The Marginalized?

I was reading this the other day.  Normally, I find posts from the Gospel Coalition to be refreshing and helpful.  But not in this instance.

To begin, there is a significant difference between "things that are nice to do individually for people" and "things the church is supposed to be focused on doing".  If you as an individual Christian want to support an aspiring artist, do it (as long as that doesn't replace your support of the church). 

Confusion about the church's mission and relationship to culture will inevitably lead to these kinds of misplaced priorities.  The church is supposed to be witnessing and discipling, not painting pictures and making music in order to "take back culture."  The church shouldn't be focused on helping people feel better about themselves and their dreams.  If art happens along the way, great.  If someone finds encouragement for a legitimate goal, great.  But none of that is the main thing.

We have to remember that people in the Catholic church created quite a bit of great art throughout the Middle Ages.  Much money was poured out to ensure the creation of masterpieces like the Sistine Chapel. But spiritual life and personal holiness were in sad shape for centuries.  I wouldn't like to have to make the choice, but if I had to choose between a vibrant church and a beautiful painting or oratio, which is honestly more important?  Artistic abundance is not inherently connected to spirituality.

What about this?

Youngren, the son of church planters in Ecuador, began to see artists through a missiological lens, thinking of these “misfits” and “extras” as a lost tribe.

The result of this sort of thinking is excellently eviscerated by Carl Trueman here.  Marginalized artists are no more a lost tribe than any other group that feels left out because the church is about Christ and His priorities, not about them and their priorities.

How about this?

Despite many churches’ fear of artistic impression in a corporate context, impression is often how God works. At The Line, they look to Abraham for their theology of impression. When God called Abraham and first told him he was going to make him into a great nation, he didn’t sit him down and say, “Here are my promises 1-5, sign here.” Rather, God said, “Abraham, come outside. Look up.” Abraham gazed into the luminous Middle Eastern sky. As he was contemplating the stars, God continued, “See how amazing that is? That’s what I’m going to do with you.” God started with impression and then moved to propositions. He directed Abraham’s attention to his handiwork, and then asked him to imagine the impossible.

The biggest problem with that paragraph is that unless I'm missing something, the Bible says exactly the opposite of what is claimed.  The propositional statements precede the 'impression' of the stars in the sky as a picture of God multiplying Abraham's descendants.  God first told Abraham "Go" (Genesis 12:1-3), promising to bless him and make him a great nation (and Abraham did 'sign here' by going).  Later, God told Abraham "Look" to the sky (Genesis 15:1-6) as a reminder and illustration of his earlier promise.  So the precedent in this case is proposition then illustration, not illustration that results in springing a proposition on someone.

Another telling statement:

In most evangelical churches, many view artistic expression as being merely supplemental to other forms of revelation and understanding. Its centrality to worship is muted.

Exactly right.  We are to be emphasizing Christ crucified, resurrected, and returning as central in our services, not "artistic expression." Which is not to say we shouldn't sing, and sing well, and be led in singing well.  Or that we shouldn't preach in a way that is clear and careful and connected.  Or that our buildings have to look rundown. But it's God's power that works through us, not our skill or ability, not the beauty of our surroundings.

What is their goal?

The Line is on a mission to give back to the church a voice that has long been muffled, the voice of artists who lead in the church. “There is an undiscovered richness of the character of God that we will find when we are led by this particular tribe of serious makers and artists and when we submit to that,” Youngren said.

What are the biblical qualifications for leading in the church?  Not artistic ability but spiritual maturity.  Some have both.  The men who lead in worship at the church I attend are great examples in that regard.  But honestly, I'd take a godly man who's tone deaf over a recognized artist with a shallow testimony any day.  Hopefully it's not a choice that has to be made.  Admittedly, it seems the goal of the fellowship described in the article is both spiritual maturity and artistic ability.

“If we're not doing the hard work of studying Scripture and taking care of our own spiritual lives, why in the world would people listen to anything we put out?” Guerra asks. “There needs to be a well from which we are drawing, and that well needs to be rich in the truth so that we aren’t given to vagueness or heavy-handedness.”

But if their previous example of exegesis re: Abraham and impressions is any indication, more time in Bible study and less time in the studio would go a long way.

One final quote:

 Submitting yourself to this tribe is not limited to attendance at The Line, or churches with a similar elevation of artists. Anyone can submit to beauty and art by simply learning to appreciate it. Learn how to read a novel or a poem. Learn how to listen to music and experience a painting. Support the artists in your community not just spiritually but also financially. Seek out creative and unsolicited ways to do this. Attend a Milano concert or buy their new EP. Purchase a painting or attend a friend’s show. By supporting artists, you are co-collaborators with them in creativity and truth-searing. And remember that, as Fujimura pointed out, “the first people known to be filled with the Holy Spirit were not priests, kings, or generals, but artists named Bazelel and Oholiab, who built Moses’ Tabernacle.”

Don't pretend that supporting and appreciating art is somehow on the same level of spiritual obligation as preaching the gospel.  Can art communicate truth?  Yes.  Can art reflect beauty?  Yes.  Should we learn aesthetics?  Yes.

Still, God didn't pick a group of painters or a band of musicians to go spread His truth.  He picked ordinary people (1 Corinthians 1:26-29), with a simple verbal (e.g. Paul preaching) or written message (e.g. Luke writing Luke and Acts to Theophilus).  Let's not lose that simplicity because of enthusiasm for pet causes.