The Creator and the Proteges

This article was originally posted in the Athabasca Advocate on April 27, 2005

I have a confession to make. It may come as a surprise to many people, but be no shock at all to others. It has been a part of my life for so long that I can barely remember a time when it didn’t affect me. But I can hold my silence no longer, despite the repercussions.

I LOVE the fine arts.

Painting, sculpture, dance, drama, music… I love it all. When the opportunity to volunteer at the local high school drama festival presents itself, I jump at the chance. When a student tells me about the new rock band they are in, I do everything I can to get the group on stage. I’ve spent $50 on a piece of paper covered in charcoal scribbles by an unknown artist and considered it a great deal. And if you are a fellow lover of the fine arts, you will have stories of your own.

You see the fact that I love the arts is not what might surprise people, but rather that I am a Christian who loves the arts. For one reason or another the vast majority of the Christian community has taken the position that, other than the occasional skit to back up a sermon point, the fine arts have no place in the church or the kingdom of God. The fear is that the artistic creation will take away focus and worship from the Creator himself.

And yet, the Bible is full of examples where the people of God worship their creator through those things we generally call ‘the fine arts’. The fifth and sixth chapters of the book of 1 Kings describe with beautiful detail the ornate sculpture and sumptuous materials used to build the temple of God. The books of Psalms, Song of Solomon, and more are full of spoken and sung poetry that pours forth both praise and tears to God. Jesus himself was known to spend time with prostitutes, tax collectors, and other ‘sinners,’ and I can almost guarantee that those parties had some sort of musical entertainment at them.

I admit that there are many examples of the fine arts that in no way honour God. It absolutely breaks my heart to see the gifts that God gives us used in such a way. But when Jesus came to earth he came to redeem us and all that we do back to God, and that includes the creative beauty that he places in the artists. If we are upset about the content of art in today’s world, then let’s work to support those artists who give ‘to God alone the glory’ (to quote the famous Christian artist, J.S. Bach). Let’s work to redeem what is good rather than only avoiding the bad in the arts.

Whew, it feels good to get that off my chest. Maybe I should start a group called ‘People-Who-Love-Jesus-And-The-Arts Anonymous.’ Or maybe it shouldn’t be anonymous at all.