Culture, Art & Science
Came across a great quote from Francis Bacon:
“Man by the Fall fell at the same time from his state of innocence and from his dominion over nature. Both of these losses, however, can even in this life be in some part repaired; the former by religion and faith, the latter by the arts and sciences.”
I think Christians (especially evangelicals) tend to shove art to the very fringe of life.
By “art” I not only mean painting, sculpture, poetry - “high art” - but also music, the novel, theater, film, photography, flower arrangements, oration, writing, business, etc.
Right? Anything we create.
Life becomes… narrow when we place Bible reading, prayer, service - you know… all the good religious stuff - above art.
When we establish a hierarchy between the natural and the spiritual we misunderstand the lordship of Christ over the
WHOLE man
and the
WHOLE world.
If redemption involves the WHOLE man then it has to include his intellect and his creativeness.
The arts and sciences are not at the margins of the Christian life.
May 4th, 2007 at 8:02 am
Well put Josh, well put indeed.
May 11th, 2007 at 7:25 am
I agree. Lately,I’ve been wondering what Christianity would look like if we incorporated the arts wholly into the life of the church. If God has gifted some with artistic skill and perspective, I believe the church was meant to be nurtured and enriched by those gifts. I wonder what we may be missing by pushing the arts and the artistic “to the very fringe of life.”(?)