Customer Reviews

Art and the Bible (Ivp Classics)

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Having the complete set of Dr. Schaeffer's works, I've enjoyed reading his work.

This short essay zooms in on an area of life which the Christian church in the not too distant past has virtually given to the devil. The arts definitely need to be restored as a vital part of the life of Christ's kids.

Schaeffer provides his views on the necessary discernmnet for this restoration of all the arts: music, painting, sculpture, poetry, etc.

He rightly contends that the impetus for this is Biblical. From the specifications to the OT temple to the adornment in the city of God with jewels, God certainly appreciates and recommendends that His church adorn itself with such.

The author provides counter suggestions to those who do not wish to confess the Christian world-view, nor would want their art to have any message.

Especially appreciated his encouragement to appreciate the great artistic talents and expertise of those who do not wxhibit the Christian world-view.

This is very well balanced biblical exhortation to recover the promote the arts within Christianity. Amen, Francis!

This book, a collection of two essays about art and its relationship to Christianity and Christian philosophy is fascinating.

First, one major positive is Schaeffer's calling for the Christian to apply several criteria to art and the evaluation of it. He strongly discourages a purely "romantic" interepretation of art (meaning just how it makes you "feel.") He implores the Christian (and the non-Christian for that matter) to make full use of both intellect and emotion (as well as a host of other criteria.)

The first essay concentrates on what the Bible actually has to say about art. The second essay concentrates on the physical creation of art, intention of art, impact, and several other dimensions of this many-sided subject. It touches on some basic principals of philosophy of art as well as the Christian world view. Also, of extreme importance is the subsection on art within its cultural context.

My only complaint is the short length of the book. Schaeffer occasionally didn't fully explore an idea. I know an exhaustive treatise could never be devised, but this is a lot of subject matter to tackle in a 63 page book. On the other hand though, this concise pamphlet will get his ultimate points across and is accessible to those who don't have philosophy or art history degrees.

This book is a welcome addition to both art criticism and the Christian perspective on art.

"The Lordship of Christ over the whole of life means that there are no Platonic areas in Christianity, no dichotomy or hierarchy between the body and the soul. God made the body as well as the soul, and redemption is for the whole man." - Francis Schaeffer - Art and the Bible

Francis Schaeffer doesn't give us a step by step informative essay on how we should analyze art in today's culture, but gives us insight and perspective to better understand the beauty found in what today's artists are producing. For those of us who are part of the Church, we have too long condemned those things that may be taken as valuable (though not necessarily ultimately determinant) and have alienated those who might want to pursue the arts. Especially in our culture have we been given an opportunity to engage an intellectual and beauty loving crowd of which we may not have even known before recent technological advances!

I love Francis Schaeffer's mind and heart, and I think that both of them are exemplified freely through this short work. I would suggest reading it on the basis that it is thought provoking and encouraging in the area of arts. When I began college, I wrote a lot of poetry, but stopped as I lost interest and time over the years. Reading Schaeffer's work gave me a new found inspiration in wanting to write as I come to understand, not only through what he has written, but also through what is said in Scripture, that God is one who enjoys the reflection of His beauty and creativity through the work of His creation.

As evangelical Christians adhering to the precepts in the Bible, we must come to realize that Spirituality is not defined by plastering the name Jesus over all of our work, or projecting crosses and ichthus(es)(?) on our lives just so people will know that what we're displaying is an outwardly Christian message. That's what the Pharisees did with their false sense of righteousness. Schaeffer's desire (in my estimation) is that the people of God will come to realize that excellence is a reflection of God's divine presence, and that we need not lose depth in our writing or other forms of art for the sake of "evangelism." The Lord will reveal Himself through the excellence and beauty of what we produce, not to mention that faith comes by hearing the Word - the gospel of our salvation - not through cheesy Christian art.

"As evangelical Christians, we have tended to relegate art to the very fringe of life. The rest of human life we feel is more important. Despite our constant talk about the Lordship of Christ, we have narrowed its scope to a very small area of reality. We have misunderstood the concept of the Lordship of Christ over the whole of man and the whole of the universe and have not taken to us the riches that the Bible gives us for ourselves, for our lives, and for our culture." Francis Schaeffer - Art and the Bible

If you've read any of Schaeffer's books you know that the foundation of his Christian beliefs is the idea that God's ultimate reality implies that the spiritual life applies to every aspect of human life. In "Art and the Bible" Schaeffer works from this premise to discuss the subject of art and it's place in life. He begins by identifying places in the Bible where references are made to art, and he analyzes each in detail to identify deeper meaning and implications. Later Schaeffer offers some perspectives on art. Especially relevant is his analysis that art projects a world view. He maintains that as Christians are to do in every other area of life, a Christian artist has the opportunity and obligation to project the Christian worldview through the his/her body of work. As part of this discussion Schaeffer asserts that since the ultimate reality of God is really truth itself, the worldview projected by a piece of art is one of the standards by which art may be judged (he identifies three others: technical excellence, validity-honesty to one's self and worldview, and the integration of content and vehicle). Schaeffer's detailed examination of what art is, does, and how art does what it does provides an extremely useful perspective from which to view the subject. I highly recommend this book.

