The Art of Worship: Engaging Tradition and Narrative
Several years ago I read The Rise of the Image, The Fall of the Word by Mitchell Stephens. I was at the time becoming aware of the toxic reality around me; the erosion of my value system and the unexplainable disconnect that seemed to be taking place between the church/faith I loved and the society in which I lived. The armor of my weekly routine of faith, family and workplace was pierced by a changing social order and the inability of my faith and the church to speak with an authoritative relevance. The pace of this chaotic demise was accentuated by the loss of my senior pastor and mentor and the return of my oldest son from his first year at a public university. On the one hand was the loss of the wisdom and insight of a trusted pastor and friend; on the other hand was the confrontation to address the questions and concerns created by the exposure to a new academic reality.
Stephens clarifies that the confusion and chaos in the latter half of the twentieth century resulted from the erosion of values and beliefs. He attributes these phenomena “in part [to] the transition from a culture dominated by the printed word to one dominated by moving images.”[1] Stephens proposes that the use of the visual – especially the moving image, “has the potential to help resolve this crisis of spirit.”[2] He presents a historical perspective of the visual, the image, as pre-existing the written word. Writing, the inscription of symbols, became the means to image the visual and in a modern society the word became the provisionally dominate method of communicating. That world, characterized by conversation, rational argument, expanding libraries and the printed word, according to Stephens, is in transition. It is a philosophical turn affecting the cultural, political and academic elements of society. Although difficult to recognize and navigate, “this new form of communication” Stephen’s postulates, “should provide us with the tools—intellectual and artistic tools—needed to construct new, more resilient ways of looking at our lives.”[3]
I am a person with a life style and worldview established on the written word and my belief and faith perspective is founded on the Word. Coping with the discontinuous change in contemporary society and the transition described by Stephens is difficult. In reading Visual Faith: Art, Theology and Worship in Dialogue by William A. Dyrness[4], I have discovered another excellent resource to understand the reality of the life in the twenty-first century and how I can better develop a constructive path forward in managing the tension between the word and the visual image. Dyrness approaches the transitioning global culture and society from a Christian perspective on theology and worship. He perceptively recognizes what he calls “a sea of change”[5] resulting from the philosophical change in postmodernism and the “burgeoning and bewildering proliferation of images and sounds”[6] that has created a difficult transitional environment over the last three decades. I would interject the observation that Dyrness’ presentation applies equally well to those whose perspective is undergirded by liminal, traditional approach to church and culture as well as the contemporary generation with a perspective predominately founded on visual encounter with an inclusive view of interpretation of life and culture.
Dyrness presents the position of the church, what he calls evangelical Christians and to whom he is primarily addresses Visual Faith, as demonstrating the willingness to plunge into contemporary culture, including understanding what is happening in “pop-culture.” Consequently, there is possibility and hope as we seek to give meaning and be relevant in the contemporary cultural context. Dryness emphases visual imagery as critically essential in developing spirituality and establishing what he calls a “coherent cultural strategy.”[7] He notes, “One of the arguments I want to make is that, bewildering though this period of history is in so many ways, it offers some unique opportunities for Christian witness and spirituality— not only to renew themselves but in so doing to impact the larger culture.”[8]
As indicated in the title, Dyrness engages visual art in a dialogue. He does so from a historical perspective by devoting two chapters to the changing influence of visual art on the heritage of the Christian church.[9] The significance of this dialogue with the historical use of visual art is the manner in which the art forms demonstrate from a historical cultural context the biblical themes and theology of the church. Understanding art form in historical context, it seems to me, gives a means for authentic interpretation of art work in contemporary context. This is applicable to historical art forms as well as visual art forms created in the context of pop-culture.
