“Selling out” and Christian Pop Art
“no one can depict Jesus as Lord but in the Holy Spirit.” Selling Out? Since the so-called Age of Enlightenment, the attitude towards art has shifted dramatically. Historically, artists have relied on commissions. A person or group commissions the artist to paint a particular subject. The artist completes the workContinue Reading
Reconciling Artistic Gifts and Faith
“Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.” Luke 10:42 There is a classic argument between Catholic and non-Catholic Christian communities. Are we saved by faith alone or we saved by works? It is sometimes difficult to respond to this because the argument starts with aContinue Reading
Harmony, Order, and the Insight of Bezalel
“Behold, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, from the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, and understanding, and knowledge in every craft,” The Number of Creation It has been said that the number “seven”Continue Reading
All of Creation Bears His Mark
“God has left his mark on humanity just as surely as He has left it on all of creation.” God has left His mark on all of creation, including man. It really cannot be otherwise. We see this reflected in our own nature. We can often identify the author ofContinue Reading
A Gothic Ceiling
“as we travel the nave from west to east we are traveling through salvation history” The Gothic writ large In studying the Gothic style, with the aim of restoring it as a living tradition, we are sometimes faced with the challenge of finding liturgical examples. Byzantine iconography is relatively easyContinue Reading
The Beauty of a Novus Ordo Mass
The Novus Ordo/Ordinary Form/Usus Recentior can be celebrated with great beauty. This Mass was celebrated by Cardinal Pell at Saint Patrick’s Seminary in Menlo Park on June 30, 2022. I was honored to be asked to sing the Gospel (at around the 30 minute mark). The Mass was in Latin,Continue Reading
How We Deal With Failure
“It was apparent failures like these that ended up converting the entire Roman Empire to Christianity.” There are times when, despite our best efforts, we fail. Even though we know that our ministry is desperately needed, we are sometimes rejected. Jesus told us to work hard. He told us thatContinue Reading
The Forgotten Way of Knowing
“It is the type of knowledge characteristic of the good man in his judgments of moral questions, of the mystic with regard to divine things, of the artist with respect to his work.” Local Hero How do we know what we know? The 1983 film “Local Hero” takes place largelyContinue Reading
Steadfastness in the Faith
“No one who sets a hand to the plow and looks to what was left behind is fit for the kingdom of God.” Along the way to Jerusalem, Jesus meets a man who promises to follow Him, after he first returns home to say goodbye to his family. Jesus tellsContinue Reading
Notes Towards A Theology of Art
“If the artist can perceive a ray of the supreme beauty among the many manifestations of the beautiful, then art becomes a way to God.” The Purpose of Art Why does the human person create? Why does the artist make art? On the surface, art seems unnecessary. It isContinue Reading