I've been reading something on Worldview and Art recently, it's written by Darrow L. Miller (not sure who he is, but it's good stuff), and I'd like to quote him a little here:
Aesthetic poverty in the church
"As western Culture turns its back on the Living God, it becomes utilitarian in imagination and taste. The modern world asks the pragmatic questions, "Will it work?" instead of "Is it true?"; "Is it valuable?" instead of "Is it good"; and "Is it functional?" instead of "Is it beautiful?"
In the midst of material wealth, the West today is morally, spiritually, and aesthetically bankrupt beacuse we have abandoned the Living God and the beauty of His holiness. As we have moved from an objective standard for beauty found in the beauty and holiness of God, to a standard steeped in relativism, beauty is truly "in the eye of the beholder."
This bankruptcy in the general culture has spread into the Church. While there is still a form of spirituality (or in some cases religiosity), the Church today is plagued by Greek Gnosticism, leading to anti-intellectualism, rising immorality, and anti-aestheticism. As the Church in the West lives in a post-Christian culture that denies the God who is Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, she takes on the values of the general culture.
The war against beauty in the Church is found in music of trite words and poor, shallow choruses and musicology. It is seen in buildings designed for utility (sometimes metal warehouses), and worship that focuses on making people feel good rather than glorifying God in the beauty of His holiness. This is all a reflection that we no longer "see" nor live in the reality of the beauty of His holiness.
We were made to create beauty and bring it into the fabric of our lives. Music is for our ears, painting for the eyes, meals for the eyes and palate, dance for the body, and sculpture for the touch. From the grand scale of a cityscape, to the flowers planted in a window box, man-made environments are to be infused with beauty. God is beautiful; He made a beautiful world (though marred by the Fall) and maade His human family to create beauty in their lives and the world."
I've been thinking alot about art recently, and beauty, and what I'm certain about is that we need beauty around us, and colors, beauty brings life and hope. I know I need it, as it's getting colder and darker outside, and the leaves are starting to fall from the trees. So I was really happy when I walked to this other part of town, not too far from where I live, and I found these streets full of cute, wooden houses in lots of different colors, the battery in my camera had died before the discovery, so I don't have any pictures to post here, but I'll go back there again :)
Aesthetic poverty in the church
"As western Culture turns its back on the Living God, it becomes utilitarian in imagination and taste. The modern world asks the pragmatic questions, "Will it work?" instead of "Is it true?"; "Is it valuable?" instead of "Is it good"; and "Is it functional?" instead of "Is it beautiful?"
In the midst of material wealth, the West today is morally, spiritually, and aesthetically bankrupt beacuse we have abandoned the Living God and the beauty of His holiness. As we have moved from an objective standard for beauty found in the beauty and holiness of God, to a standard steeped in relativism, beauty is truly "in the eye of the beholder."
This bankruptcy in the general culture has spread into the Church. While there is still a form of spirituality (or in some cases religiosity), the Church today is plagued by Greek Gnosticism, leading to anti-intellectualism, rising immorality, and anti-aestheticism. As the Church in the West lives in a post-Christian culture that denies the God who is Truth, Goodness, and Beauty, she takes on the values of the general culture.
The war against beauty in the Church is found in music of trite words and poor, shallow choruses and musicology. It is seen in buildings designed for utility (sometimes metal warehouses), and worship that focuses on making people feel good rather than glorifying God in the beauty of His holiness. This is all a reflection that we no longer "see" nor live in the reality of the beauty of His holiness.
We were made to create beauty and bring it into the fabric of our lives. Music is for our ears, painting for the eyes, meals for the eyes and palate, dance for the body, and sculpture for the touch. From the grand scale of a cityscape, to the flowers planted in a window box, man-made environments are to be infused with beauty. God is beautiful; He made a beautiful world (though marred by the Fall) and maade His human family to create beauty in their lives and the world."
I've been thinking alot about art recently, and beauty, and what I'm certain about is that we need beauty around us, and colors, beauty brings life and hope. I know I need it, as it's getting colder and darker outside, and the leaves are starting to fall from the trees. So I was really happy when I walked to this other part of town, not too far from where I live, and I found these streets full of cute, wooden houses in lots of different colors, the battery in my camera had died before the discovery, so I don't have any pictures to post here, but I'll go back there again :)