Epiphany III

Why Christian Art?

One of the great multitude of things that Christians have argued and sometimes literally fought over is the matter of the use of visual art in worship. In the earliest centuries when the Church was attempting to understand itself and its mission in a world rich in pagan art the strict Jewish prohibition against representational imagery led many Christians to sincerely and at times violently oppose the use of any imagery in worship as idolatry. By the medieval period the acceptance of sculpture and painting as being of educational and inspirational value was widespread throughout Europe.  And the Renaissance produced some of the most extraordinary works of art the world has ever seen, works of such power and beauty that for centuries they have carried the Christian message to untold millions of people in nations and cultures far removed from the societies in which they were created.

The Protestant Reformation resulted in numerous movements that saw in Christian art little value and much spiritual danger. In addition to the obvious charges that paintings and statues had themselves become objects of worship that by right ought be offered only to God (in other words, idols), arguments were made that funds spent on such works ought better be used for the relief of the poor and that the possession of such works were a source of sinful pride. When the more extreme Protestant groups gained authority over the churches in a given region they often not only prohibited the production of new artworks but destroyed those already in existence. After the Puritans' seizure of power following their victory in the English Civil War and their execution of King Charles I much of Britain's great Christian artistic heritage was lost forever.

Because of the American Founders' commitment to religious freedom our country saw the flourishing of an unprecedented number of varieties of Christian expression. Some groups such as the New England Congregationalists, the Quakers, and the Amish turned away from religious art in their worship almost completely. Other non-Catholic groups built churches that embraced some visual art, especially stained glass windows, but objected to three-dimensional sculpture. The Orthodox Churches placed a very high value on icons but also largely disapproved of statuary in their churches. Catholics continued to use all forms of religious representational art, as did High Church Anglicans and some Lutherans.

Two recent experiences have led me to reflect a good deal on the whole question of the place of art in Christian life and worship. The first was a trip to New York City to see the Metropolitan Museum's current exhibition of late medieval and early Renaissance art from Siena. I had expected it to consist almost completely of large works from churches, cathedrals, and monastic chapels , of which there were indeed many important examples. What I had not expected to see were so many truly exquisite small personal devotional items, usually carved in wood or ivory, that had been owned by pious lay people as aids and inspirations for their own individual prayers and spiritual reflection. These small works, usually depictions of scenes from the Gospels, were both powerful and at the same time gently intimate, and I could easily imagine the cumulative effect that they could have on anyone who saw and reflected upon them daily. They were not merely objects of beauty executed with consummate skill; they were graceful reminders that God's perfect revelation to us came in human form with divine power in Jesus Christ.

The second experience was reading G. K. Chesterton's "The Everlasting Man," which was published just over a century ago. I must admit that I can find Chesterton difficult to read and that I often disagree with his opinions, but I keep returning to him, partly because of the great admiration that C. S. Lewis had for him and partly because l find in him so many striking insights that stimulate my own thinking.

This particular book includes a considerable amount of Chesterton's thinking on what we know and what we do not know about our earliest human ancestors. He points out that before we had writing or any real technology beyond tools of wood and stone we had art. I have had the opportunity to see a number of examples of European cave art and I will state with absolute conviction that they are indeed art. No crude daubs or scrawls, they show a precision of line and sense of form that is shockingly sophisticated.

These ancient people, whose lives were undoubtedly much harder, shorter, and less secure than our own, invested an extraordinary amount of time, effort, and resources in producing images. We can only speculate as to why they did so, but we know that they did, and we know that they were the only creatures that did.

Thinkers through the ages have ruminated and debated the question of what if anything sets human beings apart from the rest of the animal world. In the century since Chesterton's book was written we have learned that we are not the only species that makes and uses tools and that we are not the only species that has language. The tools that some animals make and use to get food may be crude, but they are tools. The vocal communications of some birds and other animals may be limited, but they are language. But we are the only species that makes art.

Some animals have indeed been taught by humans to apply paint to flat surfaces, but in all of our historical record there is no knowledge of any other living thing attempting a drawing or a statue of even the most basic type. Only humans do this, and we have done it since the dawn of humanity.
The meaning and the purpose, or purposes, of those cave paintings is something that we do not and quite likely may never really know, but what we can know from the fact of their creation is that the impulse to create and to respond to art is an innate and unique aspect of humanity.

I believe that it springs from our deep awareness that life is more than food and shelter and other physical needs, desires, pleasures, and pains. There is within us that which somehow knows that we are more than beasts and that we are made for more than a merely physical existence. There is more to human life than simply chemical biological processes. No animal creates art because no animal needs to. Animal life is fulfilled in full by the satisfaction of physical needs and desires, but humans crave more. The best Christian art is both an expression of that craving, an attempt to satisfy it, and a sign of confidence that full realization of it is promised us in Christ. To banish it from our churches or our homes is a sort of mutilation of the soul, a diminution of our full humanity. To embrace it a sign of faith that in Christ our full humanity will in God's good time be redeemed and consecrated to His perfect service and our perfect fulfillment.

--  Father Bragg+

All things come of thee, O Lord,

and of thine own have we given thee
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Services & Events
Annual Meeting, This Sunday January 26, following a combined 10:00 AM Service (7:45 AM Service does take place, the 9:00 AM & 11:15 AM services are combined into the 10:00 AM service for this week only) for online participation for the services go to: https://www.facebook.com/saintsofscotland

Nursery 10:00 AM Service

Wednesday, 12 noon, Holy Communion and anointing for healing, (for online participation for the service go to: https://www.facebook.com/saintsofscotland)

Sunday February 2, 7:45 AM, 9:00 AM, & 11:15 AM Services
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Note:
Neither Marih Center nor the Food Bank accept pet foods so please don't bring them to the church.  If you have a cat, please help yourself to the cat food cans on the deacon bench in the undercroft. Otherwise the cans will be discarded.
 
Food Bank Needs

The food bank appreciates the generosity of our parish.Please help this month with a food donation if you are able. Those we help feed are very thankful for the food we provide to them each month. Please also buy low sugar cereals (and not the kid's types that have lots of sugar).  Current needs include the following:
canned meats (chicken, corned beef, spam)
peanut butter
jelly
tuna
canned vegetables (corn, green beans - (regular and low sodium)
 individual fruit cups (low sugar)
canned fruit (low sugar)
canola or vegetable oil (48 oz)
boxed cereal (low sugar) and instant or old fashioned oatmeal (18 oz or 42 oz)
pasta (regular and gluten-free):
instant potatoes
single serving fruit juice
macaroni & cheese
soups: Chunky or Progresso,noodle soup; chicken broth, cream of mushroom
coffee, cooking oil, flour, sugar

UPDATED  LlST OF NEEDS FOR MaRIH CRISIS PREGNANCY CENTER

Please help MaRIH Center now. The need is great and urgent this time of year. With its all volunteer staff the Center provides help to mothers-to-be and mothers in need.  Please provide some of the items that are needed.. (You can leave the donations where the food for the food bank is collected on the pew in the undercorft.)

Especially Needed
 In Bold and with an asterisk are a critical need.

Diapers (sizes newborn, *1, 2, 3, *4, *5, & *6)
*Lovies
*Baby wipes
*Diaper rash ointment
*Baby shampoo
*Baby blankets
*Baby bottles
*Bibs toddler
*Formula: *Simulac Advance Formula
Formula: other but not recalled
*Wash clothes
*Hooded towels
*Fall Winter clothing: 3-6 mo, 2T
*Winter coats 2T
*Grocery gift cards
 
 
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