Francis Schaeffer has written a small booklet with this title, dealing with how art relates to God and religion. If you haven't read it, I'd encourage you to. BTW, it doesn't just have to do with painting--it's relevent for music, architecture...etc. Though I agree with most everything he says, there's one point on which our opinions conflict. Here's a quote from the second half of the book entitled "Some Perspectives on Art" (pg. 51).
"Christian art should be twentieth-century art. Art changes. Language changes. The preacher's preaching today must be twentieth-century language communication, or there will be an obstacle to being understood. And if a Christian's art is not twentieth century art, it is an obstacle to his being heard. It makes him different in a way in which there is no necessity for difference. A Christian should not, therefore, strive to copy Rembrant or Browning."
He goes on to say (pg. 54), "While we must use twentieth century styles, we must not use them in such a way as to be dominated by the worldviews out of which they have arisen...Therefore an art form or style that is no longer able to carry content cannot be used to give the Christian message."
What do ya'll think? Can we communicate more by being different, or by using the world's language?
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