EMBARRASSING AS HELL

Hell isn't what it use to be . . . at least in its place within society. People seem to be embarrassed to talk about hell, and preachers rarely discuss it or talk about it. When asked about one's belief in hell, many people hesitate and blush. It is an embarrassing question, especially for people who think of themselves as intellectually enlightened.

This painting is from an amazing fresco called "The Triumph of the Name of Jesus," by an artist named Gaulli. This is just the lower corner of the enormous ceiling painting. I saw this fresco in 2006, on my last visit to Rome. This portion of the painting depicts devils and the wicked being cast down to their condemnation.

It seems curious that the topic of hell, once so common in churches and theological discussions, has become an almost forbidden topic. It is hard to talk about hell without people expressing their strong emotions, or energetic objections to the subject. Why is this?

Even Evangelicals' ideas and belief in hell has slipped from what it once was. Where once most of Evangelicals believed in hell, now most are conflicted by the subject. There are some very strong feelings about this subject, and it makes me wonder why there is such a strong reaction . . . and reaction it is.

Not all beliefs in hell are identical. There is the eternal conscious punishment version. There is the nihilistic version of it. There is the idea that hell, and/or Purgatory, can be redemptive rather than entirely punitive. Then there is the view that no such place exists at all.

Ask almost any Christian these days, regardless of the denom, and you will find a generally uncomfortable response to the question of one's belief in the existence of hell.

Of course, a belief in the existence of hell is not a requirement for entry into heaven, or at least I don't see it listed as such anywhere in the Bible, but there are, nonetheless, quite energetic feelings about this subject.

Strangely, the subject of hell is one of those topics that can provide one comfort as well as a sense of dread. If one has suffered injustices, or if one has intractable enemies, it is oddly comforting to think that perhaps your enemies will end up in hell.

There are clever statements in films where someone will tell their enemy, "I'll see you in hell!" and there are those witty retorts when told to go to hell, the response is, "You first." Which is usually followed by someone killing the one who insulted them.

Hell can be a convenient doctrine to bandy about. Infidels always end up in hell. Ask any faithful Muslim. Jews, however, have very different views on the subject. Christians have mixed feelings, and various views, and the general population has reached no consensus on the subject at all -- yet people remain very emotional about the subject.

The notion of hell, however, is not relegated to the three Middle-Eastern religions, other cultures and various religions have their own idea of hell. It could even be said that Buddhistic concept of reincarnation is not a happy idea, but is their idea of hell. One really does not want to come back. One is trying to break the cycle and to get out of the endless repetition of life and death. That to the Buddhist is Nirvana . . . which is more about release into nothingness than it is fulfillment of personalty.

I'd love to do a painting about hell, but it is difficult to conceive of an idea of hell that would be meaningful for this generation. The subject matter, as an artist, fascinates me.

I am interested in people's emotions about this topic almost as much as I am in the subject of hell itself.

Why do you think people get so worked up about the idea of hell?

What is it that lies beneath the emotions that provokes such strong responses?

Does the subject bother you?

Have you ever argued one side or the other? If so, why?

What is to be gained by such discussions on the existence of hell?

Why do you think we all feel that this subject is an important subject?

I'd like to know your thoughts on this.

FIFTEEN "NANOSECONDS" OF FAME?

In the later part of the last century, Andy Worhol coined the phrase, "Fifteen-minutes of fame." He was pointing out that media was such a strong force in the world, that everyone on the planet would have fifteen-minutes of notoriety . . . that would be all.

The media is powerful enough to reach everyone on the planet, but it will not provide any single individual with lasting fame. That was then, when the world was slower and less media-intense.

Andy died before the Internet was a available to the masses. I am sure he would have something clever to say about the proliferation of new forms of media these days. Perhaps he would think there would only be fifteen nanoseconds of fame. Fifteen minutes is an eternity by comparison. I mean, just think of how many Youtube spots there are to view. How does any single video rise to the top of that dog-pile? And, who in the world has the time or the opportunity to view them all?

In conversations about the arts and entertainment, I have often heard people comment about how nearly impossible it is to make anything that is meaningful to the masses, in any long-term sense. Ours is a throw-away society that tastes everything and digests nothing. All it seems to produce is massive amounts of waste. I wonder, are we receiving any nutrition from our gluttonous consumption of everything new?

My son-in-law, at lunch today, quoted someone who had said that there use to be one-hundred great bands, each with ten-thousand fans. Now we see ten-thousand bands, each with one-hundred fans. It is true. How can fame find anyone in a world such as this, yet our culture continues to morph in this fashion.

So, is any form of longevity possible . . . for art, for knowledge, for culture, for society, for religion, for individuals? Is it possible to leave a legacy for the generations that will follow us? Or, does this contemporary pastiche mean that all that which was classical and time-honored is no longer relevant? Does relevance exist for anything that is not part of the wave of the nuevo-culture?

