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Joshua Duncan

Ecclesiastical Art Studio

Prof. Groth

November 27, 2012

Let’s Do Something Radical in Church

For my analysis of Maschke’s text, I attempted to focus on questions that related to problems

of change, variety, and contemporary materials in the context of worship. I wish to relate concepts

from Maschke and other conservative theologians to discussion of non-traditional artistic practices,

and theological and practical problems these art practices would pose if introduced into a worship

setting. Since I will speak of these kinds of artworks in broad terms, let me define my terms:

performance art is any artwork which involves an actor giving a performance, and may or may not

involve scripting. For example, my instructor Terry Thacker once made clay pots on stage while

talking about God as a potter. His performance made it unforgettable. Social practice art, also called

“happenings,” is any art which requires the audience to participate. Examples of happenings include

Reinhold Marxhausen handing out varieties of musical inventions or Sister Corita Kent giving her

audience hundreds of colorful balloons. My thesis is that a Christian artist could use similar methods,

and that they could potentially be helpful to the church in communicating God’s love in new ways.

[1:6] While Maschke recognizes that worship is an important expression of faith, he seems

to consider the holiness of God to be the key to worship’s importance rather than human action.

God’s “otherness” is a concept I have heard from both Maschke and R.C. Sproul. The proper

response to a holy God is to put your face to the ground, which is how multiple Biblical stories depict

close encounters with God (29, Matthew 14:33, Matthew 28:9 NIV).

From my experiences in both liturgical and non-liturgical settings, it is possible for both to

compare God to a loving, grandfather figure, leaving his sovereign, holy character out of the

equation. The benefit of the liturgy seems to be Lutheran churches can minimize the potential for
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Christ to be watered down over the years, whereas some contemporary praise songs can be “sweet

nothings.” The Word of God, properly presented, should have a power to reach people regardless of

how bright and snazzy the presentation is, but artists could serve a role in breaking people out of their

comfortable habits by introducing change into the worship space.

[1:7] Artists and thespians, like musicians, are parts of the body of Christ that are specially

devoted to seeking God’s blessing through their senses, and that with collaboration with pastors,

ecclesiastical art could do more than be illustrative. Paintings that show Christ with lambs and little

children may be sweet and comforting, but the portrait of God as portrayed in Scripture is multi-

faceted, not one-dimensional.

Through permanent art installations, ecclesiastical artists should simply strive to make strong

designs, rather than make some personal observation which becomes dated. However, temporary,

rotating artwork would add hundreds of new possibilities. Crystal Bauer and Anna Meyer are both

peers who have used symbols which have a history in traditional Christian art in creative new ways,

for example the egg. While the meanings their respective works of art are not immediately apparent,

both are formally beautiful. The biggest obstacle to overcome is the attitude that “the meaning of the

artwork” should be plainly apparent, but in some ways, ambiguous artwork can be far better at

evoking Christian concepts. Anna Meyer’s delicately balanced eggs may not look like a portrait of a

bearded Jewish man, but they engage both the senses and the brain. Since the Old Testament

describes God as being above human understanding, His form not shown to living man, why should

“Christian artwork” be easy to understand (Deuteronomy 4:15-19 NIV)?

[2.12] I agree that tradition is often good, and too often is treated as inherently bad by a

postmodern society. Thinking about the distinctions between modernism and postmodernism is a

significant part of what drives my thoughts on art. To surmise my worldview, I reject the moral

relativism that is typical of postmodernism, yet I’d argue both are systems of human thought and

philosophy, and therefore flawed. Modernism places high value on man’s capacity for reason and
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logic, on the idea that we can improve and perfect society in spite of our nature. Scripture contradicts

both the modernist notion that man is inherently good and logical and the postmodern notion that

there is no purpose in life and nothing can be known for sure. Maschke’s hierarchy with Biblical

tradition at the top and personal tradition at the bottom would be a helpful resource for both pastors

and artists. Becoming mired in personal traditions can stagnate a church experience, but the truth of

God’s Word has a power of its own to convict. A vibrant worship experience with variety in music

and art can force people to perk up their ears when they might be content to sit in their usual place

and zone out for the sermon.

