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BULLETIN BOARD
Newsletter_20_E-mail
THE
PROTESTANT CHURCH AND VISUAL IMAGES
Newsletter 20
Date: Thu, 21 Dec 2000
From: Mike
Before
I offer an opinion, I want to encourage you to keep up the great
work you are doing. It's an awesome display of sensitivity to
the culture. I teach adults at my church and often use movies
in my illustrations - and it works!
I
have been teaching a class about postmodernism and the Christian
response (using a lot of Leonard Sweet's material/ideas). It's
been frustrating but worthwhile. Suggesting that Christians should
be sensitive to the culture in which we live is so difficult for
many. They seem to equate that with compromising the fundamental
truths of the gospel. It just doesn't sound "spiritual" to them.
I've been approaching it using a box metaphor: Jesus is the content
and everything else is the container - the point being that it
is OK to change the container/box as long as we are true to the
content - Jesus. My experience in the class has led me to conclude
that we have a serious case of "container worship" going on. We
are so in love with the container that we have lost touch with
the content. In my class, I referenced the scene from Splash!
where Tom Hanks gives Darryl Hannah a present. She oohs and ahhs
over the beautiful box - but never thinks to look inside. He has
to tell her that there's a present inside. The church is making
the same mistake. We should always be willing to change our methods
of communicating Christ - even becoming deliberate about it -
in order to be more contextual.
Regarding
why Christians seem to resist images: I think it is fundamentally
caused by our modernistic upbringing. Sweet talks about how society
is shifting from text-based to image-based. We also seem to resist
engaging ALL the senses in our communication of the gospel. Somehow,
it is considered less spiritual if you engage all the senses.
The linear-thinking, modernistic approach has led to a very impersonal,
"just the facts", "4 spiritual laws" approach to the gospel. Times
are a-changing, though. I just hope that the church wakes up sooner
rather than later or we risk becoming an irrelevant minority.
Well, thanks for listening and God Bless you and your future efforts!
PROTESTANTS
AND VISUALS
Subject: Newsletter_20
Date: Wed, 20 Dec 2000
From: Martha Tischler
I
know exactly what you mean. I currently head our church lending
library-videos being my expertise. I have to draw from the so
called secular world in order to have high quality movies available.
They can highlight Christian values as well as church movies.
Personally don't like the term secular-God is sovereign and his
will is done where ever he chooses including "secular" movies.
The
main reason I believe evangelical visuals are so poor is their
historical roots. Check out Puritanism and the excesses of the
Reformation and voila there's your answer. They likened visuals
to Roman Catholicism which they hated with an unbiblical passion.
During the Reformation they destroyed statues and other ornamentation
in churches. This dislike overflowed into how they decorated their
own churches-plain, plain, plain. They even split with the Anglican
church over the use of crosses and other physical elements. Our
American settlers, by and large, grew out or were influenced by
this severe Puritanism and the love affair with plain but pious
was birthed. They focused solely on the Word of God to the exclusion
of the visual and I don't see it changing anytime soon. I can
go into the Met in NY and have a religious experience viewing
the great masterpieces in the medieval section, others just see
painted idols-go figure. So as the country and world moves in
the direction you have noticed we're left witnessing in an outmoded
fashion.
David...Don't
despair though-Christ is always in control and will work in their
lives regardless of how inept we are. One of the lone rebels though
is Worldwide Pictures. Billy Graham's film industry is putting
out better and better films. And in the kid's realm-Veggietales
is blazing new trails. As for everyday movie fare, let's leave
it up to the Holy Spirit to put on film what he chooses. He obviously
is putting His two cents in big time in recent films and I'm pretty
sure most church people are oblivious to it. Remember how wonderful
Amistad was? Well ,my church leaders pulled it from the library
shelves because of the nudity. I'm still apalled-didn't they notice
why the poor souls were unclothed? They are much too rigid. And
this rigidity is something I never see in the Gospels. Jesus just
hung out with people-mostly plain sinners, and he seemed to enjoy
their company. I'm starting to understand why-less hypocrisy and
I bet they made him smile.
