Christian Art and Its Theological Message

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Christian Art and Its Theological Message

• Justin Sands

Salvador Dali, St. John of the Cross
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Why Art, Why Theology?

• Art as worship and devotional tools
• How art affects the liturgy
• Art as history looking at the philosophy and
  zeitgeist of Christianity through art

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The Laity and Theology

• Art as a reflection of the laitys beliefs
• Culture and the sensus fidelium a symbiotic
  relationship
• Art as a movement changing the beliefs of the
  Church through the laity

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A Study of Art and Theology in Three Parts

• Feb. 25th
• General principles of theology and dogma
• The sensus fidelium and the role of the laity in
  shaping doctrine
• Art as worship Church architecture and how it
  shapes devotion and worship
• The mysterium tremendum
• Architecture as symbolism
• Stone Bricks and Mortar a brief history of
  churches
• What makes a Church so important anyways?
• Discussion

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A Study of Art and Theology in Three Parts

• March 3rd
• Davincis Real Code Leo Stienbergss Seven
  Functions of the Hands of Christ Aspects of
  Leonardos Last Supper
• General discussion what do you see in the Last
  Supper?

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A Study of Art and Theology in Three Parts

• March 3rd
• The art of the Book of the Hours
• A history of the Book of the Hours (Liturgy of
  the Hours)
• Art as devotional aide
• The Guidonian Hand and Seraphim memory devices
  of the medieval era
• Lay practices of faith formation
• Books versus pictograms and hand puppets
  Contrasting the lay and religious devotion.

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A Study of Art and Theology in Three Parts

• March 10th
• Baroque art and humanism the turn toward the
  self
• The lay intellectual the rise of a knowledgeable
  laity and its impact on the Church
• Gianlorenzo Bernini and Teresa of Avila How art
  and mystics changed our understanding of God

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Theology A Conversation with God

• Theology defined
• The investigation of the contents of belief by
  means of reason enlightened by faith. (Oxford
  Dictionary of the Christian Church)
• From generation to generation, under the aegis
  and vigilance of pastors, the deposit of
  Christian moral teaching has been handed on, a
  deposit composed of a characteristic body of
  rules, commandments, and virtues proceeding from
  faith in Christ and animated by charity love.
  (2032, The Catechism of the Catholic Church)

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Theology A Conversation with God

• Thus, Theology is
• A systematic understanding of belief Fides
  Quaerens Intellectum
• Has a human component our personal and
  collective conversation with the divine
• It is comprised of statements, rules, and virtues
  that eventually become doctrine and dogma
• Evolving (cont)

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Theology A Conversation with God

• The development of doctrine moving from biblical
  and apostolic teaching to post apostolic teaching
  in order to serve the needs of the Church (John
  H. Newman)
• Doctrine evolves, it is biblically and
  apostolically based and, more importantly, its
  purpose is to serve and guide the Church
• It serves the Church by establishing belief and
  answering questions, allowing the Church to
  better serve its holy mission

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Theology A Conversation with God

• Doctrines social component
• Doctrine evolves when the questions and concerns
  of the Church community evolve.
• Society changes The ethics of money/usury as an
  example from Feudalism to Mercantilism to
  Capitalism
• New science creates new questions artificial
  birth control, abortion, euthanasia, stem cell
  research
• In summary, Doctrine must be continually in
  dialogue with society in order to be effective
  and serve the Church.

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Theology A Conversation with God

• Quick note doctrinal development is messy and
  not easily changed
• The Holy Spirit
• Dialogue
• Must be Necessary
• Cannot contradict previous doctrines (Tradition)
  or the Bible
• Must resonate within the community of faith, also
  known as the sensus fidelium

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(were getting to the art soon, I promise!!!)

• The Sensus Fidelium
• Means the collectively held beliefs and
  conscience of the Church (laity and magisterium).
  
• The sensus fidelium help shapes belief because it
  presents the Church with issues and questions, it
  is the dialogue between society and Christianity,
  it is how faith shapes the lives of Christians
  and, most importantly, it helps define effective
  and necessary doctrines cementing them within
  the Tradition of the Church

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Theology A Conversation with God

• Sensus Fidelium (cont)
• Emphasis on the laity, lex orandi lex credendi
  (the law of prayer is the law of belief)
• At its core, it is a dialogue with society, it is
  the zeitgeist of the Church which eventually
  becomes the history, culture, and belief of the
  Church (Tradition)
• The lay and religious influence this sensus
  fidelium through theological writings,
  literature, music, other avenues of culture and
  especially through

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• ART!

Michelangelo, The Last Judgement
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Architecture Churches as Art

• The Church building
• Most basic piece of art in worship
• Form fits function architecture is usable art
• From the tombs, to basilicas, to cathedrals the
  building evolves as the Church evolves.

