THE RELATION

OF CHRISTIANITY TO ART

Does Christianity leave Scope for Art? No student of the apostolic writings can fail to find himself sometimes confronted by the question, Does the teaching of the New Testament cover all the interests of human life? and more particularly, Does the New Testament, does Christianity as laid down there in its broad outlines, leave scope for the free development of Art?

There can be no doubt that truth, sympathy, reverence, will characterise all effort which deserves the name of Christian; but it is not at once obvious that in the face of the overwhelming moral problems of life Christian effort can be properly directed to the pursuit of Art.

Thus there is the suggestion if not the distinct appearance of a conflict between man's constitution and the Gospel. He is born with artistic instincts and powers; and these, it may be alleged, are not directly taken into account by the records of the Faith.

Man so Constituted as to seek Beauty On the one side it is certain that Art corresponds with essential parts of our nature. Men universally seek

particular combinations of form, colour, sound, and the pleasure which these give can be deepened and extended through the study of the principles by which they are ruled. Men can be trained to a keener and finer perception of beauty.

There is then here a force of influence which cannot be overlooked in the discipline of life.

External Nature needs Enterpretation

AND more than this, the complex scene in which we are placed requires to be revealed to us. We are at once able to enter into the manifold aspects of Nature which we can recognise when they are pointed out. There is something of disorder and disproportion in the impression which we first receive from the world about us. The "form" of things needs some interpretation; and the particular interpretation which we adopt has helped and will help to make us what we are and what we shall be.

The Enterpretation of Nature by Art has a Powerful moral Effect

FOR the physical effects which Art produces exercise

a profound and spiritual influence upon character.

It is unnecessary to attempt to make any comparison of the relative power of external nature and society upon the education of the soul. It is enough that both have their due office in moulding the ideal man. Remove the discipline of one or the other, and the man is weaker and poorer, however successfully he cultivates the selfcentred virtues on which he has concentrated himself. It be may necessary to cut off the right hand," or to "pluck out the right eye," but he who is forced to do so enters into life "maimed."

Sense specially needs Discipline

THIS expressive image seems to carry with it a full

recognition of the manifold activities of eye and hand, of the power of seeing beauty and setting it forth, as belonging to the completeness of man.

seems

And if under the actual conditions of life it is through sense, which Art uses as its organ, that the most obvious and universal dangers come to men, the natural conclusion to be that this fact shews convincingly the paramount importance of the study of Art. In this region we need peculiarly to be trained in order that we may enjoy rightly; and not be called upon to sacrifice that which was capable of ministering to a richer service.

Art not directly recognised in the New Testament SUCH reflections, indicated in the briefest summary, serve to shew that Art justly claims a permanent place in the highest training of men; but on the other hand it may be urged that, with the exception of music, there is no recognition of the office of Art in the New Testament. One or two illustrations from engraving (Heb. i. 3) or painting (Heb. viii. 5; x. 1) are all that it contains. The imagery of the Apocalypse-as the cubic city (Apoc. xxi. 16)-is symbolic and not pictorial.

And not only so, but it seems as if representative Art were distinctly condemned. It is difficult to give any sense to "the desire of the eyes," which St. John declares to be "not of the Father but of the world" (1 John ii. 16), which shall not include works of sculpture and

painting; and at first sight the revelation of the transitoriness of that out of which they spring appears to carry with it the sentence of their rejection.

The use of Art in the Old Testament not a

sufficient Recognition

NOR can any stress be laid upon the partial recogni

The

It

tion of the service of Art in the Old Testament. system of the old Covenant was essentially external. spoke through symbols. But it might be argued, not unreasonably, that, as Christianity is essentially spiritual, it is likely that it would be independent of all illustrations from Art.

THESE

The Principle of Reconciliation

are the elements of the contrast which have to be reconciled. The reconciliation lies in the central message of Christianity, The Word became flesh.

By that fact the harmony between the seen and the unseen which had been interrupted was potentially restored. Creation in all its parts was made known as a revelation of Him through whom it was called into being.

But the reconciliation here as elsewhere lies in transfiguration. The passage to life is through death. The old had to pass away that the new might find its proper place.

This truth has even now not been fully mastered ; but it will be seen more clearly if we consider the position of Art in relation to Christianity in the apostolic age, and the character of Christian Art in the first four centuries, and the attempt to determine the relation of Christianity to Art, and the peculiar office of Art.

Contrast of Shemitic and Hellenic Tendencies THE position of the early Christian teachers towards

Art was determined under two powerful and conflicting influences. In no other region of human activity were the Shemitic and Hellenic tendencies more directly at variance. Each bore witness to a partial truth; and in the apostolic age each had reached its complete development.

THE

Art Consecrated among the Jews

HE Jew learnt from the records of the Old Testament that it was the divine will that in the unapproachable darkness of the Holy of Holies the costliest works of Art should render service before the revealed Presence of the Lord.

No human eye could rightfully ever again trace the lineaments of those cherubim and palm trees and open flowers when they were once placed in the oracle, but it was enough to know that they were there.

In no other way could the Truth be more eloquently or more solemnly enforced that the end of Art is to witness to the inner life of Nature and to minister to God. The repetition of the forms in the Holy place kept the memory of them fresh in the minds of the priests.

Their significance could not be mistaken. By that offering of the best which he could command simply for the divine glory, Solomon declared to his people for all time the consecration of Art, and he declared not obscurely that it is the office of Art to reveal the meaning of that which is the object of sense.

Circumstances delayed for ages the fruitfulness of the idea; but it remained and remains still; and few can think of all that was implied by the adornment of that