In a collaborative effort among artistic members of a spiritual community called Sojourn Community Church in Louisville, KY.liturgical art was created based on the ten elements of their worship services. The images are sensitive and thought provoking. In their site narrative they stated that they "want to equip the artists within our local church with the knowledge, skills, materials, and opportunities needed to create artworks that will express their faith, serve the church, and transform culture." Their images were thought provoking,tastefully and skillfully done illustrations of expressions of faith.
After seeing those images I began to reflect that it has been said a picture is worth a thousand words. What words does the art or lack of speak in your church? Are the images welcoming? What do they say about God?, Christ?, the people who worship in this place? Are the people who worship in your church being challenged by visual imagery or lulled senseless by saccarhine sweetness from children's illustrations? Everything has a time and a season, there is a time and place for Veggie Tales but there is also a time for the powerful images of something such as Schindler's List.One should not exist to the exclusivity of the other.
Being created in God's image we have been endowed with the same urge to create.Visual art happens to be my thing, but there is also dance, music, drama, literature and I even believe cooking/ cuisine belongs in there and the art of hospitality. Looking at and appreciating different types of visual art, like theatre and music is a little like tasting different kinds of foods and developing familiarity and enjoyment. God did not create only one kind of plant or animal, he created a variety. God likes variety!He created us to create and express our creativity uniquely. Our choice is to express this for his glory or our own. Our choice is to cultivate creativity and encourage the unique gifts of others or stifle their expression by creating physical or psychological barriers.
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