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Art and the Bible
Art and the Bible is an interesting approach at looking at art in all of its forms. It also answers the question what is the place of art in the Christian life? Along with the question it tries to put a general perspective on art. The different types of art that are mentioned are writing, painting, poetry, drama and music. The question is answered by looking in the Bible and finding specific example regarding art in all of its forms. The general perspectives on art are looked at in eleven points. I will also critique this book and give my personal opinion.
The first thing made clear in Art and the Bible is the Lordship of Christ regarding man. The Bible makes four things very clear: God made the whole man; in Christ the whole man is redeemed; Christ is the Lord of the whole Christina life; and when Christ comes back men will be raised from the dead and the whole man will have whole redemption. Under this framework is how art in the Christian life is understood. Art does have a place in Christian life, a Christian should use the arts to the Glory of God—not just as a tract, but as things of beauty to the praise of God. Without the framework then art would be seen as ungodly.
Many people think that the Bible has little to say about art. To be more specific some say that the Jews had no interest in the arts because of what the Ten Commandments say. This is believed only because the Bible is being misinterpreted. To read the Bible more clearly one would see that the Bible has much to say about art.
There are many places in the Bible where we can find that God allots art, and where it is even commanded by God. Some people think that art is not allowed by God, but in actuality God does allow it he just doe...
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...ding I thought that it was going to bore me, but as I read on it became very intriguing. I was going into it with a biased opinion because I am reading his other book “How then shall we live” and I don’t have the highest opinion on that book, but this one is very good. As I mentioned in my critique I think the only thing that I would have liked to see, is if it was written in a more understanding way. I understood most of it but there were some points I didn’t really understand what he was trying to get across. The thing that I liked most about it was that in all of his points he backed it up with Scripture, that shows me that he took his time to prove each of his points. If there were no scriptures then his points would have no truth to fall back on. So overall the book was really good and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who enjoys art in all of its forms.
Berry points out that art comes does not birth something new rather “...it begins in other arts, in attitudes and ideas antecedent to any art, in nature, and in inspiration” (Berry 305). He also discusses how art should be used to bring glory to God.
My goal for this paper is to give a practical critique and defense of what I have learned in my time as a Studio Art Major. During my time here I have learned that Pensacola Christian college’s definition of art “art is the organized visual expression of ideas or feelings” and the four parts of Biblosophy: cannon, communication, client, and creativity. Along with Biblosophy I have studied Dr. Frances Schaeffer 's criteria for art, seeing how the technical, and the major and minor messages in artwork. All of these principles are great but they do need to be refined.
Art educates. This education can be both positive and negative but art can function as an educational tool that has lasting effects. A 2009 article in the New York Times titled: “Schools Adopt Art as Building Block of Education” indicates the growing acceptance of art functioning in education. In this article, the unique architecture of the building was used practically by students “measuring whimsical figures of hot-air balloons, paper airplanes and pinwheels built right into the walls of their school” (par. 1). The architecture also functioned as inspiration for further learning. In addition, the article documented the perspective of a four-year old child who proclaimed that “When you look at it, it helps you learn.” (par. 20) When Jeremiah looked at the image of heaven and hell he learned significant life lessons. This picture that was presented in residential school ...
Artists have many motives of (as to) why they create pieces of art. ‘The School of Athens’ by Raphael and ‘Judith Decapitating Holofernes’ by Artemisia Gentileschi shows this. Raphael used a lot of patterns as well as people to show the intellectuality of Athens. Artemisia Gentileschi, on the other hand, depicted a scene from the Old Testament in her artwork.
This is an extremely high relief sculpture made of limestone. It is to be viewed from a frontal standpoint. It however does have a potential for movement. There seems to be a great deal going on in such a close space. It is very crowded, but dramatic. The figures are intertwining with each other all at once even though there are different things happening. It reminds me of a play with scenes. You can actually step in to it and feel as though you are a part of what is happening because of all the different directions each individual is facing.
By definition art is an expression of human creative skills that are appreciated for their beauty or emotional power. Since The Heart of Darkness consists of somewhat dark themes, it has received mass criticism from people like Achebe
Art, by definition, is “something that is created with imagination and skill and that is beautiful or that expresses important ideas or feelings”. Throughout history, one way that art has been used is to reflect a multitude of ideas and beliefs. Christian beliefs and ideas have been portrayed in artwork since the beginning of Christianity, although, it was not always acceptable to do so. The idea of the final judgement is a Christian idea that has been displayed in art repeatedly in a variety of ways. Michelangelo’s fresco the Last Judgment (1536-1541) is a piece that visualizes this idea. Since the time it was finished, this significant piece found in the Sistine Chapel has been continuously critiqued and analyzed. Many Christians struggle to interpret the event of a final judgment after reading it through Scripture. In analyzing Michelangelo’s piece, it is similar difficult to determine what he exactly meant to portray and what the various part of his masterpiece represent exactly. Many have examined this piece and made different regarding what exactly the various figures and objects are supposed to represent. The diverse interpretations of this work further shows the idea that when Christian ideas are reflected through artwork, it is hard to ascertain exactly what an artist intended to demonstrate. In addition, the controversies surrounding this piece represent the idea that when Christian ideas are revealed through art, there is potential for disagreement regarding what should and should not be included in Christian art. Michelangelo’s Last Judgment is just an example of what results when Christianity is brought into art.