[2.13] The spectrum of churches and preservation of tradition is helpful, because my ideas

about bringing contemporary art into a church setting will not work unless the congregation is

receptive to it. An artist shouldn’t ask a church to give up their liturgical practices, like colors for the

seasons of the church year, but he still could work within those traditions to create something new

and original. However, even though Catholicism is placed to the right of Lutheranism for adherence

to old modes of worship, some Catholic cathedrals in Europe do showcase modern or contemporary

works of art. Therefore, just because a church is more liturgical, it does not mean it will be less

receptive to something new like drama or art. Rather, there are many factors at play in addition to the

liturgical tradition.

[3:5] Lent and Passion Week are times of the year of immense interest because of the

centrality of Christ crucified in the Gospel (1 Corinthians 1:23-24 NIV). These are subject matters

which have depicted by most of the great artists of history, and it is humbling to consider what I

could possibly add to an artistic tradition that’s not cliché. This is a motivation which pushes me to

study and speak to great artists who have preceded me.

These more somber seasons are particularly enticing because most Lutheran churches want to

tone down the color and the pomp and circumstance at this time of year (not repeating “Hallelujah”

for example). The practice of putting ash on foreheads in the shape of a cross is a fascinating
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tradition I had not experienced before visiting chapel, but I’ve seen how this practice has influenced

the works of my friends who are Lutheran artists. Concordia student Evan Balleweg’s “rabbit” series

was inspired by Christ’s Resurrection and involved audience participation. While making work for

Lent and Easter is challenging, it is exhilarating precisely because it takes a creative effort to

interpret these events through art and make them novel.

[3:6] In my experience, no church can get away from the church year entirely. Evangelical

churches which don’t celebrate Reformation Day do have special Christmas and Easter-themed

sermons. Based on my experience in chapel, one concern I have is that this model makes pastors

have to summarize Biblical texts too briefly in order to keep up with the scheduled texts of the week,

but it is good to see that pastors can be flexible.

With regards to color, I appreciate this aspect of Lutheran liturgy because it provides an

avenue by which artists can make art for the church which covers a variety of themes. Learning about

this tradition educated me about the Christian holidays I was unaware of, and how different parts of

God’s Word speak to different parts of our psyche: guilt, joy, sorrow, hope, etc. The change of color

through the church year is an adiaphoron I would encourage, since it supplements the service, and

doesn’t detract from the Gospel.

[6:3] Examples of art from real churches we have seen in class have been poor or kitschy,

which makes them a distraction rather than a support (e.g. stained-glass windows with incorrect

proportions). Conversely, we have visited chapels such as The Holy Family Shrine and viewed slides

which demonstrate how a simple, elegant design can have a lasting beauty. “Less is more” reflects

the modern art movements of minimalism and post-painterly abstraction which sought to strip art

down to their essentials. In churches, this principle leads architects to design blank white walls and

use natural light carefully. Yet, while these can be beautifully designed, it can be hard to distinguish

them from secular minimalist art.

If a church wants to have art which lets its audience “exhale” in response to God, I contend
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that churches should have something similar to a time of praise and worship, but for the eyes instead

of the ears. Pastors could invite artists to make works on more specific themes, perhaps following the

church year. When things change, people pay more attention to them, and if an artist were to do a

work that involved the audience, there would be more opportunity for church-goers to respond to the

art rather than passively stare at it. One danger is that artists and actors might become more

concerned about showcasing their talents than pointing to God, yet this same danger exists with

music and people gifted with musical talent.

As Maschke contended earlier in the chapter, God is orderly and not chaotic (Genesis 1, qtd.

