"Do Christians Need Art"--Art and the Denial of God

For centuries, art was a major way that the Church depicted Biblical history. From frescoes to icons to decorative tapestries to any type of art imaginable, masterpieces born out of creativity and a passion for God reached the hearts of those who wanted to come closer to God.

Time and time again, art has proven itself to be moving. In the book Reel Spirituality, author Robert Johnston quotes filmmaker Elia Kazan, saying that "film is now 'the language of [hu]mankind'".  Film touches us more deeply than the average chapel experience, formulated in such a way to tug at our heartstrings and pick at our souls. It changes us, moves us, and forms us.

So why doesn't the church use art to reach out to others anymore? The "Christian movies" being made today aren't actually pulling anybody into the church: combined with their poor writing, subpar acting, and often preachy tones, Christian movies aren't reaching out to nonbelievers. They're pushing them away. Art is absolutely necessary for Christians. I believe that art is necessary for everyone. However, Christians are not utilizing their art-making abilities to reach out to others. Instead, they are using their "art" to literally preach to the choir.