As a form of creative expression, art is one of the greatest platforms that we have to freely and fearlessly communicate our thoughts, feelings and personalities, which makes it somewhat surprising that some Christian artists' work doesn't appear to have any connection with their faith. Of course, there is more than one way that our faith can influence our creativity and sometimes this may not be visible in the final product. For example, some creative Christians will donate a percentage of their profits to charitable causes but on the surface their art may have no Christian connection. But there's a case to be made against the complete absence of a link between our faith and our artistry. Here are three reasons Christians should consider reflecting their faith in their art.
Faith is inspirational
The content of the Bible and our personal faith experiences provide us with an abundant source of inspiration, not just in the practical sense of how we live our lives but how we express ourselves creatively. So it's natural that our artistic expression would incorporate some elements of our faith. This doesn't mean that everything we create would be immediately identifiable as having been influenced by Christianity but it makes sense for there to be a link between the two when our beliefs are such a big part of our lives.
We want our image to be consistent
The reasons behind Christian creatives not openly reflecting their faith in their art can be down to the particular branding that they want to keep consistent. Creative and entertainment industry executives have a habit of categorising talent and when you don't fit in one of their pre-made boxes it can make a successful career difficult. So, many artists will question the whether being openly Christian through their art will have a negative effect on their brand. But for Christians, we should think about our "brand" in terms of what's compatible with our beliefs. In this sense, surely a much more important point of consideration would be whether our efforts line up with our Christian image.
Art provides us with a platform
We've all heard the phrase, "with great power comes great responsibility" and we can readily apply this to art. Art is an extremely powerful medium of expression, one that enables the artist to showcase their individuality and communicate messages to an audience beyond the barriers of language. Why wouldn't we want to use this captivating tool to share our faith?
