Forty is the number of trial and testing. The season of Lent begins with a recollection of Jesus going into the wilderness for 40 days, after which He is tempted by the devil. During Lent we take a figurative journey into the wilderness, into the wastelands, in an effort toContinue Reading
In the church of Santa Maria sopra Minerva, not too far from the Vatican, there is a statue by Michelangelo, Christ the Redeemer. What you may not know is that this is the second statue the artist carved to fulfill his commission. The first statue developed a flaw. As it was beingContinue Reading
The vocation of the painter, indeed the vocation of any artist, is first and foremost, to create beauty. Even evil, when depicted in their work, must depicted beautifully. Art that is ugly and shallow, with no Truth behind it, shows us a world without God. The role of the artistContinue Reading
Do we hesitate to take on our role as missionaries because we doubt our abilities? One of my favorite movies is “A Man for All Seasons,” starring Paul Scofield as Thomas More. In one key scene More defends his reluctance to accept the post as Chancellor of England by citingContinue Reading
What makes “Christian Art” Christian? Is there some value or quality that baptizes a work of art making it Christian? There is, but it may not be what you think. It isn’t about the subject matter, the genre, the style, the materials or the process. It isn’t even about the themeContinue Reading
Should a Christian artist paint themes from pagan mythology, other religions, or even fantasy motifs? Many artists who are deeply grounded in their Christian faith, especially those just starting out in their career, have questions about what is and is not appropriate subject matter. In a previous post I addressedContinue Reading
When is an artist like a prophet? When he reminds people of their relationship with God. We tend to think of a prophet as someone who predicts the future, but that is not at all the ancient understanding of the word. The word “prophet” comes from the Greek word “prophetes”Continue Reading
Why is the term Christian Art shunned even by Christian artists? I see this frequently, usually among well established artists who don’t want to be labeled by a specific genre. Fair enough, but I think there is more to it than that. The term Christian Art is avoided even byContinue Reading
Nudity has long been a staple of fine art, but many people feel it is inappropriate for an artist who is also a faithful Christian to portray nudity in their work. Is it? The answer, as is so often the case in matters of faith and morals, is – itContinue Reading
The idea of art for art’s sake, that art should serve no other purpose outside of its own existence is a relatively new idea in terms of human history. The idea begins to crop up in various writings starting in the 1850s. This is also about the time that theContinue Reading