Well,
keep up the good work. Your reward will be great. And while you're
still on earth you bring sanity into my life. Have a most merry
Christmas and a blessed New Year. Who knows what The Lord has
in store for his people but anything is possible.
In
His Service...Martha Tischler
COMIC
BOOK CONVENTION
Subject: Newsletter_20
From: Steve Miller
"There
was a Christian Comic Book Art Conference recently given at the
Southern Baptist Golden Gate Seminary in California, only six
people showed up. Why?" I would like to know more about this conference
and if there will be another. Probably part of the reason for
the low attendance is that people like me who would of gone did
not know about it.
thanks, Steve Miller
antiochinteractive.com
REPLIES
Subject: Newsletter 20
Date: Mon, 18 Dec 2000
From: "Ray Neu"
"He
believes that comics contain profound truth in exaggerated form."
EXAGGERATED --- THEREIN IS THE RPOBLEM FOR MOST PEOPLE - IT IS
TOO FAR INTO FANSTASY TO BE CONSIDERED RELEVANT
"But
no matter the name, are the world's most widely read and popular
form of literature! Visual language is the language of the world."
YES
- THERE ARE MILLIONS OF READERS AROUND THE WORLD, BUT NOT SO MUCH
IN THE US - ASIA IS HUGE FOR THIS AND MOST ARE INFORMATIVE LITERATURE,
MANY ARE GOSPEL PRESENTATIONS OR SCRIPTURE PORTIONS.
"But
no matter the name, are the world's most widely read and popular
form of literature! Visual language is the language of the world."
YES - THERE ARE MILLIONS OF READERS AROUND THE WORLD, BUT NOT
SO MUCH IN THE US - ASIA IS HUGE FOR THIS AND MOST ARE INFORMATIVE
LITERATURE, MANY ARE GOSPEL PRESENTATIONS OR SCRIPTURE PORTIONS.
"However,
I was greatly disappointed when they arrived -all the pictures
have been removed! Just the text remanins! Why?"
LICENSING AND MARKETING DECISIONS DRIVE MOST ALL OF THESE DECISIONS,
(I KNOW THIS FROM TALKING TO THE SOURCE...) - NOT TO MENTION THAT
MOST PUBLISHERS ARE OWNED BY NON BELIEVERS NOW
"There
were Bibles and Hymnals. Lots of printed words. But no visuals.
Why?"
THE LACK OF PICTURES IS OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE BACKLASH OF ICONISTIC
WORSHIP WHCH IS STILL VERY PREVELANT IN MOST OF THE REST OF THE
WORLD AND IS STILL DANGEROUS HERE, CONSIDER THAT MOST CHRISTIAN
MUSIC SELLS WITH THE IMAGE OF THE ARTIST AS THE PRIMARY OR ONLY
VISUAL OFFERED ON THE COVER...
"Less
than 200 attended. Why?"
HAVING BEEN AT THE FIRST ONE WITH YOU (WE BOTH PRESENTED OUR WEB
SITES, mine was a completely 3-D character based site for the
younger generation... BUT I DID NOT ATTEND AGAIN) - THE OBVIOUS
TAKE AWAY FORM THAT WAS THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT USE OF THE WEB
FOR CHRISTIANS THERE - WAS JUST TO TALK TO EACH OTHER AND NOT
TO EVANGELIZE...
"There
was a Christian Comic Book Art Conference recently given at the
Southern Baptist Golden Gate Seminary in California, only six
people showed up.Why?"
COMICS ARE NOT THAT BIG IN THE US - I KNOW A GREAT MANY IN THE
BIZ AND NONE OF THEM ARE MAKING ANY MONEY ON CHRISTIAN COMICS
"The
City of Angels Film Festival failed to attract significant numbers
of Evangelical Christians. Lots of Catholic Christians -however.
Why?"
WHAT WAS OFFERRED THAT WOULD HAVE ATTRACTED THEM? MOST OF THESE
ARE TOUTED AS VERY WORLDLY - OVERDRESSED OR UNDERDRESSED, AND
SEVERELY LACKING IN FILMS THAT WE COULD COME CLOSE TO SUPPORTING
(WHICH IS WHY WE LEAN ON YOUR SITE AND OTHERS TO TELL US WHAT
TO AVOID OUT THERE! -- AS WELL AS WHAT MAY HAVE SOME REDEEMING
VALUES)
"The number #1 best seller LEFT BEHIND was made into a motion
picture by an Evangelical Christian Film Studio and it went straight
to video -yes, that's right, straight to video! The production
is low on visual and heavy in dialogue. Why?"
(The authors have filed law suits -can you guess why?) YOU FORGOT
TO EXPLAIN THAT THEY ARE GOING TO THE THEATRES IN FEB.AND THAT
THIS WAS THEIR INTENTIONAL DECISION TO GET CHRISTIANS TO SEE THE
VIDEO FIRST AND THEN TAKE NOT-YET-BELIEVERS ALONG WITH THEM IN
FEB
"I came away from the the movie UNBREAKABLE feeling sad for
the Church that I love so much. I felt sad because we live in
a very visual world."
THE VISUAL CHRISTIANS ARE OUT HERE - AND TRYING TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE-
I.E. VEGGIE TALES FOR KIDS, ETC...THE FEW CHRISTIAN COMIC BOOK
CREATORS WHO ARE STILL PAYING FOR THEIR OWN WORK AND HOPING IT
WILL CATCH ON --(THEY NEED TO EXPORT TO OTHER COUNTRIES!)..THE
GROWING NUMBER OF BRAVE SOULS THAT ARE BREAKING INTO THE CHRISTIAN
SOFTWARE ARENA ---DON'T COUNT US OUT YET!! Ray Neu Antioch Interactive
www.antiochinteractive.com
Creators of a 3-D Virtual Tour through The Tabernacle, now
on video.
THIS
IS DISTURBING
Subject: Christianity and art
Newsletter_20
Date: Mon, 04 Dec 2000
From: George Pytlik
I agree with you that Christians have completely lost sight of
the value of art as a communications tool. This is disturbing.
During the Renaissance, artists were inspired by the sudden realization
that you could enjoy the beauty of art and creativity in the context
of a Christian life. Overjoyed with the understanding of what
freedom through Christ really meant, they produced some of the
most beautiful art ever created. Today, Christians only view art
as useful if it provides some utilitarian function. Art only has
value in their eyes if it contains a Bible verse. Music is only
valuable if it relates to Christmas or Easter. Film is only accepted
if it can be used for some (often forced) evangelistic purpose.
However, I believe that our young people are seeing things differently.
My prayer is that they don't become disillusioned, and are able
to hold on to their passion for self-expression. Thanks for sharing
your insightful viewpoint.
-- = George Pytlik =
george@pytlik.com
http://www.pytlik.com/
Response:
You are so right. -David
LEFT BEHIND LAWSUIT?
Subject: Left Behind Lawsuit?
Newsletter 20
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000
From: "Jeff Christmas"
I
had not heard about the author's of the book "Left Behind" suing
the movie producers. Where can I check this out and get some more
details? I, too, was disappointed with the film visually, but
I'm hoping they'll make some money off of this deal in order to
improve their next film outing. I'm am burdened much as you are
that we need to be taking advantage of more visual media in order
to introduce folks to Jesus and keep the Christians excited about
what they have to offer. Jeff Christmas
www.fbcstudentministry.homepage.com
Response:
Here are some links on the situation
http://www.bcchristiannews.org/weekly/november00/12/news.html
http://www.bcchristiannews.org/weekly/september00/24/left.html
http://www.ew.com/ew/archive/0,1798,1|29336|0|left%2bbehind,00.html
HYPOCRISY
AND THE MOVIES
Subject: Hypocrisy and the movies
Date: Tue, 5 Dec 2000
From: Judith Stafford
Dear
David,
I am an evangelical Christian. I belong to a large church on Maui.
I have been working on a script called Evil Territories for several
years. I have been persecuted by the members and staff of my church
every step of the way. I am a high school English teacher at a
Christian school. I have tried to introduce film into the curriculum.
