Why Should The Church Care About Your Art?

Last updated on: August 19, 2008 at 2:19 pm by Dave Dunham

Why Should The Church Care About Your Art? 2008-08-19T14:19:46-06:00 Dave Dunham

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

It has become one of the major criticisms by “Emergent” types against the “Traditional” church: The church doesn’t support the arts and artists. I hear a lot from the Emergent frontier these days (more than I often want to), but I confess I haven’t quite figured out what to think of this criticism. Many of the critiques of Emergents are accurate and good, many are not, but what I think about this particular criticism has yet to be determined.

Ted Kluck, one of the authors of Why We’re Not Emergent: By Two Guys Who Should Be, has his own thoughts on the subject. Speaking of an “apology” by Christian leaders to artists for not supporting them, Kluck writes:

This is an apology I’ve heard made several times before, and I’m still a little unclear as to the reason. Is it because churches aren’t displaying art on their walls? Neither are insurance companies, but nobody is up in arms about that. My hunch is that there is this feeling that churches aren’t adequately “supporting” artists (musicians, writers, visual artists) in their midst. However, I don’t exactly see churches “supporting” software designers, salesmen, or farmers either. That’s not the church’s purpose. And it seems that the artists who are making the most noise about “not being supported” are the ones who may not have the talent to really cut it in the marketplace anyway. I don’t know of any working artists (musicians, actors, writers, painters) who complain that their church doesn’t “support” their efforts. Art is tough. Making a living at art is tough (p. 143).

Kluck has made some good points: (1) The church doesn’t support any other professions exclusively, so why should they be shamed for not supporting artists? (2) What does supporting professions have to do with the purpose of the church anyways?

In spite of all this, I can’t help but wonder if the fact that God made us to be “artistic,” to reflect His power in creation through our creative activities, suggests that maybe Kluck has missed the point. It’s not that the church should “support” a profession. Rather, the church should “support,” (perhaps “encourage” and “utilize” would be better terms) the God-given abilities and creativity of human beings made in their Maker’s image.

Perhaps Protestants have overreacted to the Idol worship of imagery prior to the Reformation. Is all art in the church bad because it leads some to worship the image instead of the God it points us to? Perhaps Protestants need a better theology of images, and from there we can begin afresh this discussion of the church supporting the arts. I don’t think the answer is as clear as either Kluck or Emergent believers make it out to be. As always, I have more questions than answers… and perhaps that’s what the Emergent Church wants. But I think there’s more clarity to be found. The picture just isn’t quite clear enough yet.

General Culture

Previous Post

August 18, 2008

Harry Potter Fans Fight 8-Month Film Delay

Next Post

August 19, 2008 Now that's Journalism!

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Asides Elsewhere Featured Film Games General Culture Headline Literature Music Of the Moment Podcast Politics RetroPost Sports Technology Television Uncategorized Viral

Select a Month February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz