What Is Art? And Why Can't Christians Make It Anymore?
What is Art? And what happened to Christian Art in the modern landscape? We went from the The Robe and The Ten Commandments to the cringey: Jesus, Man? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRGndldqxlQ Well, Christians aren't the only ones to lose sight of objective beauty and art, but to understand why, we should ask the question: What Is Art? Join us today as we watch art stray from objective beauty Further. Every. Day.
What is Art?
Merriam Webster: “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects”
Webster's 1828:
“1. The disposition or modification of things by human skill, to answer the purpose intended. In this sense art stands opposed to nature.
2. A system of rules, serving to facilitate the performance of certain actions; opposed to science, or to speculative principles; as the art of building or engraving. Arts are divided into useful or mechanic, and liberal or polite. The mechanic arts are those in which the hands and body are more concerned than the mind; as in making clothes, and utensils. These art are called trades. The liberal or polite arts are those in which the mind or imagination is chiefly concerned; as poetry, music and painting.
In America, literature and the elegant arts must grow up side by side with the coarser plants of daily necessity.”
But these hardly describe what most people think art is. Some say that art is subjective, and to a small point, it is. However, no one listens to Beethoven, Mozart, or Handel and says that they were poor artists. However, if we slap a Christian label on a pop singer's songs, one who could never have hit the top charts, or convert a simple Hallmark style movie to a Christian Script, these products will see success in a new way. What is the difference between Art and whatever this phenomenon is?
Jordan Peterson attacks the Disney film Frozen from a philosophical point of view here and then goes on to describe the difference between art and propaganda: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaokmHs71qg
So what differentiates the woke left from the Christian Consumer on the Right? When we fail to understand the power of art, and just make films like Courageous, Fireproof, etc. I'm not ragging on these, but what happened to the days when we made movies like the Ten Commandments, big budget films with a focus on beauty? We were more engaged in the culture in the 50s, perhaps that is the truest indictment on our nation is that our songs and movies used to depict an interest in God and now we only see shallow vapid Christian art in an onslaught of depraved Hollywood blockbusters.
But there's something else. We've also seen a change in the Culture's pursuit of excellence, morality, and standards. In a postmodern, post truth world, one created by the vacuum left by the Church's negligence, we see the deestruction of beauty. Where there is no God, there's no higher truth and beauty to be explored. The longer the culture sits without God in the forefront, the more vacuous and depraved the culture's art will become.
Theology: What does the Bible say about Art?
Exodus 28:3: Says that our Art is for His Glory
Isaiah 64:8 Says that we are the clay in the Potter's Hands, we're His artwork
Eclesiastes 3:11 Tells us God made everything beautiful in its time, in a way that is bigger than the human understanding or imagination.
Psalms 19:1 Says that the Heavens declare the Glory and work of God's hands
Philipians 4:8 Tells us to focus on whatever is true, right, and beautiful
Exodus 35:31-33 Details the acts of artists, working to build a beautiful Tabernacle to God
2 Chronicles 2:13-14 Detail the artists who build the Temple to God
Colossians 3:23 Admonishes us to do all things as unto the Lord
Philosophy: With these Scriptures in mind, what should we as Christians do with our art? How should we reflect the artistic nature of our Creator?
Culture: When the values of the Culture shift, so does the art. But when the art shifts, so does the Culture. How does the Culture influence art and the art in turn influence the younger generation?
Politics: As worldviews diverge, we see both sides of the political sphere harness the artist for their propaganda. If art is a powerful expression of truth, how do we do the world a disservice by producing poor art in the form of propaganda?
Economics: How should we as Christians consume art? How does this affect the culture around us?
Last Question: Favorite Musical Artist