(Good luck. When I was in Seminar, film, paintings,
graphics were never even mentioned. Absolute silence. -David)
Shouldn't
a young Christian be able to answer the question, "Does society
influence film, or film influence society?" with some amount of
understanding? Doesn't anyone see that film is America's great
art form? Everyone appreciates film. Almost everyone, especially
Evangelical Christians, are addicted to it. I watch movies like
Omega Code and Left Behind and try not to cringe. (I
know the feeling. And these Christian film producers do not work
well with others. Working with Cloud Ten Pictures as a film reviewer
was the worst experience I have had with any studio. They fell
through on most of their promises. I gave up. I had to buy the
film to review it. -David)
Shouldn't
God's people be producing the best? Don't we have the best muse?
Thank God He is clever enough to trick Satan into evangelizing
for him. And thank God for the Catholics. (I
will amen that! -David)
My
script has been helped every step of the way by people in Hollywood
like Richard Walter and Allan Hollingsworth. They have been incredibly
supportive of the spiritualness of the script and its entertainment
value. If the church had its way they'd burn the script and me.
And for what? A few curses? (Good for you!
-David) The film is about a Catholic Priest and an ex-junkie
Protestant chick who take on the demon of Addiction in New York
City. How should a drug dealer talk? (Hmm,
like Mary Poppins? -David)
I
think Evangelicals have such a positive attitude addiction that
they can't even acknowledge all the evil around them. They don't
want to get dirty, but they sure do sneak out to the movies in
droves. (Hypocrites, I say, hypocrites! -David)
I think God is on the move in film. (Yes, Yes.
-David) I think you are about to receive many letters from
evangelical writers like myself who have been typing away in the
dark, deep under cover for years. (You are
so right, there are many people of faith who are writing films
who do not announce their faith. I get email from time to time
from various "secret" Christian writers. Sometimes,
it is not safe in the Protestant Evangelical world to be really
honest and upfront about your identity. Sometimes I think true
Evangelicals went underground twenty years ago as the Church was
taken over by moralistic Pharisees. The focus on the family is
so blinding, I can not see Jesus. -David)
PS
-Dear Reader: If you are an underground Christian, email me, you
are not alone. Many of us are fed up with the culturally irrelevant
moralistic legalism that has taken over the Church. The greatest
value is to be a follower of Jesus, and not the follower of some
goodie two shoes moral code. I encourage all underground followers
of Jesus to keep up your efforts in the real world. God is with
you. God is doing great things in the culture.
THANK
YOU
Subject: Newsletter_20
Date: Tue, 05 Dec 2000
From: Donna
I
appreciate the throughtful and helpful work in this newsletter.
Thank you
COMICS
AND THE CHRISTIAN
Newsletter_20
Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2000
From: Todd
Hello,
I just read your newsletter on Unbreakable. I have been a comic
collector since 1982 when I was 14 years old. I must agree. We
Christains are missing the boat. Some of the books you mentioned
do deal with spiritual issues however their view is extremely
distorted. Much of it is just shear blasphemy. One whole line
of books in the DC Universe, know as Americas Best Comics are
written by Alan Moore, great writer with books of excellent art,
yet he openly practice witchcraft. There have been comic adaptions
of Pilgrims Progress, and a comic called the "Illuminator". Redemption
is a collectable card game alternative to Magic the Gathering.
I am sorry for just rambling. The point is that the medium exists
in comic to reach many lost souls. The problem is that all the
Christian attempts to use this form of evangelism has failed horribly.
I believe it is due to terrible writing, lousy art, and story
lines that real people can not relate to. I have been called to
take up pencilling in an effort to use my skills I learn to make
a Comic worth looking at and reading. Hopefully some ones live
may be changed.
