From the Vicar

 

Dear Friends,

Over the weekend of July 15th – 17th, Oxton is having its own Arts Festival, joining Hoylake in the “Wirral Festival of Firsts”. Christ Church has taken the lead locally in getting involved with this with Allan Goode co-ordinating the activities taking place.

Over the years, involvement with the arts has frequently been discouraged by Christians on the grounds that the influence exerted by the arts has often been ungodly. For example, a book appeared some years ago entitled “Pop goes the Gospel”, arguing that pop music was inherently evil and should therefore be avoided by Christians. Similarly, in previous generations, it was suggested that the cinema should be a “no go area” to Christians.

Many Christians over the centuries have taken this “world-denying” approach to life, seeking to draw back from any involvement with the “world” that might contaminate or compromise their Christian faith. However, Jesus called Christians to be salt and light in the world (cf MATTHEW 5:13-14) rather than withdrawing from it. The Christian is called to be “in the world, but not of it” (cf JOHN 17:13-14) – in other words to maintain his or her distinctive witness in secular society; but engaging with the world around us in a positive way.

General William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, was once criticised for allowing “secular” tunes (with Christian words) to be used in his meetings. His response was “Why should the Devil have all the good music?”. He reasoned “Does secular music belong to the Devil? He has no right to a single note! Every note and every strain and every harmony is divine and belongs to us!”. In other words, music is one of God’s gifts to mankind and can be used to glorify Him. The same principle applies to other branches of art. Music; art etc. are means of communication –they are only the Devil’s if we leave them for him!

This “world-affirming” approach to life recognises that God is the creator of the world (cf GEN 1:31) and therefore, although it is marred by human sin, the whole created order can express God’s glory and increase our understanding of Him (cf ROMANS 1:20). If, as Christians, we believe that Jesus is the Lord of all life and creation, then “art” (in all its forms) should not be “out of bounds” for the Christian. Rather, it can and should be a way of expressing our faith in creatively arranged words, sounds and sights.

God the Creator has made us in His image (cf GEN 1:27) with the ability to create and to appreciate beautiful things in the world He has placed us in (cf ECCLESIASTES 3:11). As one writer has put it: “Every experience of truly beautiful things in this world is a conduit of an experience of God Himself.”

So in the Bible, we are encouraged to experience God through:

  • poetry -there is a great deal of poetry in the Bible - e.g. the PSALMS; the “SONG OF SOLOMON” (a love poem) etc..

  • music - there are many encouragements in the Bible to use music in praising the Lord (e.g. PSALM 150).

  • art - there are many examples in the Bible of artistic and creative gifts being used in God’s service (e.g. EXOD 35:30-35)

  • physical nature itself - e.g. the grandeur of the mountains; the beauty of a sunset; the intricacy of a snowflake.

So, as Christians, let us be ready to enjoy and appreciate things of beauty in God’s world and to praise God for them.

Yours sincerely in Christ

Andrew J. Haslam