Monday, April 09, 2007
What do you feel moved to do?
When I read this story about a man here in Milwaukee who was so upset by a 17th century painting hanging at the Milwaukee art museum that he tore it off of the wall and started kicking it, I was simply amused. Amused and a little embarassed for my home town.
Upon reflection, I have been left with another impression. What if this was the exact response the artist was trying to elicit? After all, art is not designed to depict an event or a scene, but rather to cause an emotional reaction in those who behold it. Vannini certainly wanted to stimulate some emotional response with his painting of David holding the head of the vanquished Goliath. It is almost certain that he did not intend for anyone to be quite so disturbed as to put a foot through his canvas, but it could be he would prefer that reaction to no reaction at all.
Friends, we can apply this truth to our understanding of the Gospel as well. We must not simply read the scriptures from an intellectual standpoint. Rather, we must allow them to affect us, to change us, on an emotional and spiritual level. That is what the human authors intended, and it is that transformation that the Lord wants us to experience.
When I read this story about a man here in Milwaukee who was so upset by a 17th century painting hanging at the Milwaukee art museum that he tore it off of the wall and started kicking it, I was simply amused. Amused and a little embarassed for my home town.
Upon reflection, I have been left with another impression. What if this was the exact response the artist was trying to elicit? After all, art is not designed to depict an event or a scene, but rather to cause an emotional reaction in those who behold it. Vannini certainly wanted to stimulate some emotional response with his painting of David holding the head of the vanquished Goliath. It is almost certain that he did not intend for anyone to be quite so disturbed as to put a foot through his canvas, but it could be he would prefer that reaction to no reaction at all.
Friends, we can apply this truth to our understanding of the Gospel as well. We must not simply read the scriptures from an intellectual standpoint. Rather, we must allow them to affect us, to change us, on an emotional and spiritual level. That is what the human authors intended, and it is that transformation that the Lord wants us to experience.