Thanks Todd
kymedicineman@hotmail.com
http://kymedicineman.tripod.com
EVANGELICAL
CHRISTIANITY AND THE VISUAL ART
Newsletter_20
Date: Wed, 6 Dec 2000
From: David Dunlap
Dear
David, You ask a lot of *great* questions in your latest newsletter,
as you comment on the new film "Unbreakable"
(I've not yet seen this movie, so I cannot comment on it...) For
some time, I, too, have wondered why it is that contemporary evangelical
Protestantism has so ignored the visual arts. Where is the Rembrandt
of our age? etc., etc. -- I currently belong to a church that
does not even allow depictions of Jesus on its children's Sunday
School leaflets! The reason given is usually either pragmatic
(no one know for certain what Jesus looked like, so any depiction
of Him is inaccurate by definition) or, more often, theological
(the Second Commandment forbids image-making of any kind, lest
the portrait itself become an object for worship). (This
is terrible, pray for these people. -David)
--
One Sunday, while visiting friends and attending church with them
(a fellowship meeting in a Seventh Day Adventist church), the
church elders went up behind the pulpit and removed a portrait
of Jesus that the SDAs had hanging there. A woman in the row behind
me, a first-time visitor, grew very agitated : Doesn't this church
worship Jesus? she wanted to know. Isn't He considered the Son
of God here? (This is so sad. -David)
--
Just this past Lord's Day, I heard of a book entitled It Was Good
: Making Art to the Glory of God, a collection of essays edited
by Ned Bustard (Square Halo Books, 2000). Obviously, I haven't
read this as yet (Yes and note, it is a book
of essays, not illustrations, right?. -David)
-- but perhaps it is a volume that might help ALL of us interested
in this question to reach some sort of Biblical understanding
of the issue! Thanks for the Hollywood Jesus Newsletter -- I enjoy
receiving and reading it. (You are welcome.
-David) It's very thought-provoking in the *best* sense
of the word, and is obviously a real labor of love on your part.
Keep up the good work!
Yours in Christ, David Dunlap
IMAGES
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000
From: Ben
I think it
was very appropriate that you wrote that "Protestant Evangelical
Christians" are shunning visual arts in this part of the article
and not merely "Christians" as you had stated earlier. Roman Catholics
continue to use imagery in their worship, of course, and icons
(two-dimensional religious images painted onto wood by prayerful,
devoted artist) are a key element of Orthodox Christian theology,
prayer, and worship. Step into ANY Orthodox church sometime and
you'll see what I mean. And those are the two largest (and oldest)
Christian sects.
I agree--there
is tremendous value in religious art; it reminds us of holiness,
creates an atmosphere of reverence, and touches us in a way that
words sometimes can't. SO WHY are Protestant Evangelical Christians
(PECs) shunning visuals? IMHO, one quick answer: Romaphobia. In
my experience, PECs (I apologize for the acronym but I don't feel
like retyping it each time) have thrown the baby out with the
bathwater when it comes to religious imagery (and many other things,
but that's another sermon...) as a reaction against Roman Catholicism.
Through most
of Christian history, however, the visual arts have been highly
significant in worship, theology, and religious instruction. For
more on icons in particular, see http://www.iconography.com/icopage/church.html
Cheers, Ben
NO
CHRISTIAN ART MARKET FOR ARTIST
Subject: Christian Art
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000
From: "Susan"
 I
am a Christian painter. I have been unable to find a market and
thus am unable to proceed as needed. Lack of funding vs. bills
to pay means you'll usually find me painting houses. Though due
to lack of funding I haven't been able to really research a market
fully either. Included is an unfinished work, this painting when
finished will be absolutely exsquisite, really. it's a reproduction.
I have others. I have a BFA from Cooper Union in NYC, 1982, have
won various awards and sold in several galleries, but not my Christian
Art. A finished painting like this should sell for not under 5000.00
and then the sky is the limit on the other end. Comparably, reproductions
in oil of (non-Christian) art sell for as much as 30,000.00 ,
depending on the finished work of course, and I do excellent work,
few can compare truly. These paintings will undoubtedly be quite
valuable given 25-40 years. That is the payoff for artwork, time,
but you get to enjoy it in the meantime. No one ever returns my
work but they do try to steal it from time to time!. I have a
website located here http://www.geocities.com/muralco/
where you can see more of my work and attempts to make money with
art, mostly I do fancy wall finishes these days. Susan Buczak,
Richmond, Virginia
FREE
WILL AND DESTINY
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000
From: Kath
St. Augustine
said something like, "Although the sails of my ship were filled
with my own pride and willfulness, the Lord's hand was always
on the tiller." I think that sums it up!
