Monday Discussion
Yesterday was the beginning of the last week of the life of the Savior before he laid down his life as a sacrifice for sin and rose three days later to announce to the world that sin and death had been conquered. It is a a great time to remember the wonder of the gospel but also to reflect on the influences that are robbing the culture of the gospel message. The following three paragraphs are from a ministry that specializes in trying to reach Hollywood.
“The PEW RESEARCH CENTER’S FORUM on Religion and Public Life polled registrants for the Third Lausanne Congress to gain their perceptions of the most significant threats to the future of the evangelical movement. The top four perceived threats cited were the influence of secularism (71%), the influence of consumerism (67%), sex and violence in pop culture (59%), and the influence of Islam (47%).
Stunning by its absence on the list was the influence of media. Media influence is clearly behind the increase of secularism, the rise of consumerism, and the prevalence of sex and violence in pop culture–but these are more symptoms than causes. The often-invisible engine behind them is the body of people who control and program the media. It is the world view, values, and agendas of this relatively small group of media gatekeepers that create three of the top four biggest threats to the future of the Gospel and its carriers.
Unless the Church strikes at the heart of the problem by building bridges of love and trust with these gatekeepers to share the Good News, nothing will change. Changed lives equal changed content.”
[Source: Master Media. The Mediator, Spring 2012]
Question:
What are some ways that we can encourage our best and brightest young minds to make the transformation of Hollywood and the Arts for the glory of God, their life’s work?
ChosenRebel's Blog 
When anyone makes a career field their life’s work, the first and best way is to support it financially, the second expose it by exhibiting it, third, give credit when credit is due, and fourth, be involved in their discipleship. Not one of us can work for free. Buy paintings. If you can’t afford a painting, buy reproductions. As a professional artist whose work is Christian in theme, I can tell you that most galleries will not touch Christian art because they are at war with Christ. (I recently avoided an exhibition opportunity at a gallery expressly for women when I saw they included “self-professed women”. Think about that for a moment.)
It is difficult to get the work where it can be seen and thus sold. Most churches have bare walls. An empty narthex can be turned into a gallery space and the church will have a new method of outreach. Thirdly, give credit where it is due. If you use an image for something, grant the artist credit for their work. (Yes, I did notice there is no artist credit in the quoted article for the beautiful 16th century image of the crucifixion!)
Share your enthusiasm about their work. When you see them on Sunday morning, ask them about it, and if you are a mature believer, mentor them as you would any young person who wants to be a missionary. The gifting and calling they have received are worthy of cultivation, and as much a stewardship to the artist as it is a stewardship of the church.
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Thanks for both your insights and your challenge. Can you help me on the identification? 16th Century, ok. Who used these colors, style? Can you identify the painter? I have searched and can’t find it.
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It is difficult to say, but it looks like pre 1520, maybe about the turn of the century, and most probably Italian. Here is a way to find a match for the image if online, and there may be credit given elsewhere:
Open Google Image Search in your web browser. (Only works in Google Chrome)
Drag the artwork from the the folder on your computer where your image resides to the search bar in Google Image Search, hold until Drop Image Here appears. If the photograph is on other websites, the results instantly pop up. Surely you will find it. Tell me if I am within 25 years of guessing. (:
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You nailed it right on the money! See Steve’s comment below.
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Looking at that piece again, it is really likely pre 1500, maybe btwn 1450 and 1500.
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Marty, no harm no foul.
The identity of the artist is uncertain. He is called the ‘Monvaerni’ Master after an inscription on another panel from this triptych but there is no documentary evidence to support this assertion. It was completed ca. 1484-97. The medium is enamel on copper. You may be surprised to know the actual size of this panel is only 8-5/8 x 7-5/16 in.
Title of this artwork is: Triptych with Calvary, Saint James, and Saint Catherine of Alexandria
The piece you have here is the center panel of the triptych. The other panels as the title identifies are Saint James on the left and Saint Catherine of Alexandria on the right. It is on the Saint Catherine panel we find the name Monvaerni written on the sword.
If one would like to see this artwork in person they can visit the Taft Museum of Art, 316 Pike Street
Cincinnati, Ohio 45202. The Taft museum communicates the following: “A bishop may have commissioned this triptych, or three-part devotional altarpiece, for a chapel in Limoges Cathedral.” Limoges is in in west-central France. The Taft Museum of Art gained possession of the artwork in 1931.
He is risen!
steve
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Steve, thanks for this. Rosemarie will love it. Sounds like she was right on with her evaluation. I don’t know how you found this. I couldn’t come up with anything. Thanks.
You can all pray for my son, who wants to make a difference in Hollywood. He is taking acting classes at Second City in Chicago right now and is a future film maker for the glory of God.
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Ha!!!
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