A Consideration of Art

When I talk about Art I hope it has some meaning. Art is not decoration. Art is not superfluous. Art has meaning. Take for instance the Thorncrown Chapel in Arkansas. How you build your church says a lot about what you believe. Sure often times Churches do not have the money that it would take to do something like this (this discussion is had here). Again we are not talking about mere asthetics, but the functional way in which the building is built and laid out. The Thorncrown is made of supporting crossbeams. Clearly they believe, and believe it important, that the body of Christ should hold one another up. That is why they built their sanctuary in such a manner. It is also made of glass, nearly down to the floor. You can see God’s creation, and you are an active participant in it. You are not enclosed away from the world. You are directly in the world, not cloistered away.

Who would not be incredibly moved to worship in that building. There is something important and true about having a special place for God. God is not mundane, he is not common. He should not be approached commonly. Being in a church building is supposed to prepare us to encounter God. That is why we are there. There is no question that the church buildings of the Catholics, Anglicans, and Eastern Orthodox evoke a much stronger presence of image of the faith that they uphold. I hope one day to sit in the Sistine Chapel for a service and encounter God there.