In this instalment of the Christian perspectives series that I am doing I am looking at a Christian perspective on the Arts. To be honest it does seem a little ridiculous to me that I have given it the subtitle of God creates, as if it is only in the realm of the Arts that we see God’s creative hand at work. However, it does give us a wonderful opportunity to explore an aspect of God’s nature that He has shared so richly and generously with humanity.

In the first chapter of Genesis, we read of the wonderous and expansive act of creating that God undertook. He took what was dark, formless and empty and gave it light and colour, form and function. We read of Him creating everything in all its dazzling array. At each step in his creative endeavour He pauses, as does the artist to contemplate his day’s work and declares it good. In its completed unity he declares it very good!

Then at the end of his work in Genesis 2 God speaks to the man and woman, and gave them the task of continuing His work. He in effect says go and continue creating. Now God so generously gives us not simply a small piece of canvas to create on but rather the whole world, all culture, built and natural environment and of course aesthetics.

Implicit in this creating task God gave us, is the need to create in accordance with the outline He had given us; to create as an act of worship, always acknowledging God as the Master creator. Unfortunately, when sin entered the world humanity began to use our creative gifts to serve ourselves instead of God; we used Art to gain power, notoriety, and influence. Now Art has the ability to reflect God, but it more often reflects humanities own self-obsessions.

As with all things the Gospel of Jesus allows us to reclaim our creative gifts and our creative products for their intended purpose of serving our master creator.

The Arts play such a wonderful role in our society. Creating 'art' can be an act of worship to our Master creator, it can be used as a mirror for us to better see ourselves, or as a window for us to better see our society. Study of Arts subjects help us to build the skills we need to do these things across the full range of human endeavour, not simply the music room, drama theatre or Art studio.

At Green Point Christian College, we encourage students to explore, develop and be challenged through their creative gifts, no matter how large or small in order that later on whether in areas of law or medicine, science or sport they may take their place as apprentice creators for Gods Kingdom.

Joel van Bentum