Arts and Mission: Reluctant Partners

John Franklin, Executive Director of Imago, a national initiative in support of Christians in the arts in Canada, has written an interesting post as part of the week on Art and Mission at Transpositions.

Franklin writes that the "arts and mission are reluctant partners" because "artists are commonly uncomfortable with the idea of carrying a specific agenda in their work," not wishing to "preach through their art" while "many who do mission work are intent on being clear and direct in their message" avoiding art which is unclear, indirect and ambiguous. Additionally:

"It’s common among those of evangelical persuasion to hold to a spirituality that disengages us from the material world – a pietism focused on the inner life.  Art, by contrast, is sensual and naturally engages the material world.  Theologically we have tended to diminish the importance of the doctrine of creation and along with it the cultural mandate.  We are called to be stewards of the created order, crafters and those who engage the imagination for a wide variety of purposes.  These are callings that often get neglected in our desire to focus on redemption."

commission4mission, the arts organisation with which I am involved, has sought to be clear that commissioning contemporary art for churches is about mission. Pragmatically, we have argued that the Arts contribute to the mission of the Church by:

•    speaking eloquently of the faith;

•    providing a reason to visit a church;

•    making links between churches and local arts organisations/ initiatives; and

•    providing a focus for people to come together for a shared activity.

Our work demonstrates the value of these approaches in the way: our commissions speak of the Christian faith; our Art Trail project for the Barking Episcopal Area has encouraged visits to churches; we linked local churches with the Harlow Art Trust in planning our study day on public art; and in the community arts initiatives that we have organised and supported.

At commission4mission we have experienced real interest on the ground in this kind of engagement. Franklin also writes that:

"There are signs of change.  Renewed interest in the arts is evident in faith communities around the globe.  Arts pastors – unheard of 20 years ago – are a growing breed in the west at least.  Many Asian churches are giving serious attention to the arts by including art galleries and performance space for their communities.  In Africa, South America and the Middle East the arts are so woven into the culture it is hard to exclude them from faith communities.  Add to this the widespread movement to shed Western influences and to recover indigenous art forms for worship and it becomes clear that we are in an important transition time for arts and mission."

He says that the question he would like to pose is, “How might we engage the arts in the missional task?  It is evident, he thinks, that "the arts are an untapped resource for mission among many who operate in the world of mission work":

"The task of mission is one of communication.  Art has the power to move us, engage us, and enable us to see in a new way.  Art can open us to the truth of things in fresh ways, and it invites us to discover what we may not have known before."

In my view, artists see from fresh perspectives, make new connections, and explore questions in and through their work. For the Arts and Mission to be more than reluctant partners, the Church needs to acknowledge that to do these things is 'mission' and to affirm artists in these actions in every arena within which they practice their art, whether in the mainstream art world or within the frame of Christian mission and ministry.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Paul Johnson - Half A World Away.