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Architecture Churches as Art

• Pre-Constantine (Apostolic) Churches
• Since Christianity was suppressed, Christians
  worshiped in tombs and the houses of believers
• Little architectural flourish, very basic
• Wall paintings depicting the life of Christ
• In the churches that did exist, the most notable
  Christian piece is the baptistry

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Architecture Churches as Art
Christ being flanked by philosophers, a 3rd
century example of art within the tombs and
catacombs where Christians regularly worshiped.
Note Christs position of authority
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Architecture Churches as Art
The Apostle Paul as Philosopher

• Note the scroll in his hand and at his feet. This
  distinguishes him as a teacher and philosopher.
• Christ and Paul as teachers and philosophers
  hints at the Hellenistic heritage of many early
  Christians.

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Architecture Churches as Art
Notice how this depiction of Jonah borrows from
this Greek sculpture of Ariadne.
Pictures depicted scenes from both Old and New
Testaments, like this one of Daniel in the lions
den.
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Architecture Churches as Art

• Christ and the Pre-Constantine church
• Very few actual depictions of Jesus, perhaps to
  hide that it was a Christian gathering place
• When Christ is featured, he is often presented as
  a teacher, philosopher, or, like the picture to
  the right, as the Lamb of God or in another
  symbolic pose
• There were virtually no artwork of Christ being
  crucified until the end Roman era! Keep in mind
  that crucifixion was still a form of punishment
  and was stigmatized.

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Architecture Churches as Art

• The earliest stand alone church structure that we
  know of is located in Dura Europos, a fortress in
  modern Syria
• The following two pictures show a diagram of a
  Christians house that was regularly used as a
  place of worship and a modified building that was
  used as a church. Note the baptistry in the
  latter.

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Architecture Churches as Art
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Architecture Churches as Art
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Architecture Churches as Art

• What do the Churches of this era show us?
• That early Christians were heavily influenced by
  their Hellenistic culture
• Christ as teacher emphasis on Christs life and
  his teaching, not on his death
• The major modification of buildings were
  baptistries, noting that it baptism was very
  important in the early Church
• The organic nature of Christianity the Church
  developed its theology within the world, not a
  vacuum!

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Architecture Churches as Art

• The movement from Apostolic to Medieval Churches
• As Christianity became a licit religion, emperors
  converted public spaces into churches and also
  built basilicas
• Still emphasis on baptistries, altars become
  defined, religious orders reform seating
  arrangements

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Architecture Churches as Art

• 4th 6th Century Church floor plan in Egypt
• Note the transept and apse
• Altar in the back
• Common floor plan models the non-Christian
  basilicas, or meeting places within Roman urban
  areas

• 4th 6th Century Church floor plan in Egypt and
  eastern empire
• Note the dual aisle and apse
• Altar and baptistry in back
• Has a knave or long hallway

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Architecture Churches as Art
Note the evolution and variation that occurs as
time progresses
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Architecture Churches as Art

• Constantines Church Old St. Peters Basilica
• Commissioned by the Emperor in c. 326
• Church eventually grew in stature as the major
  pilgrimage place in Rome, becoming the place for
  papal coronations and high church ceremony
• Because of its association with Rome and Church
  authority, it came to represent papal continuity,
  also the burial tomb of several popes and saints
• Fell to ruin, rebuilt in 15th Century

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Architecture Churches as Art
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Architecture Churches as Art
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Architecture Churches as Art
Raphael's Donation of Constantine gives a
rendering of what the inside of Old St. Peters
Basilica. Also shows the importance of the church
since the Donation was one of the central
arguments for papal authority until it was proven
to be a forgery written in c. 750.
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Architecture Churches as Art

• Characteristics of the post Constantine era
• The church becomes an actual building
  distinguished from other structures with
  distinctive architecture
• Transepts emerge which will eventually evolve
  into the cruciform style seen in later churches
• The apse at the end of the church, behind the
  alter
• Modeled after existing Roman buildings
• Evolves into the central meeting place for
  Christians, the commissioning of St. Peters
  Basilica represents government sponsorship, helps
  establish Rome as the center of the Christian
  world
• Possibly the beginning of Churches facing East

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Architecture Churches as Art

• Onto the Gothic and Medieval Churches
• Originated in 12th Century France and lasted
  until 16th Century and revived from the 18th
  Century to the present
• Characterized by the Cathedral
• Seat of the Bishop, used for ecclesiastical
  functions and often was used for governmental
  functions
• Often elaborate buildings with high ceilings,
  courtyards and sometimes multiple buildings with
  several functions

