On art as a message

Today in class, Dr. Leeper talked about the difference between art as a vehicle for a message or as a tool to show people how to see. His statement really made me think. I have always thought that, as a Christian, I had the duty to convey the message of the Gospel in all my art, whether that be music, drawing, or film. I felt as if my calling as an artist gifted by God was the make much of His Son through my art.

What Dr. Leeper has said on the topic makes me question that though. Perhaps my art isn't supposed to convey a message. Perhaps I don't need to speak directly of Christ. Perhaps my work will simply put Christ in a light that those who don't know Him will finally see Him.

I feel that the reason people don't see Jesus in the "Christian" media of the day is because they don't cater to the audience of those who don't believe. Like Dr. Leeper said, "they tell you what they feel, not what they experienced."

The travesty of Christian media is that there is the perfect storm of bad acting, low budget, poor filming, and weak story. While well meaning, these people went into the creative process with a message already in mind and because of it they created stale art.

Powerful, moving art is created when you go into without a message to tell, but with. the intent of showing people how to see better. A good artist takes others along for the adventure that they've been taken on by Christ. That, I believe, is true art.

My feeling on the area of Christian film is that if Christian film makers went into the creative process aiming to show people how to see Jesus and His redemption instead of telling them that they should be redeemed, then they would succeed in bringing glory to Christ through their art giving them by their Lord.

I feel that that is a great example of Christian art that calls attention to Christ and shows you how to see Him without telling you to see Him.