Comments on: The First Christian Designers http://blog.ministrygrowers.com/2008/05/14/the-first-christian-designers/ Plowing the Soil for Pastors to Plant the Seeds Wed, 20 Aug 2008 22:48:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Jon Hall http://blog.ministrygrowers.com/2008/05/14/the-first-christian-designers/#comment-603 Jon Hall Thu, 29 May 2008 15:52:36 +0000 http://blog.ministrygrowers.com/?p=324#comment-603 It's astounding to me, the significant role visual art played in the Christian faith early on, for hundreds of years, up until relatively recently. It's been only relatively recently that literacy and access to the written word began to supplant visual art (and oral tradition) as the primary form of communicating biblical truth. For the current, and the last few generations, this can be a hard reality to grasp. For us, it's often hard to understand communication of truth in any other way than we do now. Today, visual art plays a small, minor role in the Christian faith, if even that. I consider that a loss. And with that, we've also lost much of the skill in connecting with truth through art, the ability to discern subtlety, metaphor and meaning that often exists below the obvious surface. It's akin to the parables of Jesus, where discovery often lay just below the surface, and mystery played a central role. It’s astounding to me, the significant role visual art played in the Christian faith early on, for hundreds of years, up until relatively recently. It’s been only relatively recently that literacy and access to the written word began to supplant visual art (and oral tradition) as the primary form of communicating biblical truth.

For the current, and the last few generations, this can be a hard reality to grasp. For us, it’s often hard to understand communication of truth in any other way than we do now.

Today, visual art plays a small, minor role in the Christian faith, if even that. I consider that a loss. And with that, we’ve also lost much of the skill in connecting with truth through art, the ability to discern subtlety, metaphor and meaning that often exists below the obvious surface. It’s akin to the parables of Jesus, where discovery often lay just below the surface, and mystery played a central role.

]]> By: Brad Ruggles http://blog.ministrygrowers.com/2008/05/14/the-first-christian-designers/#comment-442 Brad Ruggles Thu, 15 May 2008 12:42:02 +0000 http://blog.ministrygrowers.com/?p=324#comment-442 That's pretty cool. It's neat to look back on our heritage as Christ followers who express our faith through art. <B>Brad Ruggles</B> www.bradruggles.com That’s pretty cool. It’s neat to look back on our heritage as Christ followers who express our faith through art.

Brad Ruggles
http://www.bradruggles.com

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