123). In later chapters, Maschke discussed how to introduce variety in worship. Great Christian I

respect minds like John Piper have argued that things like drama distract from preaching, yet I

contend that as music speaks to the sense of hearing, artistic happenings and performances can also

communicate Christian meaning through other senses. Therefore, as people with musical talent can

bless a congregation, so too can people with a talent for the performing arts, or for organizing an art

happening.

[6:4] In the earlier point, I touched on the possibility of an artist glorifying his own abilities

rather than God’s, and this is a tension which of great concern to Maschke. Our class discussion

identifies this as a dance between what is unique and what is universal. I agree with Maschke that

people can become idolatrous, yet, reading this chapter left me wondering how you are supposed to

spot or prevent idolatry. Since it is part of the fallen nature, I don’t think there is any solution to cure

idolatry, but it is rather a danger for all Christian denominations.

In asking what kinds of variety would be appropriate in worship, I think it is important to

keep in mind that all the traditions in the liturgy had to be innovated by someone at some point.

There was a point in time when color was not used to symbolize different parts of the first year, but

eventually someone thought to include it. Similarly, a Christian artist or performer might innovate

something which is so good, it becomes a new tradition. Therefore, rather than advocating “doing
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away with tradition and stuffy liturgy” I think artists should instead speak of how a church can enrich

its traditions by allowing variety and change to occur. One way artists can take precautions against

becoming self-centered or idolatrous, as Maschke fears, is through collaboration with pastors who

have different spiritual gifts than they do.

[9:9] When Maschke writes that good liturgical art does not seek to shock or be too

contemporary, it is a statement which would generally be good advice, but it is a fairly broad point

(183). How does one define “too contemporary”? When discussing this, it is important to remember

the distinctions between liturgical, ecclesiastical, and religious art. Earlier, Maschke described the

essential purpose of liturgy, which is to relate everything to the central Gospel of Christ (130). It

therefore follows that when artists design objects and artwork for liturgical purposes, that they cannot

deviate from the purpose of the liturgy in the name of being avant-garde, any more than an architect

can ignore physics. A processional cross has to be a cross that can be carried; its form follows its

function.

Can there ever be a time when either shocking or contemporary art would be permissible in a

church setting, and if so, under what circumstances and for what purpose? In the first place, shock is

a type of emotion, and the problem with making artwork which attempts to shock is that this emotion

can quickly fade. However, I think it is fair to say that a Christian artist, struggling to convey the

personal impact of Christ’s sacrifice, might make work that at first appears shocking. Furthermore, a

viewer who has never before heard the story of Christ may be shocked by hearing about parts of

Christ’s story which other Christians have heard multiple times and grow used to. Conversely, an

artwork may shock one group of people but not another, so to simply say that Christian art shouldn’t

shock is vague.

In class discussion, Mel Gibson’s film was mentioned as an example of “shocking Christian

art.” There is nothing new about images of Christ which evoke such an emotion, with Lucas Cranach

the Elder, an artist who was a follower of Luther, being a prime example. Theologically, emphasizing
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the bloody wounds of Christ emphasizes the fact that Christ was fully human, and that his death was

painful for both him and his loved ones.

Yet, Christ was also fully divine, and while Christians should rightly feel saddened and guilty

by the weight of the Crucifixion, we should also be gladdened by the truth of the Resurrection, and

by the fact that through the Crucifixion, Christ triumphed over sin. Within the context of liturgical

Lutheran worship, there is a wonderful opportunity to focus on both sides of this paradox. Any

artwork in the tradition of Cranach, designed to capture the physical reality and pain of crucifixion,

might be very appropriate on Palm Sunday, or on a special Good Friday service. However, on Easter

Sunday, an image of a broken and dead Christ does not fulfill the purpose of remembering Christ’s

triumph over death.

This illustrates a broad principle that both artists and pastors would do well to keep in mind:

when discussing what kind of art would be appropriate, the devil is often in the details. Something

which might be appropriate in certain context might not in others. This is why careful thought is

needed by Christians who have different talents: the artist with a gift for thinking of something

creative and fresh, and the Pastor for considering his flock (like Paul’s description of the church as a

body in 1 Corinthians 12).