If only that which is new and novel is valued, what hope is there for cultural continuity through time? Is cultural continuity even a value in this nation anymore? What will the perpetual-change-machinery of pop-culture, technology, and media produce for our world in the next fifty years? Will this tsunami of the "new" wash away earlier cultures and replace them with anything worthy to be called culture . . . in the old sense of that term? Is history relevant?

I'm reminded of the words of Jeremiah, the Jewish prophet, who said, "This is what the LORD says: Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls. But you said, 'We will not walk in it.' Jer 6:16 NIV

What does it mean to be out-of-date, old-fashioned, antiquated? Is there such a thing as "going-back" in order to go forward? If one misses one's intended off-ramp on the freeway, is it "progress" to keep going? Is it enlightened to think that all off-ramps lead to the same destination? If you were going to keep something from the past in such a world of change as ours what kind of thing(s) would you keep. What ancient things might one always consider to be contemporary?

Any nanothoughts?

THE ILLUMINATRIUM ART EXPERIENCE

FREEDOM FEST went well, except for the few hours the rain nearly washed us all away . . . BUT, the Illuminatrium Art Experience went pretty well.

I imagine there were probably 300 or more people who went through the Illuminatrium, many of whom stopped long enough to make some pretty cool art.

Between painting, drawing, face-painting, origami, clay and coloring books, there was a ton of art produced in those 50 or so hours. It was inspiring. By the end of Freedom Fest, there was over 120 works hanging on the gallery walls . . . a tribute to the creative spirit of children of all ages.

This is just one of the many cool works produced.

To see more, visit http://www.danielriceart.net/ILLUMINATRIUM/Illuminatrium.html

UNSELFISHNESS IS NOT ENOUGH

C. S. Lewis is a fairly renowned author on a number of subjects. Among his diverse writings are scholarly works about Medieval literature, science fiction stories, theological papers, and even children's books, such as The Chronicles of Narnia.

Over the years, I have returned to one of his works over and over. Actually it was a public address he gave in Oxford in 1941, but has been printed in a variety of places since.

"The Weight of Glory" is still fresh and relevant today, and it is one of the most amazing essays I have ever read. It is about the greater meaning of the Christian idea and experience, as it pertains to the after-life and eternal reward. It is simply profound.

Of course, I try to use the term Christian carefully, because I do not want that word associated with mere denominationalism or anything short of its biblical meaning, i.e. those who follow Christ himself. It is one thing to belong to a religious organization, it is quite another to be a Christ-follower.

People often use the word "Christian" to refer to varoius sectarian approaches to the Faith, such as Fundamentalism, or Evangelicalism, or other "isms" of one brand or another. The word has lost nearly all of its original apostolic meaning. If I could, I would replace it with a different, better, less abused term for following Christ.

But, for the moment, click on the link below and read the essay for yourself. It is rather long, but "weighty" matters are always worth working through.

To view the pages, you will need to click on each link separately.

These are all JPGs.

Happy reading :-)

http://www.danielriceart.net/BLOG/WEIGHT_of_GLORY

SOURCE for The Weight of Glory
The Essential C. S. Lewis
COLLIER BOOKS
MACMILLAN PUBLISHING COMPANY
866 Third Ave, New York, NY 10022
ISBN 0-002-019550-8

MY KID COULD PAINT THAT!!!

WOW.

Watch this trailer and tell me what you think.
http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony/mykidcouldpaintthat/

ATTACK OF THE GREEN-EYED MONSTER

Over the years one picks up a piece of information or three. This is one I have come to lean on.

I have noticed through my life that when someone is rejoicing, someone else may not like it. They are sour and cannot rejoice with those who rejoice, they refuse to celebrate the happiness of others; but rather feel like saying or doing something to bring the happy-one “down-to-earth,” “back-to-reality,” “in-balance” with the rest of the world.

I truly do not understand why this is part of human nature, but it seems to be true at times. People just get green with envy. They become jealous of others who are doing well. This was part of the dynamics of Cain's hatred of his brother, Able. It led to the first recorded murder. This kind of attitude is not only unbecoming, it can be problematic. Often, it is jealousy that is at the root of quarrels between people. The Apostle James said, "What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don't they come from your desires that battle within you? 2 You want something but don't get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. 3 When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures." (James 4:1-3 NIV)


Happily, over the past decade or so, I have been conscious enough to recognize those subtle “kill-joy” voices (I believe they are also probably “devilish” voices), and counter them with kind words, sincere congratulations, and heartfelt like-rejoicing to the ones who are in their moment of happiness. The burdens of life will unfortunately return soon enough and often enough, so I enjoy perpetuating “the moment” of joy as long as is possible – especially when it is the moment of someone else’s joy. This is a gift to them. It is a blessing I have the power to grant or to withhold. I choose to grant it . . . with gusto! J And, I am delighted to do so.

