ARTISTS; RESIDENT IN THE CHURCH?

The Artist-in-Residence program at Durham Cathedral is a testimony to the enduring legacy of the need for artists in the church. You can observe their program at their website, and get a sense of its history as well as its contemporary relevance. http://www.artschaplaincy.org.uk/projects/air.html

The works of these artists transcend a merely self-centered notion of person creativity; these artists are producing works that are connected to a centuries old tradition that ministers to others and glorifies God.

Their work becomes timeless, because they are joining their lives and their labors to something bigger than themselves. They are, in a sense, hitching their wagon to a star, and because of this their works will remain a testimony of their own creative spirit as it is joined to the work of countless others through the life of the Church.

In these works one sees a continuity with the artists of the past, energetic contemporary expressions of living creativity, and fellowship in an artistic tradition that will stand the test of time. Would to God, more churches employed the arts in their worship, in their sacred spaces, and in their plans for the future.

It would be wonderful if more "artist in residence" programs were established. If you love the arts, talk to your church leaders about including them more integrally into your regular worship. If you are really bold, encourage your church and its leaders to look into creating an "artist in residence" program. It need not be grandiose. You can begin simply. Any enrichment of the worship experience is better than none. Begin where you can, and see the wonderful places that journey will take you.

Look for more information about this subject in coming blogs. Creating such programs is possible, and well worth our time, resources and energy to investigate. Imagine the rich possibilities and the diversity of advantages for humankind if churches returned to the arts, and art was once more created for the glory of God. There is not a single facet of the Church that would not directly benefit. There is not a single area of culture that would not be greatly enriched.

(Painting above: The Annunciation by: Edward Burne-Jones, a Pre-Raphaelite)

ANCIENT - COMPELLING - RELATIVE

There is a kind of mania in the churches today about being relevant to the culture. Frequently that means being new, fresh, trendy, culturally hip, faddish, or edgy. Relevance is rarely that in any case except for those contexts where trendiness is the over-arching paradigm.

Who today would think of St. Augustine as being relevant to the current and prevailing cultures of the west? Probably not many, but a closer look will find this man someone not merely to venerate as a saint, but one who ought to be considered as truly relevant for believers today. His works transcend time and culture, remaining a great source of inspiration and wisdom.

Augustine was, in his early years, a profligate and an intellectual. He was formally trained as an orator and became a teacher, but his personal life was a moral mess. One of his most famous statements often quoted was, "God, make me chaste, but not yet." We smile at the honest foolishness of that request, and see our own desire for God as it is often eclipsed by our reluctance to fully follow Christ.

Augustine is one of those saints who has caused more soul-searching and controversy than most others. That alone qualifies him for examination. Any religious person who wants to fit in and make nice will not like what Augustine has to say. Those who want to be thought spiritual while living like hell will out and out despise what he has to say. But, those who have an open heart, unafraid of the mystical vision he preaches will find in Augustine a fountain of refreshment and inspiration. Read Augustine. He is not just ancient, he is also relevant and compelling for our own day.

Here is a link to a teaching by John Piper about the life of St. Augustine and what it might mean to us today. Piper is speaking to a group of ministers, and he refers to numerous early church controversies with heretics as well as references to the "Reform" churches and Reform theology, but never mind all that . . . those are references intended for that particular audience. Just ignore that, but listen closely to the things he has to say about Augustine himself. I think you might find it a bit more than interesting. I hope you find it compelling as well. http://www.danielriceart.net/AUGUSTINE/

When you get to the folder you will see a single file. Just click on the MP3 file to download or open the subject matter. Note, this is a 40 meg file, so it may take a minute (or four) to download it if you have a cable connection. Piper's entire message is over an hour, but listen to what you can. You will get the feel of it pretty quickly. This is superb content on Augustine, delivered by a passionate and intelligent contemporary public speaker.

PATRON SAINTS OF ARTISTS

There are a number of patron saints of artists. They are St. Catherine of Bologna, St. Bernward, Fra Angelico, Michael the Archangel, and St. Luke, the writer of the gospel of Luke, the book of The Acts of the Apostles, and traveling companion of St. Paul on his missionary journeys.

In Renaissance Florence, St. Luke was a favored patron saint for the painters, goldsmiths, gold workers, stained glass workers, lacemakers, brewers and sculptors.

( http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintl06.htm)

In the 11th century, St. Bernward was a remarkable artist and churchman who accomplished amazing things in the creation of sacred spaces and for the beautification of the worship of God. His story is truly impressive. (http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/saintb44.htm)

I love the idea of having patron saints of the arts, because the arts should be thought of as sacred in nature, and blessed by heaven. This may not seem true in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries in the general public - not yet anyway, but it will - especially as common artists like myself and my friends have anything to say about it . . . and we do.

Many believers working in the arts today are beginning to make a difference in the art world. New York City now has the Museum of Biblical Art (http://www.mobia.org/about/), of which I hear some good things - and Gordon College houses the CIVA organization. CIVA stands for Christians in the Visual Arts (http://www.civa.org/), a worthy effort for the arts among believers. Publications like IMAGE Magazine and Relevant Magazine (two very different kinds of publications) are raising the consciousness about excellence in the arts.

There is so much going on that churches too reluctant or too afraid to patronize the arts; or unwilling to become supporters of artists in their midst, and patrons of their works may discover that they missed a great opportunity to be in the middle of what God is doing in this generation. They missed their best opportunity to connect to the culture, to bless their world.

Shortly, I will be sharing more with you about the patron saints of the arts and what that might mean for us today, regardless of one's spiritual affiliations.