The second issue Maschke raises is “what is too contemporary?” During his presentation on

graphic design, Professor Boggs illustrated his perspective on this question by showing a picture of

waves and underlying currents. In his view, there are often trends in graphic design, which rise and

crash like waves, becoming dated quickly. Underneath waves he had more stable currents,

“movements,” and deeper still were “principles.” Certainly, a church wants to avoid art which, like

80s clothing, seems like a good idea at the moment but quickly loses appeal. If a church has rotating,

temporary artwork, however, they can showcase art without the commitment of having something

permanent they may regret later.

[9:25] This topic is of immense interest because it speaks to the concepts of “truth to
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materials” in artistic practice, and idea which is commonly associated with the influential art critic,

Clement Greenberg. On one hand, I agree with Simons and Fitzpatrick that the materials a church

uses communicates volumes about the church’s priorities, and cheap materials will suggest that the

church’s message isn’t of great value either. However, the idea that the church should “provide

relief” has far-reaching implications. Christians live their daily lives in “the world of plastic.” Instead

of “providing an escape” why not teach Christians that God is with them in the world of plastic too?

One way is through theology and scripture which speaks of God’s omnipresence and concern

for every part of creation, or for a preacher to take situations from Biblical times and describe how

the lessons are relevant in a contemporary situation (Matthew 10:29-31 NIV). Perhaps an artist could

take a material from “the world of plastic” and remake it into something Christ-honoring, so that

Christ is called to mind when people use those objects in daily life. Last year, the pastor at

Evangelical Free Church used a Brazilian artist, Vik Muniz, who recycles trash into art, to illustrate a

sermon on sanctification through Christ. It is good for a church’s materials to speak solidity and

eternity, yet this should not become a basis for rejecting a plethora of good art that employs unique

materials.

[10:6] I understand that some churches might view priestly garments as a “barrier” between

the clergy and the laymen. Maschke defends it, but recognizes it as adiaphoron. Personally, I had

never learned about these types of garments before, so I was fascinated to read what they were and

how they could be designed. The alb was inspired by the common tunic of Roman times. It is usually

pure white, but what if it was substituted for all-black garments on Good Friday? Cassocks are dark

robes of medieval origin, and surplices were designed to replace the alb and drape more gracefully

over the surplice. The most artistic potential comes with stoles, which are like scarves draped over

the shoulders, chasubles, which flow and drape across the chest and over the arms, and the poncho-

like copes and capes. Within all of them, there is potential for colorful trim and designed weaved into

the fabric. The priestly garments described in Moses’ time were ordained by God and are described
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as being decorated with blue and violet pomegranates, which both R.C. Sproul and Philip Ryken

have used to illustrate that God allows artist to make abstractions which depart from nature (Exodus

28:33) These garments serve a practical purpose and do not offer much opportunity for anything

radical and unheard of, yet, all could still be designed in a way which visually connects to the history

of the church and the life of Christ. Perhaps new kinds of special clothing could be designed by

artists gifted in textiles and fashion for priests to wear to illustrate certain Biblical stories or ideas.

[10:8] Having a congregation coordinate what they wear is a fascinating possibility. One

obvious barrier is lots of people may not want to or may not be able to. Children often like wearing

costumes, so perhaps if parents were encouraged to join their children at a Sunday pageant, the adults

would be more likely to go along with the event. While it might become a fun tradition for church-

goers to dress in certain ways, a church should be careful not to use peer pressure or embarrass

people who can’t or would rather not participate.

