Harrison Scott Key says, “I’m just not convinced that the Protestant Evangelical Church can do art.” He lists several problems.
On this subject, I came across this passage in Les Miserables last night, which I believe gets to the heart of the matter.
We must say, by the way, that the hatred of luxury is not an intelligent hatred. It implies a hatred of the arts. Nevertheless, among churchmen, beyond their rites and ceremonies, luxury is a crime. It seems to disclose habits which are not truly charitable. A wealthy priest is a contradiction. He ought to keep himself near the poor. But, who can be in contact continually, by night as well as day, with all distresses, all misfortunes, all privations, without taking upon himself a little of that holy poverty, like the dust of a journey? Can you imagine a man near a fire, who does not feel warm? . . . The first proof of charity in a priest, and especially a bishop, is poverty.
I suppose the evidence is against it…
I forgot when I posted this to mention my fatigue of the subject. I don’t care, really, how evangelicals or “the church” however it’s defined support the arts today. There are many places, it seems, that do support it, so we can go there. And through the natural cross-pollination of living, we can talk it up to those who don’t go. I think I’ve heard people in Christian publishing houses supporting good ideas, so why should we keep whining about the lack of support elsewhere? Let’s just write, perform, and create good, God-honoring material, and let God do with it what he will.