Review of Nancy Pearcey's "Saving Leonardo", Part 2 of Part 2

     In an effort to wrap up this review, I have skipped over large sections of Part 2 of Pearcey's book and have included only some highlights. I'm half way through J.P. Moreland's book Kingdom Triangle, which deals with some of the same worldview issues, but from a more philosophical perspective. Still, Saving Leonardo remains my best read of the year.

    The relativism of idealistic humanism (in part, as taught by Kant), states that all we see are disconnected events with only self imposed order; what a person thinks is true of something is really only in their mind. Thus, art was no longer to be seen as a reflection of the beauty of God’s creation, but a “beauty-making power” of one’s imagination.

     This idealism, as a blending of Eastern and Western thought (later identified as neo-Platonism), attempted to re-create God into an impersonal essence or substance from which life simply flowed.

Science, which had been looked to in developing so many alternative philosophies, became a killing machine after the industrial revolution. German expressionism emerged with its violent images of dark humanity. Yet, as the author points out, relativism cannot stand against political or social evil. The postmodernist, although motivated to solve these world problems, has his hands tied. “Without a moral absolute, we cannot say, ‘That is wrong’ or ‘That is unjust.’ Lived out consistently, postmodernism leads to complicity with evil and injustice.” (p.238)

     Pearcey applies the worldview test of whether a philosophy fits reality in a summary paragraph criticizing reductionist thinking, on p.244, “What then? Anything that sticks outside of the box is simply dismissed or denied. For example, materialism insists that anything beyond matter is not real. Empiricism says that anything beyond the senses is not real. Naturalism says that anything beyond the natural is not real. Pantheism says that anything beyond the all-encompassing One is not real. These are forms of reductionism because they reduce the complex, many-leveled reality that God created down to one level. Reductionism is like a kid who argues that whatever does not fit into his toy box is not a toy. Or, to borrow a metaphor from G.K. Chesterton, reductionism is like a mental prison, ‘the prison of one thought’. Whatever does not fit into that prison is denied and suppressed.”

Christianity is not limited by the parts of creation, to make something out of then in which to believe, because it focuses on the transcendent Creator. From this comes a worldview that is holistic, respectful, and inclusive.

     Pearcey quotes from both Seerveld and Schaeffer in regard to a calling to Christians to learn the language of the artistic sub-culture in order to connect with and reach out to them.

The author spends a chapter analyzing the moral and cultural implications of the film industry. Following this, she discusses aspects of Christianity with regard to the arts and worldview development. Related to modern sentimentalism, a sacred/secular dualism is identified as the reason for substandard appreciation for the arts on the part of Christians. Even the expectation that Christian artists should volunteer and donate their work suggests a demoting of art and the individual.

Review of Nancy Pearcey's "Saving Leonardo", Part 2

Part 2: Two Paths to Secularism

        

           The following quotes from p.76 summarize my present longing.

“Art tries, literally, to picture things which philosophy tries to put into carefully thought-out words.” Han Rookmaaker. And contemporary architect David Gobel said that in art, “a worldview is made tangible.”

          People don’t’ care so much about the technical expertise of an artist, but how they convey some aspect of the world as they see it. Art is never a perfect copy of nature, but is an illusion; an interpretation or perspective on the part of the artist. The author makes a connection between the identity crisis of the art world in the Modern era and its abandoning the concept of truth.

       Contrary to media opinion, the greatest minds in the world of science are Christians who are scientists. Yet, the world continues to try to erase such facts and, like the Empiricists, attempts to find solutions to man’s problems through the achievements of science and industry. These same blind seers declare that art should never contain any moral lesson or implication.

    Impressionism attempted to approach visual reality through the lens of science. Post- Impressionists wanted to reclaim some deeper sense of reality in their work. During the same time, rationalists emphasized mathematics as the tool for understanding all things, as compared to the empiricists who believed that understanding came from data acquired through the senses. The perfect art movement to parallel the rationalists was cubism. Geometric abstraction, in particular the work of Mondrian, epitomized the rationalist worldview.