Dyrness takes his art dialogue to a new depth as he addresses the scriptural implications of artwork and the theological value of reflection. The scriptural context of God displaying his creative handiwork in visual art forms all around us, leads to an awesome relationship of worship.[10] From a theological context, Dyrness advocates that all forms of visual art work leads to some attitude or posture of worship. He notes, “Human art, when it is good, manages some echo of this reality [the worship response] —either to praise or curse. … In some mysterious sense, all art aspires to be worship.”[11] What is particularly momentous is Dryness’ concept that art in itself is not satisfying or self-rewarding; “The problem is that art by itself does not provide the reconciliation and spiritual connection that the human heart really longs for.”[12]
The most pertinent dialogue is the engagement with contemporary art forms and popular culture. Dryness asks the question, “[H]ow can we as Christians engage with this world in a creative and constructive way?”[13] The answer is to engage in an exciting worship experience that is true (faithful) to scriptural art forms and theological teaching. The challenge is to reestablishing the connection between scripture, heritage, and a contextual (cultural) experience. The exposition on the creation story in chapter seven is an explicit example of the application visual art form. Humanity was created in the “image” of God and all of creation was “good” and “pleasing to the eye.”[14] Dryness notes that Christians “possess an incredibly rich biblical tradition— a tradition rooted in a narrative that is punctuated by earthshaking events in which God has revealed himself.”[15] Worship is engaging traditions and living the narrative of God through the visual arts of song, dance and image.
[1] Mitchell Stephens, The Rise of the Image, The Fall of the Word (New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1998), Kindle, 57.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid., 61,emphasis mine.
[4] William A. Dryness, Visual Faith:Art, Theology, and Worship in Dialogue (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Publishing, 2001) Kindle.
[5] Ibid., Kindle 227.
[6] Ibid.
[7] Ibid., 196.
[8] Ibid., 370-372
[9] Note: an unfortunate aspect of buying the Kindle edition is the lack of art images due to copyright restrictions.
[10] Ibid., 1576.
[11] Ibid., 1920.
[12] Ibid., 392
[13] Ibid., 1964.
[14] Genesis 1-2.
[15] Dryness, Ibid., 2699
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9 responses to “The Art of Worship: Engaging Tradition and Narrative”
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Ron, thank you soo much for your post. I think your last sentence summarizes the entire post very well… “Worship is engaging traditions and living the narrative of God through the visual arts of song, dance and image.” Our weakness seems to be in allowing one to overshadow the others. All of these when held in tension give us a clearer image of who God is. Overemphasizing one over the others might give us a skewed image. What do you think?
Stef…
Thanks for your comment and the chance to dialogue a little more with Dyrness. How does/should the worshiper engage the various artistic renditions that are used in a worship service? It requires us to consider what we mean by worship? Jesus’ succinct answer to the women at the well is “spirit and truth.” This is where we need the “tension” that you speak about … is it possible that the visual art can actually take away from worship? I recently worshiped in a church of about twelve hundred, quite different from my home church attendance of under one hundred. The worship team was perfect – the blending of voices, the orchestra, the moving/colorful power point slides, the lighting levels, the facial expressions and body movements of those with the microphones – even the swaying of the audience with uplifted hands helped to create a worship experience. I tried to worship – I did not want to raise my hands and sway just to “appear” that I was experiencing God as Truth and Spirit. I struggled with thinking that this was a great performance – worthy of my attention but it was difficult to worship.
I think I am the problem here – why did I not worship? Was it because my congregation is at the other extreme, trying to sing in harmony with a piano and leaders who are trying to follow the sheet in their hand – no moving PP, only white words on a blue background? What is it that creates the spirit of worship? And why do we worship in some instances and not others? How can the various forms of art contribute to the worship experience. Dyrness points to at least a part of the answer when he says, “Art, then, … was meant to lift the soul toward the contemplation of God, to stimulate a ‘contemplative movement from the perceptible ‘up’ to the conceptual.’”
Ron, my fellow traveler through the wilds of modernity! I strongly relate to your position of having been weaned on Word and Text, as that was my church’s tradition and focus. I spent many years in a Congregational Church which was decorated with only a pipe organ. I have found over the years it a challenge to come to gripes with art – especially in our modern world, which (as most Christian commentators will suggest) has more illustrated the decline of our civilization and the release of our fallen nature to follow its own path. And in the midst of the modern crisis and abuse of modern art, to suggest we can find a way that leads to the divine, to even worship, has been hard for me to wrap my head around. I think that is way my travels to different places and lots of museums to see how art (icons, symbols, architecture, music) has been used by Christians for centuries as invitation to worship and the divine. I think Dyrness’ is right, that in order to the visual to speak of the divine and truth, it must be informed of a Christian, Biblical content. It is the coming together of historical, theological, and social the social relevant in art can provide a way forward…an art that can enrich our modern world as well as encourage faith. There is much to chew on in this book and this topic. Thanks for your thoughtful insights!
