The Christian Imagination

Today we talked about art and the Bible. The following are verses we discussed:

Visual Art
Ex. 25:31-33 (representinng real objects)
Ex. 28:33 (creating pomegranates that are not the normal color)
2 Chr. 3:6 (art for beauty – see KJV)
2 Chr. 3:16-17 (free standing columns that serve no useful purpose, form of abstract art)
2 Chr. 4:3-5 (altar and molten sea)
Num. 21:6-8 and John 3:14-15 (brazen serpent, art used for religious purpose)

Poetry
2 Sam. 1:19-27 (secular ode)
2 Sam. 23:1-2 (David inspired by God, and he was a poet)

Music & Song
Exodus 15 (song of praise for deliverance)
1 Chr. 23:3-5 (4000 Levite musicians appointed to temple)
1 Chr. 15:16-22 (template music performed by professionals)
1 Chr. 25:1, 6-7 (David appoints musicians)
2 Chr. 29:24-29 (Hezekiah)
Numbers 21:27-30 (song of the well)
1 Sam. 16:14-23 (David and Saul)
1 Cor 14:26, Eph. 5:19, Col. 3:16 (more informal and relational)

Drama
Ezek. 4:1-8 (Ezekial performs drama repeatedly)

Dance
Psalm 149:3
Psalm 150:4-5
Exodus 15:20
2 Sam. 6:14-16

Popular Culture
Acts 17:28 (references Greek Stoic poets)
1 Cor. 15:33 (reference to play Thais by Greek dramatist Menander)
Titus 1:12 (references Epimenides)

One of the missionaries we support through our church is Ron Neptune and his family. Ron and Jennifer, along with their kids Stephen, Marisa, Jeison, help run a ministry for homeless, drug abusing children, on the streets of Medillin, Columbia. They work with a great organization called Latin America Mission. I thought about doing their summer program when I was in college, which involved living with a family in Mexico City and taking language lessons.

The Neptunes are going to be moving to Brazil soon to work with ministries and street kids there. As Ron was speaking, my mind flashed back to the movie City of God (Cidade de Deus). The City of God is a real place near Rio de Janeiro. The movie itself was made in Brazil, is in Portuguese, and is based on the novel City of God, which is based on a true story. It was nominated for Best Cinematography at the Academy Awards, which is well deserved.

The story is brutal at times, as we watch gangs of children with guns killing those who get in their way as they build their drug empires. The gangs become families, and they look out for each other, and those under their protection. There are police, but they can only do so much, and are sometimes just as desperate. So, I ponder what it means to minister to street children in Brazil, and it melts me.

While on Pandora (the music service) this week, I came across their GlobalGiving Philanthrop Projects, one of which is to teach music to children in Rio de Janeiro, where “about 6,000 youth work for armed drug dealers in favelas. The project offers productive alternatives that promote self esteem and dignity.” Music, it stirs the imagination, something needed in places where there is little hope.

1. Does a song need to mention God or Jesus, or imply that God exists in some way?
There are numerous Proverbs in the Bible that don’t mention God. There is even an entire book in the Bible that doesn’t mention God in any way: Esther. Based on the example of the Bible, the answer would be no.

2. Should we avoid music depicting sex and violence?
One of the big critiques of so-called secular music (and books, movies, art, etc) is how often they depict immorality, violence, and other un-Godly things. If you read the Bible cover-to-cover, there are some rather disturbing depictions of immorality and violence. Rape and incest (1 Sam 13), babies smashed against rocks (Psalms 1:9), and the rather horrible story in Judges 19-20 are among them. Then we have the rather sensual poem otherwise known as the Song of Solomon. Based on the Bible itself, it appears the mere presence of sex and violence isn’t enough to avoid it. Context is important, as is learning to discern truth.

3. Doesn’t the Bible tell us to think about things that noble, pure, and lovely?
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.” -Phillipians 4:8
Very true, but the Scripture doesn’t say we should only think about such things. I do believe that what we read, see, and think about affects us, but we can’t live in denial of what is going on in the world around us. There is pain, suffering, abuse, murder, and violence all around. Sometimes these things are even in our own hearts. Pretending that the world is all sunshine doesn’t make the darkness go away. Surrounding ourselves with only ideas that are comfortable doesn’t create a culture where we are free to enter other people’s pain or share with one another. We ’should’ dwell on truth, and there are many voices competing with that truth. What we ’should’ also be doing is spending time in prayer and resting from work so we can DISCERN truth when we hear it.

Well, it’s been just over 10 years since Rich Mullins died in a car crash on a backroad in Illinois. I was attending a concert at Messiah College with Geoff Moore and the Distance about a week after the accident, and Geoff was telling stories about Rich, before shocking us all by telling us of his passing.

At the time, I wasn’t a fan of Rich Mullins, though I liked a few of his songs. It wasn’t until after he died that started to learn what he was about by visiting sites like Calling Out Your Name and eventually reading his biography. Though I had actually heard Brennan Manning before, it was Rich that really brought Manning to my attention. More recently, I have gotten into G.K. Chesteron, and now understand why Chersterton was one of Rich’s favorite authors.

Rich didn’t follow the crowd. He followed his heart, said what he thought, and really wanted to follow Jesus. He questioned, and wondered, and towards the end of his life, he was all about the love of God and loving others. And that is what I love about him.

If you’d like to read a great post that summarizes Rich’s life and beliefs really well, head on over to Relevant Magazine: Remembering Rich Mullins.