Theology of the Arts

February 2023

Art is like kerosene on the dry wood of societal thought. People have an innate desire to look for beauty and meaning in art forms such as music, painting, writing, and photography. Art allows people to express their ideas in a unique, engaging way. Unfortunately, because of human iniquity, artistic works are often sadly perverted into sinful, inaccurate portrayals of the virtues they were meant to exemplify. Modern pop songs denounce Christianity, pornography websites objectify love, and anti-God literature is common. Often, the secularization of musical pieces and other forms of media makes us question their legitimacy and value in our lives. However, the arts are integral to our spiritual growth. Because of biblical precedent and command concerning the arts as a form of worship –and unification and spiritual growth in the church through them– Christians should pursue the arts as a way to glorify God through exploration of his creation.

The bible makes it clear that God requires musical praise from his people. Psalm 150 is a call to worship that encompasses all of creation. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord!” (ESV). Later, in the New Testament, Jesus tells the Pharisees who try to silence his disciples’ praise that “If these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (Luke 19:40). Evidently, praise is not an activity to be added to our lives as an afterthought. It should be the foundation of our existence as created beings. In fact, this knowledge was the basis of the beginning of my walk with Christ! In Romans 12, Paul adjures all believers to “present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” The realization that I couldn’t live for myself because of God’s intentions for my life and Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross changed my perspective on several areas of worship (including music). The arts, including music, are the best way for Christians to express praise to and adoration for God.

"Praise . . . should be the foundation of our existence as created beings"

Another way that the arts benefit Christian life lies in their ability to unify the church and enrich it spiritually. Music and literature are fundamental to the transmission of cultural values across time, and the church has one of the richest and deepest musical histories in the world. Uniting around one Lord, faith, and baptism sets Christianity apart in its ability to bring different cultures together for the purpose of worship. The Taizé Community in France (an ecumenical monastery) is intended “to be a place of reconciliation and peace between Christians of all different stripes” (Wax). Their authorship of scripture-based chant-like songs in all different languages exemplifies the unifying purpose of Christian music.

Some might argue that developing skills in the Arts on earth is futile, because of the temporality of our lives. However, others suggest that our earthly talents will not be made void in the new creation. In his article “Liberal Arts in the New Jerusalem,” Philip Ryken argues that “Poetry, composition, instrumentation– these liberal arts are not left behind at the gates of heaven but brought in and elevated to their highest form. They are part of the good life that God has promised for his people” (Davis 295). In other words, Ryken is saying that the things we learn on earth matter, because they will be transferred to heaven and perfected.

Our attention to the arts matters. As Christians, the arts should be cherished as a valuable method of spiritual worship. God has a plan for music, poetry, dance, and painting. In another of his writings, Ryken says, “God wants all of the arts to flourish in all the fullness of their artistic potential, so that we may discover the inherent possibilities of creation and thereby come to a deeper knowledge of our Creator.” When we see the arts being perverted, our instinct should not be to reject them– God’s intentions for art include potential for unification and eventual perfection in heaven. Instead, our job as followers of Christ is to seek out the good designs of creation and express them through the arts for God’s glory.