Waiter, There's Tension In My Art

"There is something missing in our art" is the great cry ofthe evangelical church during the last number of years as thedichotomy between hymn and chorus grows and opinions on style and genre become ever greater.

What makes good art becomes the question then. Good art creates tension. Good art does not reduce an individual to a singular emotion, it sets one upon the edge of conflicting feelings that they must thensort out for themselves. It is something that is revelatory. Good art shows us what it is to be us. But it has an even nobler and loftierability. Good art has the potential to show us pieces of who God is.

But this is so dangerous! Religion promotes unity among all people.We shouldn't have to come to church or experience God in a way that makes us feel conflicted. And besides, shouldn't a greater understanding of God lead us to a greater feeling of peace? If art is allowed back into the church, it is going to lead to divisiveness and splits within the church.

Good art allows us to embrace our humanity, an ability that has been utterly lost by today's evangelical church. When the leader of the north american evangelical association falls publicly in a tragic conflict of homosexuality and drug abuse in light of his public preaching he is ostracized and disassociated. Public perception becomes the highest importance and our music reflects this. We cry open the eyes of my heart and sing of our longing to see God as we stand shoulder to shoulder with people of his creation. Tension in a piece of music would be one that tells us that seeing a glimpse of God is as simple as looking into another’s eyes. We sing about God being Indescribable when there's a girl in the third row wondering if this God even exists. Where's our songs about addiction? Where's our songs about doubt? About human love, joy, hurt, heartache and suffering that points us to our creator?

But doubt must be set aside. Our humanity is fallen. It is corrupt and we cannot afford to be perceived like we're glorifying our humanity! Jesus tells us to deny ourselves and follow him. How can we cling to both our humanity and God at the same time? This is a dichotomy that cannot be allowed to exist. So stamp out our humanity and let us focus only on what we will someday be transformed into after a life lived with moral chastity. Let us sing about Joy, of true joy that we will one day experience when we all get to heaven. Let us all sit together in our congregation and sing...

Heaven Is Just Beyond The Blue Horizon

Just Above The Starry Sky, Starry Blue Sky

Far Above This Land Of Sorrow

Way Above Each Tear And Sigh, Every Sigh

Just A Few More Miles Before Us

Just A Little While To Wait, Patiently Wait

Soon We'll Sing Redemptions Chorus Heaven's Joy Awaits, Heaven Awaits

~The Gaither Gospel Group~

But this is not good art. This is easy art. It bypasses everything. It allows us to turn a blind eye to the homeless man begging for a drink. It lets us condemn a homosexual couple wishing to be seen as legislatively equal. Sentiments in "easy art" don't challenge us because they don't reflect us. Shall we sing of joy then? Play for me the greatest song ever composed. Written at the hands of a deaf man, gone half mad for the tragedy of his lot, pouring out music that he could not hear but only feel, that he could only know. A song about joy that came from a place so human and yet so spiritual that the two cannot be separated:

All the world's creatures

Draw joy from nature's breast;

Both the good and the evil

Follow her rose-strewn path.

She gave us kisses and wine

And a friend loyal unto death;

She gave lust for life to the lowliest,

And the Cherub stands before God.

~Beethoven's 9th Symphony (choral)~

Let the Church, the place that is supposed to be God's light on this earth, draw joy and sorrow, celebration and mourning, peace and turmoil from nature. Let it not turn a scornful eye to the world that it has been called to be the salt of. Let there be tension, paradox and ambiguity in it's art so that it may earnestly reflect the glory and the greatness of the God that has bestowed upon us the ability to choose him in the midst of such things.