John,
Thanks … it is good to not journey alone!
It seems to me that Dyrness is right when he asks, “What are Christians to make of the confusion that currently exists in the art world (or worlds!). We have seen a proliferation of forms and styles in the last few decades—conceptual art, environmental art , body art, performance pieces, installation and video art. Moreover, this cornucopia of styles often embraces images and forms of popular and commercial culture.” (Kindle 2292) At least, along with you, he makes me feel I am not in this alone; my joyful noise can be off key and it is still art!
Dyrness does present a powerful concept when he says we are all artist – and I think I understand that the word, spoken and written is painting a picture or helping us imagine (image) what we do see at all or at least it is blurred and unclear as through a “dark glass.”
I still, however, want to add the insight of Richard Lischer in “The End of Words.” He states, “the crisis of the modern world is a crisis of speaking and hearing, of call and response. A creation that was once on intimate listening terms with its creator now spins out of control.” In the end, if the world is to discover God in the presence of all the confusion and chaos that separates and divides, not only God from humanity, but the malice that exists within humanity, “who will speak a word of peace, if not the preacher?”
Richard Lischer. The End of Words: The Language of Reconciliation in a Culture of Violence (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 2005), Kindle Edition.
Ron,
Thanks for the post.
As a response, i simply want to offer that I think it is important to continue to reflect on a piece that you note Dyrness writing…art is not enough in itself, but art always points beyond itself. I think it does. In fact, I think it always points in multiple directions. However, certainly whatever those directions happen to be, I think that with training and insight we can find out how their trails lead back to the Creator.
Relatedly, I’ve always appreciated Sister Wendy Beckett’s talks on art. So insightful and fun!
Clint,
You have stimulated my interest – perhaps this will extend my own personal dialogue…
Yes, art must, it seems to me, point beyond itself. Does art have its own life? Is it possible that visual art can be contradictory or paradoxical in the path it takes in the impart on observers or partakers? Is the devil ever in the details of visual art? Could it be the lines, chaos and confusion of an abstract drawing or the lyrics of a rap artists perceptional (mental image) tirade against some element of social/cultural life. In the multiplicity of our society, it is possible to think all trails lead to God; do some trails take us away from God?
Part of my problem in our course of study is that all of these new possibilities of discovery open up to me – it is easy to take a side excursion that causes me not to get my work done. Such is the case of Sister Wendy Beckett – perhaps you think it inconceivable that I have never head of her? No more! – after the last couple hours … not enough time but I have booked-marked a couple of her books and sites for further insight (Sister Wendy’s Story of Painting; Sister Wendy’s 1000 Masterpieces; Spiritual Letters). Perhaps in my brief exposure the favorite quote is, “Looking at art is one way of listening to God.”
Clint – after reading the my response, I need to briefly comment further:
“Do some trails take us away from God?” I do believe all things are possible with God and that God is mission to reach his creation (yes, not “on mission” but “is mission,” the great “I am” always reaching): I would not, however, want to underestimate the presence and work of evil in the world. Jesus said, “Many will be deceived” (Matt. 24:11) and the warnings are abundant (Acts 20:30, I Timothy 4:1, 2 Pet 2:1, 1 John 2:18, 2:26, 4:1) and there will be and have been “those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped his image” (Rev.19:20). This last passage tells of the defeat of the defeat of evil, the those bearing the mark of the beast, the great deceiver – with God all things are possible!
Ron,
Such a rich post. For me one of the simple, yet extremely profound and helpful places of truth as been as you note at the end that humans are created in the image of God. This shifts the perspective of how we see one another and how we express that image, creative making part of who God has made us to be — both redemptively and in the midst of redemption as well as unredeemed expressions. We are truthfully learning to listen to what lies within another. I found Dyrness book hopeful even as he is realistic. Is your understanding of worship expanding or is it being understood in a new light?
Hi, Carol,
I am experiencing significant “new light” in my own worship experience and perhaps most significantly, the corporate worship with our congregation. Dyrness has bought revelation and a informative challenge to the worship experience. I am not the worship leader and I have never had any significant amount of formal (academic) training in leading worship. Art and visual image has probably been more of a threat to me rather than a means to led and participate in worship. I am really excited about my own personal growth in this area … thanks for your comments and interest.