Art to the Glory of God

      John Barber

      WIPF & STOCK - Eugene, Oregon

      ART TO THE GLORY OF GOD

      Copyright © 2010 John Barber. All rights reserved. Except for brief quotations in critical publications or reviews, no part of this book may be reproduced in any manner without prior written permission from the publisher. Write: Permissions, Wipf and Stock Publishers, 199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401.

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      199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3

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      ISBN 13: 978-1-60899-310-9

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      Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible® unless otherwise noted, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

      Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.

      Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

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      To Paul, my son and aspiring painter

      Foreword

      This short introduction to the issue of God and art reminds me first of the question I was asked some time ago, “Chris, can you paint God?” I responded by saying, “No.” But I followed up with the observation that I could paint aspects of the attributes of God. The Christian artist is often struggling without guidance for we have a very long Protestant tradition of anti-visual art. The search for an honest look at art from a theological point of view has been taken up by several scholars, theologians, as well as by Christian artists, and much has been written on that subject in the last four decades. This booklet is a good addition to this dialogue that is now taking place between artists and the Church. We can all learn from each other and need to begin to appreciate that there are many ways in which to glorify God.

      This booklet is written for the Church, for theological students, and for art students. It is my hope that especially theological students will benefit from a better understanding of the role of art within a biblical framework. It may come as a surprise to you that the first person who was inspired by God to make a worship environment was not a prophet, nor a priest, nor a king, but an artist. In the book of Exodus, chapter 31, we are introduced to Bezalel, whom the Lord called and inspired to build the tabernacle and all the items in and around the holy tent of God. Bezalel enhanced the worship experience according to God’s plan, from tent to altar, from vestments to vessels. God took this whole business of the worship space rather seriously.

      John Barber challenges the role and task of art within the Christian community. Great art is missing from the places of worship. Why? That is the question that is explored in the beginning and followed by an introduction to other measuring criteria. Some of these will invite further discussion, and that is good. There are three sections on color that are especially interesting: Color’s Appeal, God and His World of Color, and the Color of Revelation. Like the author, I hope that this booklet will continue the dialogue about art and how we can best glorify the Lord together.

      Chris Overvoorde

      Professor Emeritus,

      Department of Art and Art History

      Calvin College

      Introduction

      Years ago, I was privileged to be a student at the Yale University Institute of Sacred Music. The Institute is an interdisciplinary think-tank that is shared by the Yale Divinity School and the Yale Graduate School of Music. I attended classes in both schools. The principle focus of the Institute is to further study and dialogue on the relationship of Christianity and culture. My role at the Institute also permitted me to take courses at the Department of Christianity and the Arts, where I studied art history (principally painting and architecture) and many of the underlying religious themes found in numerous art masterpieces. During my few years at the Institute, I arrived at many conclusions regarding the relationship between Christianity and culture—all of which have since matured.

      One result of my deliberations over this mutual relationship is a book that I wrote titled The Road From Eden: Studies in Christianity and Culture. The book has a great deal to say about many areas of society and culture, art and art history in particular. Though my formal training is in the area of music, I learned many years ago that the best place to discern the imprint of Christianity upon the forms of Western culture is found in the medium of art—painting and architecture, specifically. Frankly, the history of culture is embodied in the history of art. As I have stated many times before, the student that knows little of art history knows little of cultural history.

      An unexpected byproduct of The Road from Eden was a desire on my part to think more critically about what makes art great. Knowledge of art history is one thing. But knowledge of how one goes about creating a masterpiece is quite another. Truth be told, I can’t paint or sculpt; even my stick-figures leave something to be desired. Nonetheless, there came a point in my study of Christianity’s contribution to the contrasts, currents, and trends in Western culture that caused me to pause and self-reflect, “Wait a minute. What is it about all of these magnificent creations of art that sets them on a higher plane from lesser examples?” So, my interest in what happened in art history shifted to how art becomes great—the mechanics of art. This is a difficult question, certainly because there are so many different examples from art history to examine. The criteria for what makes a composition “great” has changed from epoch to epoch. But are there not some common ingredients that make great art, great?

      Added to my continuing interest is a deeper question. I am a Christian. Consequently, I am ever-mindful of the fact that all that is done on this earthly globe is done before a watching God who appraises all the works of our hands. So, for this writer, the question of great art is inextricably woven into the question of how one does art that glorifies God. Now, it is possible to create something that glorifies God but, according to the critic’s eye, is poorly done. On the other hand, it is feasible to create a piece of art that stands the test of time, but which glorifies man. My purpose in this brief work is to seek a synthesis of the two ideas: to offer some suggestions on how the artist can do great art that glorifies God. Beneath all of this is my enduring quest to see the Christian community become, once more, the source of magnificent, world-shaping art.

      It is my earnest hope that the artist reading this booklet, whether an apprentice, or advanced, will find within its pages a true source of encouragement and some insights that can improve his craft.

      John Barber, PhD

      2010

      1 / Art to the Glory of God

      Contemporary trends in modern art have certainly become a hot button issue. From Andres Serrano’s blasphemous Piss Christ, a large photo of a crucifix immersed in urine, to Chris Ofili’s controversial depiction of the Virgin Mary with elephant dung, to Renee Cox’s Yo Mama’s Last Supper, a five-panel photo which depicts Christ as a nude woman, there are ample reasons for Christians to be concerned about the growing irreverence in art. Moreover, both Serrano and Ofili received financial support from the United States Government (National Endowment for the Arts or NEA), a move that incensed cultural conservatives and which motivated them to put pressure on their elected officials to eliminate government funding for the NEA.