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#44136
Sun Jan 31, 2010 8:59 PM
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Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 15,033 Likes: 276
Head Honcho
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Head Honcho
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 15,033 Likes: 276 |
The transformation of the plain-style meeting-house of the broadly Reformed tradition (Presbyterian, Congregationalist, Baptist, and even Methodist), with its undecorated interior and simple services, into a mega-church filled with banners, pictures, stage props, and liberal use of media raises important questions about the use of visual art in Protestant worship today. The Reformed tradition from Zwingli to the twentieth century was disciplined, or shall we say, restrictive in its use of visual art. The Reformers carefully read Scripture and church history and rejected not just all cultic (i.e. devotional) but also all illustrative (i.e. didactic) use of visual art in worship and only permitted careful use of decorative art. Because of the seemingly widespread violation and even denial of the Second Commandment in our day among those in the world but particularly within the modern churches it seemed good to me to provide yet another article that defends the historic Protestant view. The author, Terry Johnson, is well qualified to write on this subject and approaches this subject from several perspectives not generally discussed. I appreciated the author's insights and arguments enough to ask for and gain permission to publish his article on The Highway. May the Lord use this article to capture the hearts of His people to reverence the living God as He has commanded all men to do and even to supply further motivation to defend His honor among men through obedience to this Second Commandment which forbids the making of ANY representation of God whatsoever and for any reason. To violate this commandment of God shows one to not only be an idolater but as Exodus 20:4,5 says, a "hater of God"; a most serious charge from the Almighty Himself. You can read this article now by going here: The Christian Use of Visual Art in Worship Today. For later reading, you can find this article on The Highway in the Article of the Month section. In His service and grace,
![[Linked Image]](http://www.the-highway.com/pilgrim/pil_sig2.gif) simul iustus et peccator![[Linked Image]](http://www.the-highway.com/Smileys/pencil.gif)
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Annie Oakley
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Annie Oakley
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