“Art was no longer a portrayal of a subject but the investigation of form.” (p.130)

      Secular worldviews are nothing more than substitutes for traditional religion. They become a template for an individuals thinking, communication, and view of life. In this, empiricists and rationalists have the same goal: to replace divine revelation with an alternate authority which can be imposed on society. Secularists think nothing of criticizing religious institutions for doing the very thing of which they are guilty.

      Pearcey lays out a simple two–part test for any worldview: “1) Is it internally logically consistent, 2) Does it fit the real world? That is, can it be applied and lived out consistently without doing violence to human nature? The second question suggest a biblical form of pragmatism. After all, the purpose of a worldview is to explain the world – to provide a mental map for navigating reality. If the map does not work in the real world, then it is not an accurate guide.” (p.152)

      The proponents of alternative worldviews, especially the naturalists, may even admit that their model is inconsistent and impossible to live by. But they continue on because the biblical worldview is an unacceptable and threatening option. It’s like the prideful child who refuses to accept the gift of a new toy while insisting on playing with his own broken piece of junk.

       And, as was stated before, these alternative worldview advocates will be quick to criticize others’ views but never scrutinize their own views with the same pair of glasses.

      Here’s another specific example: Liberal logical positivism reclaimed Hume’s fork as a standard for knowledge: 1) ideas are either derived from sensation or 2) come out of logical necessity, like mathematics. Yet, their precepts were not empirically verifiable…so, the movement self-destructed.

      Secular Humanism is constantly looking for ways to change the environment to change the way people think and live. After all, they conclude, we are nothing more than the product of our environment, whether selective evolution or behavioral engineering…hence the application of Bauhaus architecture.

       Pearcey quotes Hans Rookmaaker in his criticism of minimalism while missing an opportunity to make a worldview application. The meaningless or purely design use of color is the artist’s expression of the “deeper vision of the human condition”! I agree with Seerveld when he states, modern art (Mondrian-like reductionism, in particular) “has refined a brilliant alphabet but has nothing to say.” Yet, without that initial contribution, there would be no alphabet of visual design.

(to be continued)

Review of Nancy Pearcey's "Saving Leonardo", Part 1

This personal quest for the spiritual in art has brought me to a unique aesthetic. It's a blend of content and context with the supernatural, which is becoming my biblical worldview of art and life. I'm finding that the parts cannot stand alone. For example, spirituality without  morality is demonic. And good design, even genius, without the spirit (the spark of humanity) is lifeless.

Earlier, I had promised to share some from Pearcey's book, which has been instrumental in helping me through a part of this quest. I hope that you find this summary valuable.

Part 1: The Threat of Global Secularism

A powerful exposé on how post-modern (or, as Alan Kirby calls it: pseudo-modern) humanistic relativism has been adopted by and is destroying our current culture and has co-opted Christian culture as well. The author uses several dualistic comparisons between modes of thinking to show how this digression has occurred over the past couple of centuries.

            The 1^st dichotomy is the manufactured difference between Values (private, subjective, relative) and Fact (public, objective, universal). The 2^nd is Postmodern (religion and morality) and Modernism (science and industry).

“Morality is a way of stating what humans are designed to do – their purpose for living.” (p.42)

“The church is the training ground to equip individuals with a biblical worldview and to send them out to the front lines to think and act creatively on the basis of biblical truth. This result is not oppression but a wonderful liberation of their creative powers.” (p.45)

The 3^rd dichotomy that has been imposed on culture is the liberal ontology: Person - an autonomous self (postmodernism) and Body – a biochemical machine (modernism). This presumes an exclusive jurisdiction (a Cartesian dualism): scientists are in charge of matter and the laws of physics, while theologians are in charge of soul and spiritual issues. This dualism also leads to a desire to control the physical nature for the benefit of the self. The greatest controversies identifying this goal are in the area of marriage, euthanasia, and abortion (ie, when does a fetus become a human?). This personhood theory is illustrated with another dichotomy: Person – (Person) has freedom, while the Body – (human) is a disposable machine. Therefore, non-persons cannot be offended, hurt, or deprived of anything, given that they can’t value such things. Pearcey poses the question, “Which abilities or functions count in deciding whether a person has moral worth? And how developed do they have to be in order to count? Every liberal ethicist draws the line at a different place, depending on his or her own personal choice or value.” (p.55)

            Liberals are nearsighted when it comes to analyzing their own positions. There is nothing objective or neutral about them. In fact, if followed to the end, humanism reaches the end game of genetic engineering; the offspring of Hitler’s Arian Race.