An artist designing a work that is meant to be touched would allow church-goers to get the

same tactile sense without the trouble of buying materials and sewing their own clothes. Types of

cloth and clothing mentioned in the Bible, and their inclusion in a service could supplement the

sermon. Instead of a detailed explanation of what sackcloth and ashes are, something made of

sackcloth could be put at the entrance or church goers could be handed small squares of it as they

enter. Feeling the tactile quality will give modern worshipers a sense of a material that’s important to

understanding a verse’s meaning. For example: the linen garment used by God to illustrate Israel’s

sin, the red/violet robe used to mock Christ, the seamless robe/chiton made for Christ, or the smooth

silk of swaddling clothes.

[11:5] I agree that the interior is the most important concern for two reasons. First, it is what

will subconsciously affect the minds of worshipers throughout the year. Someone might argue that

the exterior of a church is important in order to invite newcomers in, yet those newcomers will also

be affected by the interior. The goal of evangelism is not just to bring in the sick and sinful, but to
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help them become born-again, and once they become Christians, to be regularly renewed by

Gottesdienst. Putting special emphasis on the design of this space does not mean that other spaces

have to be ugly or poorly designed. It is simply a recognition that the more time people spend in a

space, they more they will be affected by it.

If a space is full of distractions, Americans with short attention spans will start staring at

things, even if they don’t understand why something is distracting or poorly designed. It has been

observed that the best actors simply take on their roles so well, the audience doesn’t think about their

acting skills. A similar principle exists in art, which means a well designed altar or ambo doesn’t call

attention to its construction by calling attention away from the Gospel message.

[11:34] The variety of topics contained in chapter 11, from historical designs to

contemporary issues of flexibility and simplicity, would be helpful even if I don’t become an

architect, because knowledge of this history is helpful for creating a space that conveys the

timelessness of God’s Word. Also, principles of design can apply whether you are working in a

Cathedral or a simple, modern building. I generally embrace a “less is more” aesthetic, and

considering the number of changes that may need to occur in a chancel or altar area, such a design

philosophy not only makes a space less distracting for the service, it simultaneously makes it easier

for a church to have flexibility if they have a strong design to build upon. Also, a clever artist could

design church furnishings which are still portable, yet visually communicate the ideas of solidity and

stability (Ephesians 2:20, Matthew 7 NIV).

[22:1] Out of his seven reasons, the first two are broad enough to apply to ecclesiastical art as

well as liturgical art. Indeed, the idea that God speaks to us in varied ways and that we respond in

varied ways could become a driving philosophy for Christian artists. The fifth reason, that sinful

people crave change, invites discussion and introspection. I’m personally adverse to change, but the

experience of making art and learning about art history has compelled me to become more personally

accepting of change and variety. While I agree with Maschke that change is not good in and of itself,
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I don’t know if the human desire for change is necessarily sinful, anymore than the human desire for

stability is sinful. Rather, the nature of the world God created involves change from day to day, and

the desire to introduce change into worship may not come from a selfish attitude which demands to

be entertained.

Part of the problem with Maschke’s argument is that if you assume this attitude is sinful, the

worst thing you could do is try to appease it. If someone desires change for change’s sake, not the

Gospel’s sake, a little change won’t fix the underlying problem that they are struggling against the

Gospel.

Rather, I’m arguing that change in worship prevents the opposite extreme: when people

attend church and go through the motions by rote. Maschke would probably agree that this too can be

a problem, based on his sixth point when he says that change can make “the same” become new and

meaningful again. Since order is better than chaos, I’d advocate introducing different kinds of arts

into worship gradually and give them their own structured time (if the worship team really wanted to

collaborate with another group, like artists or dancers, that’d be fine, but generally each group would

have their own ministry based on their particular talents). There should be precautions taken so these

different ministries aren’t in opposition or rivalry to each other. When later in the chapter, Maschke

talked about introducing change as an experiment, this could easily be applied to an artistic ministry,

including dance or drama (494). A good art ministry should involve more than artists making cool

stuff, just like worship is more than having someone sing at you. Teaching should be an important

part of an artistic ministry. Perhaps if a church sponsored dance classes as a ministry to kids, a

tasteful dance would be appropriate to demonstrate the work of the dancing ministry and bless the

congregation with something beautiful. Some congregations may be more amendable to such

experiments while others may not, so the pastoral staff should be a key part in any artistic ministry.

