byFaith Magazine - Arts & Culture - Do Christians Need Art?

Do Christians Need Art?

Melissa Kelley, March 2010

“I’m interested in patterns and rhythms in my works,” the Covenant College art professor said. “Pattern is an organizing strategy in our lives. Every day we start with a blank sheet and have to find a way to structure our lives.”

Six of Morton’s landscape paintings were showcased in an art show titled “A Pattern Logic” at Covenant College last fall, following his sabbatical. Each piece contains 10 to 18 layers, representing 100 hours of work.

“People typically consume images in three seconds,” he said, “but I’m asking viewers to slow down with these pieces. At first glance you think you know them, but there’s so much more underneath.”

Morton, who earned an MFA in painting from Yale University prior to joining the staff of Covenant College in 2000, believes that God affirms the material world through the arts.

“Artists aren’t architects of meaning, but we add value to the world we live in,” he said. “Artists point at the world and reflect it. Calvin once said that world is the theater of God’s loving intentions. I believe that’s true. I believe arts are part of this theater.”

Comments

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First Name:
Daniel

Last Name:
Lee

Location:
Washington DC

Comment:

It is good to hear Morton ground his work in the gospel and meaning inherent with our being "image bearers" of God. Art does require us to slow down, and to a certain extent yield our critical stance to one of openness to what the artist is doing with a work. I hope to see more such articles. - Daniel www.DanielLeeArchitect.com

2010-03-04 14:25 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
BONNIE

Last Name:
STRAPP

Location:
CALABSH,NC

Comment:

AFTER READING THE ARTICLE, JEFF, I DON'T THINK I'LL LOOK AT ART THE SAME WAY.
IN HIS LOVE

2010-03-10 21:26 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
Larry

Last Name:
Sherman

Location:
Sioux Lookout,Ontario,Canada

Comment:

How little I know myself until someone brings to my attention a dimension of my life unexplored: Art,Music,Writing.
I need to learn more about this concept of art in order to experiment myself and see what's hiding in me.

2010-05-25 04:19 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
Joseph

Last Name:
Cote

Location:
Maryland

Comment:

In response to "Do Christians need art?",if it is true that our emotions precede our cognitive reality, as when a new born baby feels a longing for his absent mother and, in turn, that longing evolves to a cognitive perception of time, then it may not be such a leap to say that from our emotions to cognitive perceptions to translation into a physical reality (medium?). For example, elements of how we interpret life and manifest our realties as a culture begins with our feelings!
In that sense, we are all artists. But how much more those who represent us as "artists" have a responsibility to (Prov 4:23,Jer 17:9) guard their hearts as to what is expressed in their art.
Christian artists may be God's way of calling into reality those things which are not as though they were!If that is so not only do we need art but much more ,we need Cristian artists!

2010-05-29 16:29 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
Melissa

Last Name:
Ayala

Location:
Dallas, TX

Comment:

I think this article is very interesting to delve into different areas where people can express their viewpoints. I believe God created art for us to use to honor Him and express how we feel. This article is very insightful into that idea.

2010-06-07 18:07 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
Kay

Last Name:
Broadwater

Location:
Baltimore, MD

Comment:

The greatest reason that Christians need art is because we are made in God's image and part of that means that we are creative by nature. It is who we are. It is perfectly good and natural for Christians to be expressive and creative! It is truly a shame that many evangelicals have marginalized art when it is perhaps one of the key ways that believers can feel most connected to God. Check out the book Art Needs No Justification by Hans Rookmaaker for more insight.

2011-01-01 23:54 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
Joe

Last Name:
Pease

Location:
Lafayette IN, Two Cities PCA Church

Comment:

This is fine but it was Frances Schaefer who truly integrated the Reformed faith with art, especially during the reformation and then particularly in Dutch Reformed Art as an example. The classical, neo-classical and baroque gave way to the simple dignity of portraying life's simple dailyy task like Vermeer and others. The task was simple but God made it beautiful. Likewise Bach parralleled this in Music through to Handel and onwards. Art was moving because all of art was moving to affirm that Christ is "beautiful" and nature is a mirror of Him. Leonardo Da Vinci was forced to agree with Schaeffer early on in his "Advice to Artists" and Treatise on Painting". He said that everyone is an artist but you need to dedication to draw that makes the difference. Jeff and Melinda may your child-like faith in God give you the dedication to give and enjoy great art like the greatest artisan of the OT, Gen 36:1-2.

If interested, please read Francis Schaeffer - A Christina Worldview, "The God who is there". This shows the tension in modern man especially artists and God's Scripture>

Art can help us envisage and move to God or is irrational and DaDa ist to the absurd without him-- ala John Cage's music.

2012-02-22 18:58 Permalink Reply

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First Name:
Lorelei

Last Name:
Eddy

Location:
Alexandria VA

Comment:

I met Jeff while my daughter was a student at Covenant. Though not a student of his, her friends that were respected him and this encouraged me to ask him to speak at our church a few years ago. We held an art show with proceeds to go to that year's WIC Love Gift to Covenant College's Art Department.

I am grateful that byFaith has produced this article and given its readers an opportunity to hear and see art in the context of faith. The opportunity for dialog is also a blessing.

I have read Shaeffer's works on the subject and am looking forward to reading some of the others mentioned her in the comments. As an artist myself, being part of a church that appreciates and encourages my gifts is a treasure beyond words.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Grace-Cake-Arts-Crafts/210967565587763

2012-04-11 05:33 Permalink Reply

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