JACK
CHICK COMIC BOOKS
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000
From: "Martin Dennison"
Hi David,
Regarding Christian visual, check out a respected Australian photographer,
Ken Duncan - his work will just blow you away! He has received
international recogintion for his work, and has just begun some
work in the States. He has also done a series of rock album covers
for the political band, Midnight Oil (who, despite the Green emphasis,
lead singer Peter Garret proclaims to be a Christian). http://www.kenduncan.com
Of course,
one who has really cashed in getting the gospel out with comic
book form (and unfortunatelly some very personal extremist ideas)
is Jack Chick and Chick Publications. Some of his publications
have been really good to present the Gospel! Nevertheless, it
is interesting to have had people ask for them, and they have
become collectors items! Also, regarding predestination and free-will?
I think I agree with you!
Marty Dennison
FREE
WILL AND PREDESTINATION
Subject: Freewill and Predestination
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000
From: "Don Gollahon"
I have written
a short article on the subject and have it on my web site. Please
check it out if you like. http://home.theinter.com/~dlgllhn/
Don Gollahon
(dlgllhn@theinter.com)
"What in Eternity does it matter?"
COMIC
BOOKS?
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000
From: Brian
Hey,
how about a comic book section on this site?
Response:
Some day I will. -David
I
DON'T KNOW
Subject: The answer is, I don't know...
Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2000
From: Mike Shields
As
a collector of comic books almost since birth, and a Christian
for almost half of that, I don't have an answer. It astounds me
that The Dictionary of Biblical Images has no art inside. My guess
would be that comics are seen as kid's stuff. Not taken seriously.
At least here. In general, I don't understand why art isn't taught
in seminary, it might explain to some why people think Eve ate
an apple. Another problem might be, that Bible Man is not the
answer. I cringe whenever I see or hear the name. Well, I've given
my two cents, so, I think I'll close. Mike
Response:
Actually, I think all art is generly viewed as kid's stuff -as
Sunday School stuff. Too bad! -Thanks for you comment -David
EXCELLENT
Subject: Re: Hollywood Jesus
-Why do Christians resist images?
Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2000
From: Joel
Hey
David, Excellent content, as usual.
Joel
Response:
Thanks
PURITIANS
AND ANGLICAN TRADITION
Subject: Visual Images
Date: Sat, 02 Dec 2000
From: Paula
Why do Christians resist the visual image?
[Perhaps reluctance to use visual images in Evangelical churches
has its roots in the Protestant Reformation. I am no expert on
the Reformation, but I remember reading that at some point in
English history the Puritans under Cromwell destroyed much of
the artwork and statues in the English churches because they saw
them as a form of idolatry. My own personal experience is that
the Protestant-Catholic conflict is alive and well today among
Christians. In some of the churches that I have visited, the spirit
of the Reformation still rages on.]
Mr.
Bruce:
One of the tremendous blessings I experienced when switching from
the Southern Baptist denomination to the Episcopal Church was
the difference in visual imagery. I mean no disrespect to the
strengths and blessings of the Baptist tradition.
I
have found a richness of symbolism in the Anglican tradition.
The symbolism of crosses, crucifixes, processionals, vestments
and other forms of visual imagery "feed" me in a special way.
It is true that these things can become distracting, and some
would even argue idolatrous, but I find them to be spiritually
nurturing.
For
example, the celebration of the Eucharist makes full use of all
five senses (hearing, seeing, tasting, touching, smelling). One
of the most powerful moments I ever remember in worship was during
a Eucharist celebration one Sunday when the priest held up the
bread and the cup and said in a deep, loud voice, "Christ, our
Passover, is sacrificed for us." I will never forget that moment--not
only the words and the way they were spoken--but the imagery of
the bread and cup. These symbols feed us in some mysterious way,
though I have no desire to argue with anyone about why or how.
For
those of us who are blessed with the ability to see, visual images
are powerful. In the ancient cathedrals, many people were illiterate
and the liturgy was in Latin. Stained glass windows, murals, icons,
and statues told the stories because the common people could not
read and did not understand the language.
The
Protestant Reformation brought much-needed reforms, and the invention
of the printing press made the Scriptures available to the masses.
