Comments on: Art & Evangelism — The Great Divide http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429 Faith. Culture. Composition. Thu, 09 Sep 2010 03:52:08 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Mike Duran http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429&cpage=1#comment-69843 Mike Duran Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:55:24 +0000 http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429#comment-69843 Agreed, Becky. It's not an either/or issue. Our lives can be about both beauty and truth. However, I'm afraid that the current strictures force Christian art and artists into an either/or ultimatum. So we might live our lives in beauty and truth, but being published requires more truth than beauty. Agreed, Becky. It's not an either/or issue. Our lives can be about both beauty and truth. However, I'm afraid that the current strictures force Christian art and artists into an either/or ultimatum. So we might live our lives in beauty and truth, but being published requires more truth than beauty.

]]> By: Mike Duran http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429&cpage=1#comment-69842 Mike Duran Tue, 22 Dec 2009 01:48:37 +0000 http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429#comment-69842 Yes, I appreciate that distinction, Jay. God is not in every kind of art. However, limiting Him to art that has cleared the censors is equally presumptive. A happy medium is probably best. Yes, I appreciate that distinction, Jay. God is not in every kind of art. However, limiting Him to art that has cleared the censors is equally presumptive. A happy medium is probably best.

]]> By: Noel http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429&cpage=1#comment-69840 Noel Tue, 22 Dec 2009 00:18:20 +0000 http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429#comment-69840 Excellent thoughts, Becky. Flannory O'Connor wrote: In the greatest fiction, the writer's moral sense coincides with his dramatic sense, and I see no way for it to do this unless his moral judgement is part of the very act of seeing, and he is free to use it. I have heard it said that belief in Christian dogma is a hindrance to the writer, but I myself have found nothing further from the truth. Actually, it frees the story-teller to observe. It is not a set of rules which fixes what he sees in the world. It affects his writing primarily by guaranteeing his respect for mystery. Also: We want competence, but competence by itself is deadly. What is needed is the vision to go with it... Excellent thoughts, Becky. Flannory O'Connor wrote:

In the greatest fiction, the writer's moral sense coincides with his dramatic sense, and I see no way for it to do this unless his moral judgement is part of the very act of seeing, and he is free to use it. I have heard it said that belief in Christian dogma is a hindrance to the writer, but I myself have found nothing further from the truth. Actually, it frees the story-teller to observe. It is not a set of rules which fixes what he sees in the world. It affects his writing primarily by guaranteeing his respect for mystery.

Also:

We want competence, but competence by itself is deadly. What is needed is the vision to go with it…

]]> By: Rebecca Luella Miller http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429&cpage=1#comment-69839 Rebecca Luella Miller Mon, 21 Dec 2009 21:42:11 +0000 http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429#comment-69839 I'm with Jay in the middle. Suzan said: <i>In trying so hard to drive home a message, they compromise the art.</i> But I see others that would fit the flip side of the statement: <i>In trying so hard to create art, they compromise the message.</i> Actually as I was reading your post, Mike, I was thinking about Life. Here are some of my musings. * Am I to live for exploration and imagination, or to make disciples? * Is my life to be separate from my witness for Christ; shouldn't everything I do reflect my relationship with God? * Is my life more about beauty, or truth? Can't it be both? * Is my life to be lived on shifting sand or on solid rock? * Am I to value authenticity more than holiness? Or is authenticity actually a part of holiness? Becky I'm with Jay in the middle.

Suzan said: In trying so hard to drive home a message, they compromise the art. But I see others that would fit the flip side of the statement: In trying so hard to create art, they compromise the message.

Actually as I was reading your post, Mike, I was thinking about Life. Here are some of my musings.

* Am I to live for exploration and imagination, or to make disciples?

* Is my life to be separate from my witness for Christ; shouldn't everything I do reflect my relationship with God?

* Is my life more about beauty, or truth? Can't it be both?

* Is my life to be lived on shifting sand or on solid rock?

* Am I to value authenticity more than holiness? Or is authenticity actually a part of holiness?

Becky

]]> By: Jay http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429&cpage=1#comment-69838 Jay Mon, 21 Dec 2009 20:14:02 +0000 http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429#comment-69838 I'm going to take a somewhat a middle of the road approach. It's approaching reprehensible that Christians tend to extol any "Christian" art so long as it's got that clear message. Like you said, they like the message (perfectly fine), but it's disguised as supporting the art -- and the quality of the art is irrelevant. That's how, say, mediocre Christian musicians get jocked only within the church. Non-Christians have little to no idea who these people are and they are wondering why we like them so much. But I'm also not one to say "Hey, God is in every kind of art." That's a little lazy to me. Non-Christians can communicate truth(s) through art, but I don't think it can be complete spiritual truth. God gave the task (the ability?) of spreading the gospel to the church. While those outside can TESTIFY to it, I don't think they can fully understand the immensity and completeness of it. If they did, wouldn't they be Christians in the first place? I'm going to take a somewhat a middle of the road approach. It's approaching reprehensible that Christians tend to extol any "Christian" art so long as it's got that clear message. Like you said, they like the message (perfectly fine), but it's disguised as supporting the art — and the quality of the art is irrelevant. That's how, say, mediocre Christian musicians get jocked only within the church. Non-Christians have little to no idea who these people are and they are wondering why we like them so much.

But I'm also not one to say "Hey, God is in every kind of art." That's a little lazy to me. Non-Christians can communicate truth(s) through art, but I don't think it can be complete spiritual truth. God gave the task (the ability?) of spreading the gospel to the church. While those outside can TESTIFY to it, I don't think they can fully understand the immensity and completeness of it. If they did, wouldn't they be Christians in the first place?

]]> By: suzan http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429&cpage=1#comment-69837 suzan Mon, 21 Dec 2009 18:58:22 +0000 http://mikeduran.com/?p=5429#comment-69837 Regarding my personal taste in the arts, I'm firmly in the camp of aesthetics, imagination and exploration. I believe that the Holy Spirit works quite nicely in those areas, in spite of ourselves. God uses what He will use, for His purposes. Christians should stop trying to outpreach Christ, and let the Holy Spirit inspire them to create beauty and truth. In trying so hard to drive home a message, they compromise the art. It sometimes ends up being cheesy, because it's their evangelism tool, instead of The Holy Spirit working through them to do whatever He will, for whatever His purpose. There is a difference, few Christian artists understand it. Sadly, most haven't-rather, it's all about them and what they are doing for God. It's the difference between what I can do for God vs. What God does through me, in His timing, for His purposes. Regarding my personal taste in the arts, I'm firmly in the camp of aesthetics, imagination and exploration. I believe that the Holy Spirit works quite nicely in those areas, in spite of ourselves. God uses what He will use, for His purposes. Christians should stop trying to outpreach Christ, and let the Holy Spirit inspire them to create beauty and truth. In trying so hard to drive home a message, they compromise the art. It sometimes ends up being cheesy, because it's their evangelism tool, instead of The Holy Spirit working through them to do whatever He will, for whatever His purpose. There is a difference, few Christian artists understand it. Sadly, most haven't-rather, it's all about them and what they are doing for God. It's the difference between what I can do for God vs. What God does through me, in His timing, for His purposes.

]]>