Life, as they say, is short, and we all forget that fact from time to time. I have found that celebrating things in which my friends are rejoicing brings me gladness of heart, and a kind of participation in their joy . . . which is often very wonderful. I have found that I must “check my spirit” from time to time and consciously reject negative thoughts . . . or worse, no thought at all about the other’s joy. Someone once said, “Envy is the only way the wicked know how to pay a compliment.” That really hit me. But, rather than envy another’s achievement or station in life, we can celebrate it – which seems to me to be a higher path.

One of the ways I know how to tell if I am walking in God’s Spirit is how I feel about the success of others. I am happy to say that, over the years, Christ has been working this precious gift inside me. Today, I learned of some colleagues who have successfully and beautifully completed a truly amazing building project. I cannot tell you how happy I am for them – for us all, because when one part of the Body of Christ is exalted, all are beneficiaries. This achievement of theirs is truly wonderful.

It may be that I may never personally benefit from their triumph, but I can genuinely participate with them in their happy moment. What a joy and a glory it is for them, and I would not rob them of a single beam of their delight. Rather, I add to it with a hearty “Way to go!!” “Well done!!!” I rejoice with them. I exult with them. I am grateful to see the blessing of God in/on/with/through my brother’s and sister’s lives. Doing so enriches us all. I know it enriches me. In the end, it will all boil down to that final statement that we all so deeply long to hear, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant.” I choose to echo praise for others in anticipation of its ultimate bestowal. Perhaps, in my congratulations to my brothers, they will hear something of the voice of the one whom they love so dearly.

James 3:13-18 . . . 17 But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. 18 Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. NIV

WHY SO LITTLE ART IN THE CHURCHES?

Of course, there are churches that are quite aware of the arts, and they are very active in numerous levels and expressions of art, but there are many more that aren't and don't. This is not an exaggeration, it is pretty much true across the board, regardless of denom.

Arts and culture are popular buzz-words in the many churches today, but there is really not much of either art or culture going on. Again, this is not a criticism as much as it is an simple observation.

To prove the point, just ask the average church leader how much of their budget is dedicated to the purchasing of art, and how many artists are on their staff. You are likely to get some answer that says they encourage the artists in their congregations to "volunteer" for things, but less often will one find churches hiring artists to place on their leadership staff. Most churches simply do not put their money where their mouth is. Many say they value the arts, but do nothing to promote them within their congregations. Often they discourage artists from being taken seriously, relegating the artist's works to "special-moments" of expression, but not to share in the accepted and regular forms of ministry.

Some churches do, however, hire artists, and commission them for various tasks - but these are often punctiliar tasks, works for the moment; irregular. The visual arts is one area that needs to see growth in all churches. It actually is growing in some spots, but in others it is little more than a fuzzy noise in the background.

But in all fairness, how is the church to think of the arts today? For nearly a hundred years the visual arts were almost completely absent from the church, and any one who got involved in the performing arts was suspect. Their faith was very often questioned. The arts were often seen as a backdoor to worldliness and sin. Only ministries of music have grown with any regularity in the Protestant churches during this past century. Music is truly wonderful, but it is not enough if it is the only art form in the church. Though music is essential and necessary, it is too narrow a focus all by itself. It will never be enough until all the arts are seen to be just as necessary for worship as is music.

What is needed to bring the visual arts up to snuff in the church? Several things. First, knowledgeable people in art ministries; people who are not afraid of the visual arts. Second, regular education in the arts for the church, so that congregations can know what is "good" and what is "better." Third, visual artists with education and existing ministries need to be ordained to positions of leadership that carry as much weight as does every other leadership ministry in the church. Fourth, resources. That is as plain and simple as it gets. The arts need money and space. A place for the arts must be created and regularly supported. It may not be that great to begin with, but it's creation and growth must be committed to, or nothing will change.

In short, the arts must cease to be marginalized and take a place at the center of church culture, alongside the rest of the regular ministries of Word and Spirit. Until the visual arts cease being a quaint novelty, or an occasional luxury, and are seen as the essential ministry of communication and worship that they are, not much will change in the church. Without all the arts functioning fully in the church, it will remain impoverished in many ways. It will lack the fullest expressions of God's interaction with humankind.

Church history has shown us over and over that when the arts are at the center of worship and spiritual education, the church grows, thrives and benefits -- not only in the immediate sense, but across time as well.

When the church takes the long view, and invests in the arts as a means of communicating God's presence over time and space (rather than merely a pop expression for the moment), then great things are possible and Spirit-filled artists will emerge from within the church itself . . . but what church leaders have either the vision or the courage for such a commitment as that?

Something to think about. :-)

(NOTE: Painting at top by Scott Erickson - See more of Scott's work at http://thetranspireproject.com/)