What makes art “Christian art” or a song to be called a “Christian song”? Is it if there are images of crosses on the canvas or lyrics about cuddling with Jesus? Or, is “Christian art” something else all together? Herman Bavinck, in his “Wonderful Works of God,” is clear as far as the nature and substance of is of artistic endeavors that might be, spiritual, pious and, indeed, human\/Christian art. He shows us how far art takes us but then that, as good as it is, cant take us far enough (and thats fine, because that was never the goal in the first place):<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\nArt is therefore in the first place an evidence of man\u2019s ability to do and to make. This ability is spiritual in character and it gives expression to his deep longings, his high ideals, and his insatiable craving for harmony. Besides, art in all its works and ways conjures up an ideal world before us, in which the discords of our existence on earth are purged in a gratifying harmony. Thus a beauty is disclosed which in this fallen world had been obscured by the wise but is discovered to the simple eye of the artist. And because art thus paints for us a picture of an other and higher reality, it is a comfort in our life, it lifts the soul up out of consternation, and fills our hearts with hope and joy.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
\nBut, though it is much that art can accomplish, it is only in the imagination that we can enjoy the beauty which art discloses. Art cannot close the gulf between the ideal and the real. It cannot make the yonder of its vision the here of our present world. It shows us the glory of Canaan from a distance, but it does not usher us into the better country nor make us citizens of it. Art is much, but it is not everything. It is not, as a man of distinction in its domain once called it, the holiest and noblest thing, the one and only religion and the one and only salvation of man. Art cannot reconcile for sin. It cannot cleanse us of our pollution. And it is not able even to dry our tears in the griefs of life.<\/p>\n– Herman Bavinck, The Wonderful Works of God<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
What makes art “Christian art” or a song to be called a “Christian song”? Is it if there are images of crosses on the canvas or lyrics about cuddling with Jesus? Or, is “Christian art” something else all together? Herman Bavinck, in his “Wonderful Works of God,” is clear as far as the nature and substance of is of artistic endeavors that might be, spiritual, pious and, indeed, human\/Christian art…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6147,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
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