The greatest potential benefit of such a ministry is summed up in Maschke’s seventh point, that

variety can bless a congregation by exposing them to other Christian’s expressions of divine Grace.
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[22:5] There is a great deal of symbolism within art history, but ecclesiastical art shouldn’t

need to have a whole series of lectures in order for it to be accepted by a congregation. Examples of

traditional symbolism within Christian art includes the egg to symbolize Mary’s virginity and the

Immaculate Conception, and the placement of the penitent thief to Christ’s right to symbolize his

salvation, just as the saved and the damned will be put to Christ’s right and left side (Matthew 25

NIV). Much of this symbolism provides artists with a richer understanding of the thoughts and

themes behind classical religious painting, but without training in art history, much of it would be

lost on a contemporary audience of laymen. Furthermore, over-reliance on such symbolic language

may date artwork with a medieval look. Some churches may wish to communicate solidarity with

Christians of the distant past, but outside of a Cathedral, such art may look out of place and

communicate to newcomers that this particular church is stuck in the past.

Conversely, while I have been advocating more experimental art forms, that doesn’t mean I

want to turn church into an advanced philosophy of contemporary art class. Pedantic “art-speak” can

mystify people rather than instruct them. Even if an artist wants to make a work that does not have a

single, easily discerned meaning, the purpose of having art in church is to glorify God, not the artist’s

academic know-how.
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1. Give written responses to 2-3 discussion questions from the Reading Guide/Discussion

Questions, on chapters

1, 2, 3, 6, 9, 10, 11, and 22.

2. Select questions that are not just fact based, but require your response/evaluation. Identify

questions by chapter and number, but do not write out the question. A simple notation in the

margin (e.g., 1:1) should be sufficient.

3. Submit your responses on hard copy, 10-12 double-spaced pages.

Let me know if you have any questions concerning this assignment.

Prof. Groth

[1:2] Lex orandi, lex credendi has been understood in three ways. Maschke seems to

suggest that he prefers the “middle position” that worship and beliefs both effect eachother. His

discussion of John Calvin in contrast to Catholicism is personally significant, since Calvin’s

theology has molded my worldview and interpretation of Scripture. It is implied in the text that

Maschke disagrees with Calvin about the stripping out of the liturgy. In defense of Calvin, R.C.

Sproul has suggested that Calvin’s “back to basics” approach did not mean that Calvin believed

that worship traditions should never be included in worship. Yet, in my personal experience, I

can clearly see the trends that Maschke is observing in evangelical denominations: having good

theology is generally prioritized over good art or anything like a carefully crafted liturgy.
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In part, one reason I still prefer the more Calvinist understanding of how worship and

theology should relate is because of the potential for a church to retain all its liturgical tradition

but none of the theology of the Gospel; the Gospel message is what makes a church either good

or bad, and the best artist can’t fix the problems in a church without a Gospel-emphasis.

Maschke’s commitment to theological soundness is admirable, and because Lutheran churches

have a tradition of liturgical art, they seem to produce more artists and therefore some

Evangelical and Calvinist denominations could learn from their Lutheran brothers about

incorporating art forms into worship.

[] Maschke quotes Robert Webber, who argues that Christians should not cut themselves

off from a rich tradition of Christian worship, which implicates that he values the Lutheran

liturgy (qtd. 13). Luther has been described as a figure who stood contra mundum. Similarly,

Christians may feel like they have to stand against the world if they are hesitant to accept every

new trend or idea from culture. I agree that Christian worship is not merely for the present, but

that good theology is interested in applying God’s word to the past, the present and the future.

Because of this, Webber is right that the practices and beliefs of past Christians are valid and
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should not be cast aside lightly, a concept similar to “the democracy of the dead.”