2 Chron 2-5 Beauty in the Church

May 11th, 2 Chronicles 2-5

                                                    For the beauty of the earth,

                                                    For the beauty of the skies,

                                                For the love which from our birth

                                                     Over and around us lies,

                                                   Lord of all, to thee we raise

                                               This our grateful hymn of praise.

       There was a time in church history when the arts had a prominent place. Art that was meant to capture imagination. It made sense many years ago. People couldn't read and a picture is said to proclaim a thousand words. People would enter into God's house and Bible stories were on the wall, symbols reminded people of important things.

       The age of reason stepped in. Many would argue a date, few would argue it's new presence. Knowledge, debate, argumentation, class upon class to learn more. Reason has pressed arts to the corner and maybe even out of the church altogether. I think there is a systemic reason why the arts as a whole seem to be very much outside of the church these days. Music, Hollywood, Broadway, Art seem to have a bent that is more antagonistic to God than inviting for them. One has to ask why?

       Aesthetics and Reason don't always work together well in the human context. Wanting to know why something is beautiful is annoying to it's creator..."Just enjoy it's beauty."  Feeling like everything has to be dressed up in a nice package is annoying to those who just want to know raw data. The aesthetics seem like window dressing to the important stuff.

       Solomon built a beautiful Temple. It could have just been large, but it was beautiful. Genesis says the trees were made to be beautiful. The beauty of the earth is not a practical need, yet our creator saw to it to create such a wonderful place for us to dwell.

       Each have their own vice. "The eye never has enough of seeing," beauty is not the end, just an enrichment to life. A rational explanation to everything leaves God out of the equation and my "reason" the most valued thing.

       But they work together well. Things in this world are complex and make sense because God made it that way. Things in the world are beautiful because God made it that way.

                               Lord of all to thee we raise, this our hymn of grateful praise.