            The next dualism is a relational one: Personal (mental and emotional relationship) above the Physical (sexual).  The postmodern, multi-gender smorgasbord, called pomosexual, characterizes this. Physical identity is irrelevant and sexuality is open ended. Gender becomes a psychological identity determined by sexual drive. This concept is elevated above the biological, or physical identity, which is a simple matter of anatomy. For liberals, it doesn’t matter what you do or with whom you do it…as long as you love each other.

            The correct Christian response to all of this is summed up with the following quote: Christians should speak out on moral issues not because the feel “offended” or because their “cherished beliefs” are threatened, but because they have compassion for those who are trapped by destructive ideas. Their motivation should be that they are compelled by the love of Christ (2 Cor. 5:14). (p.68)

        Using shrill rhetoric or activist type tactics to combat the advancing immoral worldviews does not gain any headway and tends to disillusion our young people, who end up leaving the church upon adulthood.

The Cost of Passion

We all should want something to be passionate about. Not just something tacked on to our lives or an interest one step above a hobby, but a passion connected to a life purpose. Not all passions are good. Many of us let a passion choose us rather than the other way around. Then, after it slowly takes over our life, we rationalize in order to protect our pride and call it anything but the idol that it is (eg., workaholism, an affair, etc.).

What can be more frightening is searching for a passion and not having a clear path to the Divine. The unregenerate artist has nothing but his/her own soul, or the world of men or of demons to tap into. Of course, it would be silly for me to say that secular artist throughout the ages have produced their timeless masterpieces out of deficit. What I mean is that gazing deeply into the inner self can bring a person to despair or even madness. Therefore, stories of artists committing suicide, although unfortunate, are not surprising. Yes, survivors abound, but all of them walk with a limp. For example, who can honestly travel with Goya through his dark period and return home without scars? Life for anyone can be traumatic, but an artist nearly begs for it.

Personally, I believe that my quest for truly spiritual art will become my new passion and for a good reason. Even though I choose it, I may not be free from its captivating and consuming power. There are no guarantees. My confidence is that I will be under the direction of the Holy Spirit…but that doesn’t make it safe! To truly follow Christ, in any calling, will cost us everything. But the benefits far outweigh the price. 

 I have to touch up the Elisha triptych just a bit. This composite doesn't match up perfectly. Honestly, having the piece dragged out over a few months and thousands of miles did nothing for the continuity. I'm ready to move on!

More on the Spirituality in Art

If I can share another response to Kandinsky’s book. I’m not convinced that the only way to convey the spiritual in art is through abstract expressionism. Yet that will likely remain my favorite mode of experimentation. Later on I can seek to apply what I’ve learned to representational subject matter.

It is also my concern to avoid the Eastern mystical view of spiritual energy in art. Albeit small, Eastern influence (Chakra, mandalas, etc.) appears to have made some advancement in this understanding of art. Of course, like any false religion, there may be a supernatural connection but it is with the demonic and not the Divine. It seems that many Christians, Christian artists included, don’t concern themselves with having a solid theology and, as a result, are vulnerable to compromise and the thinking that all supernatural experiences are holy.

Some may approach the creative process passively, saying that, “It just happens to me.” This is exactly the type of thinking that illustrates the connection between our worldview and the way we live. What if this were our attitude toward spiritual growth, evangelism, or developing quality relationships? Just keep this in mind: the only things that grow in your garden passively are weeds.

The process is a mysterious one: what is experienced through the senses reaches the soul and then touches the spirit. The elements of design are sensually perceived. Just the same, words are nothing more than sounds but their meaning is what enters the mind and heart of the hearer. Does God want to use art to touch a person’s spirit? How is that done? I know that emotional impact and connection can be made. That’s nothing new. But this deeper interaction is intriguing to me. Can it operate in the same way as God’s Word (a small “r” revelation)? Can God use art to awaken the spirit of an unbeliever? Can it stir a believer to the spirit of prayer, instead of the emotion of tears; to be a conduit of the Holy Spirit motivating one to kneel, even in the gallery space, and enter into the presence of God? After all, the tabernacle and Old Testament temples were art; decorated architecture where God would meet with His people. (...to be continued)

 Here is the nearly completed left panel of my Elisha Triptych. I've got to get the other panels finished in the next 2 weeks in preparation for the Belleville exhibition.

Understanding the Creative Process

           I am convinced that my aesthetic must be a melding of design concepts and worldview; image and spirit; the natural and supernatural. If the poles in any of these couplets develop at a different rate or in a different direction, there will be no success. To this point in my life, my worldview has been constructed in bits and pieces, my spirit has been sporadically united with my art, and my technical endeavors have operated independently from any other influence. What I’m looking for is an understanding of the whole person creative process. Don’t worry, I am not supporting the idea of “automatic writing” or some sort of spiritism, but I am looking for a Biblically valid cooperation between the two poles within me.

The triad of my art philosophy remains the same: design (interaction of composition and design elements), expression (emotional message), and technique (skillful use of tools). It’s just that now I’m beginning to see a parallel triangle at an upper level: spiritual energy (vibration of color and form), revelation (divine message), and the supernatural (wise use of gifts). The diagram extends below to represents the human trichotomy of spirit, soul, and body. The upper level is connected to Divine influence, the middle triangle is associated with academia, and the lower level is ontological. Without divine connection, the triangle collapses; design is confused with expression (ie, composition is the message) and soul is mistaken for spirit. The entire unit is becoming a more clearly defined part of my Biblical worldview, encompassed by the truth.

In this personal study and development, Kandinsky’s book Concerning the Spiritual in Art, has been very helpful. I disagree with his near Gnostic view of reaching that “upper level”, but his insight into the spiritual aspect of color and form has been influential. I’ll review that book at a later date, but for now I just want to make an additional point of distinction. That spiritual aspect of design is not merely symbolism (the layman’s simple interpretation) but has to do with how the physiological affect of color and form (from the actual photons and molecules) become a window into the spiritual realm. (...to be continued)

 This icon image, "Madonna and Child in the Desert", has nothing to do with the above discussion (at least I wasn't thinking about those new philosophical ideas of mine while making the icon). I just wanted to show the finished product which I had started on the road during the Winter. With one more piece, I'll have enough to make a presentation on my Etsy storefront site.

Favorite Quotes from St. John Vianney, the Cure` D’ars

During my recent journey through the South West, I was able to read a few books (Nancy Pearcey's "Saving Leonardo" was the most inspiring). But I wanted to share with you several quotes from the beautiful little devotional, "Meditations of the Cure` d'Ars". I hope that you are as touched by the simple wisdom of these words as I have been.

“A Christian either rules his inclinations, or his inclinations rule him…”

“I have had crosses in plenty – more than I could carry almost! I set myself to ask for the love of crosses – then I was happy.”

“We must have a great confidence in God in times of illness or grief, because it is precisely then that God waits to see whether or no we shall put our trust in Him.”

“Where are the Christians today who would be ready, I do not say to give their lives for God, but even to put up with the least unpleasantness or inconvenience rather than disobey Him?”

“You wonder why God, who is goodness Itself, allows us to suffer…But, what would you think of a doctor who lost his patient because he was afraid to give him the necessary but unpleasant treatment?”

“An undertaking to be pleasing to God must have three conditions: It must be sincere, selfless and persevering.”

“If I may make use of such an expression, I compare those who serve sometimes God, sometimes the world, as the case may be, with dogs who answer to every whistle.”

“It is good to abandon oneself unreservedly to the guidance of Divine Providence. Our reserves dry up the current of His mercies, and our distrust stops the course of God’s blessings.”

“You do not know the resources of God’s providence for those who put their trust in Him.”

“God does not require of us the martyrdom of the body; He requires only the martyrdom of the heart, and the will.”

“Those who run after the vanities of the world which pass away like the wind give a great deal for very little profit; they give their eternity for the miserable smoke of the world.”

“The heart is drawn towards what it loves the most. The heart of a good Christian turns towards heaven, where God is, who is his treasure.”

“If you are afraid of other people’s opinion, you should not have become a Christian.”