Worship Arts? tagged: , ,

Worship Arts?

Posted by in Church & Missions, News & Culture

Where do the arts fit in worship? More specifically, where do the arts fit in corporate worship? Perhaps you’ve never asked these questions or perhaps the questions seem inappropriate to you. Like it or not, there is an artistic element to our gatherings that ought not to be ignored if we are to approach these questions and others like it seriously.

Artistic Architecture

I was watching a video of R.C. Sproul discussing church buildings and the artistic themes of their architecture. One need not go house shopping or visit the downtown of a major metropolitan area for long before he will discover that all architecture says something. Tall marble columns have an air of stateliness, antiquity, power, and majesty. Wood, brick, and steel all communicate something different, as do colors, shapes, and sizes. There is no such thing as a purely utilitarian building.

Sproul asked his listeners if any of them had ever walked into a cathedral. There is usually some type of large outer door that leads to a small area that is between the sanctuary and the outside world. It almost plunges you into darkness, but when you step through the next door you have suddenly stepped into humongous chamber of light that can cut you off mid-sentence, forcing you to a whisper or to silence. Do you think that was unintentional?

Chances are your church isn’t quite like that. But when you walk in, does it look modern or traditional? Casual or formal? Open or cramped? Whether you agree with the message or not, your church building says something. Maybe it just says you can’t afford a better place to meet. But if your church has any age to it at all, it will say something, and chances are that statement was intentional.

Our buildings are a form of art. They may be modern, traditional, centered towards a pulpit or cross, with stadium seating, theater seating, or something else. Likewise, the clothes we wear express something about ourselves. The tie is the most useless piece of clothing anyone could have come up with, so we know its sole purpose is to express something. How many hats are purely functional?

I write this to make a point: art is accepted within our churches. It may not be an active part of our corporate worship gatherings, but it sets a mood. Perhaps it is the clothes we wear, or the direction the seating faces, what color the carpet is, or the wall hanging in the back. It is art. Many churches have a large cross centered behind the podium. Ours does. That is art. It doesn’t serve any other purpose than to make a statement and to bring to our minds the recollection of what that cross stands for. By itself the cross means nothing, but at the center of the church auditorium, ever in view, it makes a statement that practically shouts, “This is why we are here.”

Still Art

That cross in the center of the sanctuary is a piece of art. It is immobile and serves as a reminder. It has no other functional purpose. We didn’t put coat hooks on it; we don’t use it as a bulletin board. It is a graphic reminder of the most important six hours in history. And we’ve come to accept it. We’ve come to the point where we don’t really think of it as a piece of art. We don’t think of it as a worship aid or memory jogger. It is simply there. But it is art.

Many church nurseries have Bible stories displayed on the walls, perhaps Noah and an ark full of animals (with a giraffe head sticking over the top) or Jesus feeding the five thousand. We expect these things. We buy children’s Bibles based not on the translation, but on the quality of the pictures in it. I’m not saying this is bad. If little Susie is more likely to chew on the cover than to read through Leviticus, maybe a little visual stimulation is a good introduction.

However, the sanctuary has been an area we try to “protect” from artistic influence. Singing is fine, and large wooden crosses are nice, but any attempt to include drawings, paintings, or sculptures in the corporate gathering of believers is highly suspect. It’s not normal and it isn’t the way we’ve done church. Besides, isn’t it idolatrous to include pictures in the worship service? A Thomas Kinkade painting may make a nice background for the announcements, but what about displaying Christian art as a part of the service? Is it appropriate to use paintings or sculptures as worship aids?

Moving Art

If still art gets your heart pumping, what do skits, dramas, and movies do for you? Is there room for interpretive dance? How about a color guard? Does choreography glorify God? Does a robed choir count as visual stimulation?

All pastors are dramatic. They may move their arms or hands, point back at the cross on the wall, raise their voice, whisper. All for dramatic effect. And this can be done subconsciously. But it is still drama. The issue usually arises when people want to include drama apart from the sermon.

I’ve seen various skits and drama’s to present the gospel. Some were as short as a couple of minutes and tried to relate the whole biblical narrative. Others used non-biblical (not necessarily unbiblical) allegory to explain our sinfulness and need for a savior. They may be great for youth events and mission trips, but do they have a place in the service? How about comedies? If we allow dramas, should we allow standup comedians participate in the corporate gathering of the church to worship?

Biblical Principles

I’d rather pose more questions than answers so as to not stifle conversation; I’ve tried to present questions and statements in a way that would give credence to more inclusive and exclusive positions on including the arts I didn’t have time to include other artistic expressions like poetry or to hit more specifically on dance and drama. I’d like to discuss what principles the Bible calls for; what’s required, what’s permissible, and how to use discernment. I’m also interested in your personal experience with the arts in corporate church worship and what your church has done to include/exclude the arts.