Could the Church Today Spark a New Renaissance?

Last updated on: August 14, 2012 at 2:29 pm by Timothy Dalrymple

Could the Church Today Spark a New Renaissance? 2012-08-14T14:29:35-04:00 Timothy Dalrymple

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.

I grew up with a seven-foot print of Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam, from the Sistine Chapel, on the wall above my bed. I read Irving Stone’s The Agony and the Ecstasy, a novelized version of Michelangelo’s life, twice in high school and once again in college. I read deeply on Leonardo Da Vinci, both for his scientific and his artistic genius. I knew it wasn’t the hippest era amongst the highbrow set, but I always loved the art of the renaissance period. I’ve grown to love other kinds and periods of art, but the painting and the sculpture of the great renaissance masters has always remained my favorite.

Could the Church once again be Patron of the Arts?

The greater portion of that art was produced under the patronage of the church. There were controversies, to be sure, and artists then as now liked to push the boundaries. But the church was much more supportive of artistic and scientific innovation than is commonly portrayed. Michelangelo’s masterpiece on the chapel ceiling sits inside St. Peter’s Basilica. It was nurtured within the embrace of the Church and it has remained there ever since.

Christians today, and evangelicals especially, like to complain about the way they are portrayed in today’s works of art — in novels, television shows, movies and the like. And Christians today like to joke about the low-budget quality of shows and films that are made specifically for the evangelical subculture. Yet they — we — rarely give generously of our time, talents and treasures to create transcendent, piercing, defining works of culture. Sometimes it seems like we’re waiting around for another big-money patron to appear. Wouldn’t it be great if there were a Christian Bill Gates who would give $10B to the creation of enduring works of art from artists of faith?

Yes, it would be great. And there are some interesting efforts afoot, such as the Wedgwood Circle, and in particular areas, such as the Act One program to nurture writers and directors of film. But the good news is, with modern technology, we have some excellent means available to us to support the creation of culture that honors what is true and good and beautiful. Just like Kickstarter supports the launch of new ideas and products, or Causes or Razoo or Crowdrise (or iam2.org, to which I am particularly devoted), the combination of digital and social media technologies makes it possible for us to gather small amounts of money from many people at once, for the production of art.

We can crowd-source a restored church patronage of the arts.

That’s the idea behind As1, launched by Jonathan Bock, the founder of Grace Hill Media. I’ve come to know Jon and GHM through the process of creating the Patheos Movies Channel, and I’m excited by the vision he articulates for this new initiative: “As1 seeks to restore the church to its historically traditional role as a Patron of the Arts. Through our demographic size and collective buying power, we will unite to impact the culturally influential art of our time – film, television and music. As we have throughout history, we will generously reward the artists who tell our stories. And they will make more. In addition, As1 seeks genuine relationship and renewed partnership with the Artistic Community. Artists: you are not the enemy, and we were wrong for saying you were. As1 wants the greatest artists telling our stories again.”

I’m aware that, in the odd assortment of people who read this blog, some will be inclined to criticize from the start. But I would love to see this flourish. Here’s the video introducing the concept:

Perhaps we don’t need a big-money patron. Perhaps we just need ourselves, committed, creative, and collaborating.

art

Previous Post

August 14, 2012

Is Michael Phelps Really the Greatest Olympian Ever?

Next Post

August 15, 2012 More Reasons We Cannot Call Phelps the Greatest Olympian Ever

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abortion adoption Africa Aging AIDS America Worship American history Americolatry An Open Letter to a College Freshman animals Apologetics art Atheism Authors Barack Obama Bible Biblical Scholarship Billy Graham Blogging Bono Book Review Books That Change Lives Breakfast Links Bulletin Board Business Children Christian Approach to Politics Christian Media Christian Right Derangement Syndrome Christianity and Homosexuality Christians in Government Christmas Chuck Colson CLS v Martinez Comic Creation Creativity and the Arts Cross Examinations Cross Investigations Daily Fragment Daily Trinity Death debt Deep Thoughts on Fatherhood depression economy education Election 2012 entertainment Environment Epistemology Erik Campano Euthanasia Evangelicalism Evangelicals and Gays Everyday Transcendence evil evolution Facebook Jesus faith Faith and Politics Faith and Politics Faith and Politics Faith and Politics Faith and Politics Faith and Politics Faith and Politics faith and reason family Feminism foreign affairs Franklin Graham Future of Evangelicalism Galen D. gay marriage George W. Bush Guest Posts Guns Gymnastics Harold Camping Heaven Hell Holidays Hollywood Homosexuality iam2.org Illegal Immigration immigration Immigration Reform Injustice Inspiration Interviews Islam Jeremy Lin Jesus jesus christ John Mark Reynolds Johnnie Moore Judgment Day Just War Theory Killing Osama Link of the Day Lists of the Week Mark Goldblatt Marriage Military Missions Mitt Romney Modern Western Thought Monastic wisdom Mormonism Morning Hash Morning Report Motherhood Movies Obamacare Old Testament Orphan Care Palin Parenting Pastoral Resources Patheos Peace Between Religions PEPFAR Persecution Peter Wehner Peter Wehner Philosophy Political Quotes of the Day politics Politics and Economics Pornography Prejudice Prisoner Rape Question of the Week Race Radical Faith Rapture Ravi Zacharias Rick Santorum Russia Salvation Sarah Palin Scandals Science Science and Faith Separation of Church and State Series sex sex slavery social justice Social Justice Ministry Spiritual Disciplines sports Steven Tyler Suffering Suicide Sunday Funnies T. Dalrymple Tea Party Technology terrorism The Christian Media Files The Daily Trinity The Electorate The Ethics of Rhetoric The Future of Seminary Education The Middle East The Obama Presidency theological Theological Renewal Theology Uncategorized Understanding Evangelicalism Vocation war War and Peace With Distinction Word to the Wise Writers

Select a Month October 2015 June 2015 May 2015 March 2015 December 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 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 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz