Plenary #4, David Taylor
Super-ordinate Truths. Important to distinguish between “Super-ordinate Truths” and “sub-ordinate truths.” Art is bad art when we get the super-ordinate truths wrong, truths that define the gospel. David did not say what the super-ordinate truths are, which is where we have some debate over artistic expression. He asserted that too often our debate over artistic expression is over matters of culture, not super-ordinate truths. We must guard our hards from the impurity of cultural superiority.
Six Dangers
- Bad art is cliche. Anyone can make bad art, but good art requires excellence.
- Super-saturation. The rate of artistic saturation is rendering us numb.
- Stubbornness. Estancandose Tercamente. “Getting stuck stubbornly.” or “the stubborn ossification of tradition.” The posture of “we’ve always done it this way, often closes God off of his redirecting our faith.
- Utilitarian subjugation of art. Art as a strict service to ministry, requiring a bible verse to make it art. Following this line of thinking or creating, eventually your tomatoes will have to be “Christian.”
- Art as Escape. Worship is often an emotional escape.
- Immaturity. Using art to manipulate or disparage others. abusus non tilit usum” Women and wine are being misused, but what is not being misused.” – Luther
Healthy, Flourishing Artists
- Relationally Ordered: we can not have order without relationship or relationship with order to avoid anarchy or isolation. We need ordered relationality between pastors and artists. Ordering things requires intelligence
- Contextually Relative: “Artistic excellent if it accomplishes the purpose for which it was created.” – Nick Wolterstorff Sometimes we dont need aesthetic excellence—pastors—kids and untrained adults should be allowed to dance before the congregation. Why? Because the reminds us of Jesus words about children.
- Organically Rhythmed : fa spectrum of festal muchness and cleansing simplicity is required. In other words, mix things up in worship and in artistic expression. This ryhthm will help us fight off super-saturation.
In the church, artists are part of our family, the great family of Jesus. Learn from them. Struggle with them. Embrace them. Fail humbly in community.