it’s been deemed "inappropriate", "obscene”, or “secular.” Meaning that if it doesn’t directly deal with a religious theme, and deal with it in a nice, respectful way, it’s not okay to like it. This is a ridiculous notion. John Calvin, a 16^th century theologian and principal figure in the development of the system of christian theology later called Calvinism, had this to say about this issue, "All truth is from God; and consequently, if wicked men have said anything that is true and just, we ought not to reject it; for it has come from God." -John Calvin, The Institutes, II, 2, 15.

     As an English major in college, I spent a lot of my formal education studying secular writing. Luckily, I went to an amazing school, Southeastern University in Lakeland, FL, where the professors encouraged us to find God’s truth in everything from Homer’s Odyssey to Eminem’s The Way I Am. As long as the Christian community continues to reject “secular” art simply because it’s not “christian” we are rejecting God’s truth just because it isn’t packaged like we would expect. Since when has God been predictable? Since when has God tried to fit into our box rather than us fit into His?

     For the next few weeks, I will be writing a series of blog entries under the title Art & Theology. In this series I will be attempting to expose my readers to some of the great art humanity has produced in an attempt to draw out God's truth, like poison from a wound. No matter the source, C.S. Lewis, Shakespeare, Lady Gaga, or Van Gogh, truth belongs to God. So, in that vein, I will be showing you some of my favorite art –poetry, painting, sculpture, architecture, song, film, and theatre, even T.V. –and revealing to you the truth that I see there. If you disagree with or wish to add to anything I say here, please feel free to add comments or criticisms below in the comment section. I’m excited about opening a dialogue that can benefit all who read it.