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Architecture Churches as Art

• Gothic floor plan and notable architectural
  characteristics
• In the shape of a Latin Cross, also known as
  Cruciform
• Distinct sections vestibule (narthex), nave,
  transepts, chancel, altar
• Arches! Arches Arches! The defining
  characteristic of this form of architecture
• Emphasis on light, height, and majesty

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Architecture Churches as Art
Arched ceilings
Cruciform Shape of Wells Cathedral in England
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Architecture Churches as Art
Emphasis on height and light
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Architecture Churches as Art

• Notable Decorative Characteristics
• Spires or towers
• Mythical statuary like gargoyles, often used as
  water spouts
• Stained glass windows
• High arches and ceilings
• Altar pieces

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Architecture Churches as Art

• Altar pieces and the creation of the mysterium
  tremendum
• Defined as the great mystery the worshiper is
  transported to a new place
• Resembling an imagined version of heaven
• Uses the entire church and culminates with the
  altar piece, tabernacle or crucifix

The Ghent Altar Piece, Ghent Belgium
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Architecture Churches as Art
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Architecture Churches as Art
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Architecture Churches as Art
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Architecture Churches as Art

• Major influences of Gothic architecture on
  worship
• Mysterium Tremendum redefines how the Church
  affects the worship service
• Church as Bible the explosion of art and stained
  glass windows within churches depicting biblical
  scenes or saints (coincides with explosion of art
  within society)
• Church as grand art churches now become a key
  form of artwork as artists, governments and
  communities begin to explore new architectural
  styles

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Architecture Churches as Art

• 2 non-Gothic churches that are great examples of
  the magisterium tremendum
• The Sistine Chapel
• Antoni Gaudis Park Guell and Sagrada Familia

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Architecture Churches as Art

• Antoni Gaudi 1852 1926, Barcelona, Spain
• Gods Architect known for integrating
  gothic-style arches and other designs with
  traditional Spanish models
• Architecture is known to posses a fluid and
  water like quality to it
• Utilized a Modernist approach to architecture,
  emphasizing the organic nature of the building

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Architecture Churches as Art
The walls from Park Guell. Note the water-like
shapes.
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Architecture Churches as Art
Note the Organic influence as well as the
integration of styles
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Architecture Churches as Art
Sagrada Familia, Barcelona Started in 1882,
unfinished (40 years of building)
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Architecture Churches as Art
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Architecture Churches as Art

• Contemporary Churches
• Comprised of an integration of styles, depending
  upon community
• Lay influence in construction
• Disappearance of traditional church
  architecture
• Less cruciform shapes
• No back altar (Vatican II)
• No facing East
• Reconfiguring of the nave, narthex, apse, ect

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Architecture Churches as Art

• Major influences Postmodernism and Vatican II
• Postmodernism
• Artistically defined as a convergence of styles
  and influences (pastiche)
• Less emphasis on a complete narrative the
  mysterium tremendum becomes devalued
• Looking toward the practical and minimalism
• Simple, functional features
• Multi-use space
• Less ostentatious design

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Architecture Churches as Art

• Major influences Postmodernism and Vatican II
  (cont)
• Vatican II
• Reformed the liturgy greater community
  involvement
• Moved the altar to the middle the laity can now
  see the mass being said
• Greater lay involvement in ecclesiastical affairs
• Church planning and building

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Architecture Churches as Art
Lakewood Baptist Church, Houston Texas
Independence Temple, Chicago
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Architecture Churches as Art
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Architecture Churches as Art
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Architecture Churches as Art
Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, California
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Architecture Churches as Art

• Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels
• Las Angeles Cathedral, completed in 2002 by
  Raphael Moneo
• Spanish and geometric influences
• Sandstone color pallet represents early southwest
  Missions and churches
• Very angular utilizes obtuse and right angles
• 12 stories tall, accommodates approximately 3000

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Architecture Churches as Art
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Architecture Churches as Art
Note the color, very southwest. It echoes back to
the areas heritage
Note the angles and protrusions which can be
visually jarring.
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Architecture Churches as Art
The Virgin Mary, Robert Graham Note the hair and
how it is visible and shortened. Also, note the
positioning of the hands they are in a
orans/open position, not a normal pose for the
Virgin Mary
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Architecture Churches as Art
Robert Nava, Communion of Saints, tapestry. Note
the trans-historical and multi-ethnic group of
saints. Also, these saints are not famous but
ordinary laity. Emphasis on global community and
normal believers.
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Architecture Churches as Art
Interior Note the placement of the Crucifix, the
seating, and the light. This is completely
different than the cathedral setting and shows
the dramatic shift in architecture as well as how
the building conforms to the liturgy.
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