Whether or not we notice it, Art is always around. It can come in the form of a beautiful painting in the Smithsonian Museum, a sculpture by Michelangelo, or as graffiti on the wall. Whatever the form, art is always present. Additionally, art is not new; for as long as there have been people, there has been art. Though rare, early Christian art manages to express, in picture form, a story from the bible. One piece, which was actual a mural painted in the fourth century, on walls of the mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Raveena, Italy, depicts Christ teaching his apostles. Just a few miles away in a Vatican City museum is a statue from the third century which also depicts Christ as the Good Shepherd.
Over the course of history, art has been used for many different purposes. It has been used to relay a message to the illiterate and show off the face of an emperor. Presently, art has no other purpose except to be aesthetically pleasing to the eye. Back in the days of ancient Greece and Crete, that was not the case. The Minoans were a people who lived on an island near one of the oldest and most well-documented civilizations of the Western world. While they may have been advanced for their time, much of what we now know about their culture has come from examining their art. In the Minoan culture, different forms of artwork held different religious and political meaning.
A lot of people might be doubtful that art has much power to make the world a better place. If you asked they would probably summarize art as scribbles or
I must say that this book is a hard read. I am sure that there are many nuances and ideas that I missed along the way. It does take sometime to get accustom to the style of writing since we are some use to the linear approach to reading and seldom do we engage a book written in a poetic or prose structure. I am sure that if I read the book two or three times again, I will find new things that I missed on the first read. This book, in my opinion, is not a book that is written for public consumption, rather I think that this is a niche book and finds a home in the hands of philosophy or religion students who are looking for a challenging yet thought provoking read. For those who might have a hard time understanding the book and the ideas within it, researching the author before reading the book might prove beneficial and add context and background to the readings.
Art through the ages has been a powerful voice for both secular and religious ideas, and the treasury of Christian art should not be relegated to museum viewing. The art should be displayed in the church were it is meant to be. Its richness can be brought to people in schools and adult study groups. This, in turn, can help to bring art up to the level, that the faith deserves. Churches should fill the walls with art to show what happened throughout the bible. Art creates connections and associations between what we see and what we sense happened. Both ritual and art challenge us to take us beyond the immediate, if they are to bring about true insight and transformation in our lives.
The introduction of Christianity as a major religion followed the pattern of other ancient religions. Many of the great works of art were done for religious purposes. Some of the most famous artworks in history are religious. Just a few that come immediately to mind are The Last Supper, the ceiling of the Cysteine Chapel, and the Statue of David. Even during the period known as the Dark Ages art was inspired by religion. True, the art was generally dark and full of death and demons, but the art was based upon religious themes, mostly from the book of Revelations. As with the art that preceded it, the religious art of Christianity is full of symbolism. For example, a painting where the man is standing with two fingers upraised on his right hand is generally a religious leader such as a pope or Jesu...
During the ancient times in Greece, Plato was the first human to document and criticize the existence of art and artists. He mentioned that human art was always in a form of a representation of something else. In one of Plato’s famous works, he demonstrates the idea of art is like an “imitation of nature” (Blocker 3). In other words, the purpose of art was to represent nature and nothing else. Art was not created for the sake of its own self nor was it created to appreciate its own beauty by any means. Instead, art, usually in forms of writings, paintings, or sculptures, was created to only to represent nature, Gods, emperors, families, or other important individuals. Furthermore, Plato had a very critical view towards the existence art in our society because art makes us more emotional, and our emotions lead to many errors about life. He believed it is our rational thinking, not our emotions or senses, which helps us und...
Throughout the ages art has played a crucial role in life. Art is universal and because art is everywhere, we experience it on a daily basis. From the houses we live in (architecture) to the movies we see (theatre) to the books that we read (literature). Even in ancient culture art has played a crucial role. In prehistoric times cave dwellers drew on the wall of caves to record history. In biblical times paintings recorded the life and death of Christ. Throughout time art has recorded history. Most art is created for a specific reason or purpose, it has a way of expressing ideas and beliefs, and it can record the experiences of all people.