The Protestant tradition is a blessing. The written Word available
to common folk is a blessing. But let us not despise the Catholic
tradition. It has so much to offer us. God communicates his message
of Agape through diverse media. The visual media is one of the
most powerful.
In
the third chapter of the Gospel According to John (Today's English
Version of the New Testament) the text says in part, "As Moses
lifted up the bronze snake on a pole in the desert, in the same
way the Son of Man must be lifted up, so that everyone who believes
in Him may have eternal life." The Israelites who wandered in
the desert wilderness looked at the image of the bronze snake
lifted up. We look at the image of Christ lifted up. I am no theologian.
I am certain that there are those who could point out a different
meaning for this passage, but it seems to me that the bronze snake
was a powerful visual image. The symbol of the crucifix is a powerful
visual image. Neither one of these images saves us, but the looking
reminds us of our need for God's mercy. The Israelites looked
at the bronze snake and by faith were delivered from God's wrath.
Over
the years, a number of scenes from various movies have provided
a visual image reinforcing lessons from Scripture. For example,
one day I was meditating on Psalm 40. Verse 2 (NIV) states, "He
lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set
my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." Shortly
after meditating on that verse, I watched a movie called The Defiant
Ones with Tony Curtis and Sidney Poitier. There is a scene in
that movie where the two men, who are runaway convicts chained
together, jump into a clay pit to hide from the authorities. It
is a powerful visual image of what it means to be in a slimy pit.
The two men have a terrible time climbing out--not so much because
they are chained together but mostly because of the slime! I believe
that the Holy Spirit led me to the experience of watching that
movie in order to stress the point of how much I needed Him to
"lift me out."
These
are just some random thoughts about the power of visual imagery.
Thanks
for your web site!
Peace Be With You. Paula
Response:
Thanks Paula
CONVERT
TO CATHOLICISM FROM EVANGELICALISM
Subject: unbreakable
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000
From: Christy
Thanks
for your very thoughtful analysis of the lack of visual imagery
in Protestant Christianity. As a recent convert to Catholicism
from evangelical Protestantism, it's my observation that evangelicals
are icon-phobic. They so fear "idol worship" that they err on
the side of nothingness and create barren rooms of worship. In
my parish, I am frequently inspired and sometimes awestruck as
I ponder on the Stations of the Cross that are displayed on the
walls (scenes depicting the Easter story). You are right Protestants
have done a great job developing the written word and, to some
degree, the art of music. But they have little passion for the
visual arts. I don't mean to offend anyone (and if you are reading
this you probably don't fall into this category) but many evangelicals
are not deep enough in their faith to appreciate the visual arts
beyond the surface: "Oh, what a beautiful barn scene he painted."
I
just saw UNBREAKABLE last night.
It did not affect me like THE SIXTH
SENSE, but it did leave me thinking a bit about the forces
of good and evil in our society. There were some great visuals,
particularly two. One was when Willis is standing in that public
place thinking about all of the evil deeds each person had committed
who walked by him his arms and hands are out like Jesus on the
cross. Very symbolic. And then he becomes the savior for those
children! Wow! The second interesting image was when he was choking
the intruder. Willis' rain poncho gave him a superhero look, but
because you couldn't see his face in that scene the hooded poncho
also made him mysterious, like a spirit.
Incidentally,
I believe LEFT BEHIND was purposely
issued on video first to allow momentum to build. It is to hit
theaters next year. That was the plan anyway. If it is as horrible
as the books, maybe that plan was dropped. I hope so. I don't
want people to think that you have to enjoy the types of pseudo-apocalyptic
scare tactics the LEFT BEHIND series promotes to be a Christian.
Christy
Response:
Thank you Christy. I liked you thoughts on Unbreakable.