Schaeffer's little pamphlet is a great place to start an investigation of the Christian worldview as applied to the arts. Though the first portion of the work engages a dated theological question (essentially no one debates anymore the question of whether or not the production and appreciation of art are consistent with the Christian life) the second portion of the work toward a definition of art is quite germane. In the post modern world, with wide cultural acceptance that the relativistic creeds of deconstructionism, existentialism, nihilism, &c. are settled truths (insofar as there can be 'truths' in such worldviews), a definition and discussion of art stemming from ultimate and objective truth is critically needed - "Art and the Bible" begins to fill such a need. As a tiny work, it can only preliminarily engage on the issue, but it does at least offer the reader dissatisfied with the generally accepted contemporary approach to art a sense that saying against such absurdity "here I stand, I can do no other" is not a flat earth flavored position. If at the end of "Art and the Bible" you are hungry for more, follow it with Vieth's "State of the Arts".

This very brief book is a pithy, head-on approach to the question of reconciling art and pleasing God. It deals with relevant questions like: must art be of religious subjects to glorify God, is there such a thing as a Christian style of art, what makes art good. I am very thankful that Mr. Shaeffer put his thoughts down on paper for others to enjoy.

Many people might want to analyze this work to death on an intellectual level. To examine the author's language for rhythm and music, to look for the high in the best of essays and speeches. They would have missed the point.

There is such an ugliness to so many subjects now. Everything seems mixed in a bad way, and no single subject seems to offer a note or a page or an element of clarity. Art has become ugly, Music has become dirty, and Poetry has become vulgar. In -Art and the Bible- , the subject of the arts is covered in what should be judged by an onlooker. Should the art appreciator, appreciate that piece of art? What part of that piece of art is worth appreciation, what part is not? If you are an artist, do you consider these subjects of judgment before and during your activity of art? Simply put, if we don't judge ourselves, we won't get rid of the germs, and our own art that we make will become dirty and impure and contaminated.

In a sense, there is a good insight of judging our inventions by understanding an organized and biblical way to judge them. As a person that draws and plays music, I can with ease say this, that this book has helped me find clarity on what is clean with art and what is not clean. By that very clarity, I was able to continue to pursue art.

Perhaps my most treasured part of this essay, was the acknowledgment that more skill in art is like more strength, with more skill, comes more responsibility. That you can appreciate the high skill of an artist while at the same time extremely disliking the content or application of belief in that same work. This essay allowed me to see that I was right. Talent is from God. Skill is the amount work you put into that talent. God will allow and does allow exceptional skill from those artists that would only invent things against God or against His order in their work. This essay helped me completely separate the judgment of content in a work with the judgment of skill in a work. They are two very different things.



I would most certainly recommend this to any artist or any Christian that reads their Bible and draws. Perhaps giving this essay to a young child at 12 who draws might be a most excellent idea. Even though you might have to help them through it, so they understand, it would lay a good godly foundation for later works of art.

As the reviewers below have noted, Mr. Schaeffer's book is quite perfect for a certain class of people, namely Christians related to the arts. Furthermore, it is clear that he has a point in mind for the larger Christian community, and I think it should definitely be read by anyone falling into this category who's made it this far.

However, I also think this book speaks to people from a secular point of view who are just interested in how worldview may relate to art. It's one perspective on that. It was easy to read, yet it stimulated much thought (especially part II). It is essentially a long essay, or two essays. If you would like it in book form, or combined with other works, I hear it is included in the "collected works" of Schaeffer, which Amazon (currently) has.

This short book is one of the best things that happened to me this year. I have long struggled with the art/idolatry question and how to approach my work when creating art. You may not agree with all Schaeffer says, but his point of view opens a new dimension in the way of thinking. For me, as an artist, this book was chocolate! BUY!

These two essays from Francis Schaeffer do an excellent job of showing a side of the Old and New Testament that many people ignore, forget, or purposefully refuse to read because of their bias against art.

That fact is that God commanded artistic items to be added to his temple...not as objects of worship, but as things of beauty to reflect his own love for humanity. Also, the example of the brazen serpent created by Moses is another example...an item created that was basically a work of art but that served a spiritual purpose, while at the same time NOT being an idol-
(how could it be made for the purpose of being an idol, when God Himself commanded Moses to make it??)

Schaeffer then goes on to point out that Jesus himself compared himself to this work of art, that it was "lifted up" to bring healing to the people. Many examples like this are shown, just to get accross the point that God does not hate art (it seems there are a number of critics within Christian circles that seem to insinuate this).

Both essays are excellent, but to me, the first essay is the most valuable for Christians to peruse and think about. It's the word of God presented...not opinions. Worth reading....Thanks.