Art and the Bible (L'Abri Pamphlets)

Rating:
Summary: Great Perspective
Review: "The Lordship of Christ over the whole of life means that there are no Platonic areas in Christianity, no dichotomy or hierarchy between the body and the soul. God made the body as well as the soul, and redemption is for the whole man." - Francis Schaeffer - Art and the Bible

Francis Schaeffer doesn't give us a step by step informative essay on how we should analyze art in today's culture, but gives us insight and perspective to better understand the beauty found in what today's artists are producing. For those of us who are part of the Church, we have too long condemned those things that may be taken as valuable (though not necessarily ultimately determinant) and have alienated those who might want to pursue the arts. Especially in our culture have we been given an opportunity to engage an intellectual and beauty loving crowd of which we may not have even known before recent technological advances!

I love Francis Schaeffer's mind and heart, and I think that both of them are exemplified freely through this short work. I would suggest reading it on the basis that it is thought provoking and encouraging in the area of arts. When I began college, I wrote a lot of poetry, but stopped as I lost interest and time over the years. Reading Schaeffer's work gave me a new found inspiration in wanting to write as I come to understand, not only through what he has written, but also through what is said in Scripture, that God is one who enjoys the reflection of His beauty and creativity through the work of His creation.

As evangelical Christians adhering to the precepts in the Bible, we must come to realize that Spirituality is not defined by plastering the name Jesus over all of our work, or projecting crosses and ichthus(es)(?) on our lives just so people will know that what we're displaying is an outwardly Christian message. That's what the Pharisees did with their false sense of righteousness. Schaeffer's desire (in my estimation) is that the people of God will come to realize that excellence is a reflection of God's divine presence, and that we need not lose depth in our writing or other forms of art for the sake of "evangelism." The Lord will reveal Himself through the excellence and beauty of what we produce, not to mention that faith comes by hearing the Word - the gospel of our salvation - not through cheesy Christian art.

"As evangelical Christians, we have tended to relegate art to the very fringe of life. The rest of human life we feel is more important. Despite our constant talk about the Lordship of Christ, we have narrowed its scope to a very small area of reality. We have misunderstood the concept of the Lordship of Christ over the whole of man and the whole of the universe and have not taken to us the riches that the Bible gives us for ourselves, for our lives, and for our culture." Francis Schaeffer - Art and the Bible

Rating:
Summary: Art for the discerning Christian
Review: Having the complete set of Dr. Schaeffer's works, I've enjoyed reading his work.

This short essay zooms in on an area of life which the Christian church in the not too distant past has virtually given to the devil. The arts definitely need to be restored as a vital part of the life of Christ's kids.

Schaeffer provides his views on the necessary discernmnet for this restoration of all the arts: music, painting, sculpture, poetry, etc.

He rightly contends that the impetus for this is Biblical. From the specifications to the OT temple to the adornment in the city of God with jewels, God certainly appreciates and recommendends that His church adorn itself with such.

The author provides counter suggestions to those who do not wish to confess the Christian world-view, nor would want their art to have any message.

Especially appreciated his encouragement to appreciate the great artistic talents and expertise of those who do not wxhibit the Christian world-view.

This is very well balanced biblical exhortation to recover the promote the arts within Christianity. Amen, Francis!

Rating:
Summary: A Small Book With Smaller Ideas
Review: I admire Dr. Schaeffer and much of his other work, but this 64-page essay never hits its stride and is, at its best, repetitious. Dr. Shaeffer's thesis is that art, whether that which we think of as traditionally "Christian" or "secular" is okay with God as long as it meets certain conditions which the author finds by plucking a few verses from descriptions of the Temple, from the Psalms and from the Song of Songs.

Far better in writing about this subject (if indeed it needs justification) is Madeline L'Engle in her beautiful "Walking on Water". This one, I'm afraid, left me cold.