CHRISTIANS
AND THE ARTS
Subject: graphics
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000
From: Cynthia Topazzzzzz
 I
am almost to the end of my education, going for an ATA in graphic
design. I hope to do good for God in this endevour, however, I
have a family to support, single mom, 40, three kids. You are
right in some areas about the art thing. I have a dear friend
who has a voice so incredible it would break your heart just to
hear him. He is not commercial enough. Everyone who hears him
says, Wow, he is going to be famous. Yeh, right. He is 38 this
years old. I have known him for 4. Why? To much in the world of
commercialism. We will not put our money, time, blah, et al, into
Gods work. Sorry to sound so negative.To busy buying the house
and SUV. If people do support the artist it seems to me, they
just want to control the artists. If they can't then thy back
out. I've seen it too many times.It is almost like like they want
the credit for the artist making it, or making sure they get a
good "return" for their money. As if you can measure that.That
is what happens in the 'world' also, but they are more willing
to compromise the message for the money. Or are they?
The
art community is so anti God. The few Christians that I have met
were so pushy or other usual stuff that they turn people away.
I hope that I can, with the Lords help, keep the pride issue out,
and the message in. So far so good. I have so much fun with this
graphics thing, it is so amazing! And my main teacher/advisor
supports me all the way. If you know anyone who wants some graphics,
I am looking for work, freelance at the moment. I can do edgy
to stylish to regal, and a bunch in between. By the way, a good
artist is DiCianni. Awsome stuff. It's out there if you look for
it. It is to bad so many people send their money to people like
the Bakers instead of baking good film or other media. God bless
Cynthia Topazzzzzz
Response:
Love and patience is always the victor. -David
NO
GRAVEN IMAGE
Date: Sun, 3 Dec 2000
From: "Kath Wells"
Good
subject. It bothers me too. I think the cause is an evangelical
hang-up based on the verse "You shall have no graven image.."
which is interpreted to mean we should never DEPICT God or any
spiritual things. It completely ignores the way God expresses
himself in the Old Testament through symbols and signs and enactments...
through Jesus and his pictures of himself as The Vine, Bread,
Water etc. etc. and also ignores all the picture language of Paul
and John. I think it is weird... and we are being robbed. When
I discovered (at about 50) that I was very visual and God spoke
to me profoundly through the visual I wept for days... why had
no one told me before? I felt cheated.
You
are right about movies, comics etc. We live in a visual age...
why is the church hung up on words. When I work with spiritual
truth I keep asking myself (as I am a communicator) "How would
an illiterate person engage with this truth?" "How would a peasant
farmer..?" "How would a hands on person ...a non-reader." Our
model must be Jesus... and he didn't only use words. (St. Francis
said "Preach the Gospel at all times. If necessary, use words!!"
I like it!) Jesus lived out the Jewish faith with it's very visual,
sensory, multi-media worship. Does his life in us not allow us
to use ALL of who we are to know God and share him? I think much
of the church is very blind... and very poor in spirit as a result
of this hang-up. It deeply saddens me.
Kath Wells
Response:
Thanks Kathy, a agree with you whole heartily. The reminder of
St. Francis was very good.
JESUS
WAS A MASTER OF VISUAL IMAGE
Subject: Lack of images in our Church enviornment
Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000
From: Daniel in Pasadena
I could not agree with you more David... I have always felt Jesus
was a master at using the visual image even if it often had to
be in a story form ... the temple with its palm trees, floral/animal/human
likenesses and other ornaments on both the buildings and the beautiful
crafted articles for worship inside and on the sea and in the
entrance areas...All this spoke so well of aiding and enhancing
the truths and values of both Judaism and early Christianity..
The storytelling images of the early Roman catacombs stand out
as an attempt to visually identify with happenings and events
that reminded the first century believer of his or her faith and
future destiny. Imagery is indeed crucial to the "telling of the
Story" and the reinforcing and confirming of the greatest happening
in history.
David, I suggest you look over Bob Jones University's take on
art, imagery and the faith they espouse. They have been so often
misunderstood and maligned unfairly.. They have one of the finest
art museums in America and train their students to use and appreciate
imagery in wide applications.. I am proud to be a graduate (59)
of this fine school (Cinema program) and for what it stands for.
Art, culture, drama, acting, music are only a part of its fine
programs.
God
bless you David as you encourage more appreciation for the things
you strongly believe in. I tried hard to work the LA film event
into my schedule and it would not fit. One of the main things
I wanted was to make your acquaintance..
Daniel in Pasadena.
Response:
Thanks Dan, as usual.
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