A lesser known opinion of a well established authority...

"I am not of the opinion that all the arts shall be crushed to the earth and perish through the gospel, as some bigoted persons pretend, but would willingly see them all, and especially music, servants of Him who gave and created them."

- Martin Luther

PERSPECTIVES IN THE EVOLUTION OF CHRISTIAN AND SECULAR PHILOSOPHIES IN ASTHETICS
Profession # 3
From here, the question is where did these men go wrong? Were did their beliefs, and thusly their philosophies, have holes? Francis Schaeffer give a clear insight into what was lacking in He is There and He is Not Silent:
"Some Greeks had an idea that the polis, the society, could supply the universal. But the Greeks were wise enough soon to see that this was unsatisfactory, because then one is right back to the 51 percent vote or the concept of a small elite....So the next step was to move back to the gods, on the grounds that the gods can give something more than the polis can give. But the difficulty is that the Greek gods (and this includes Plato's gods) simply were inadequate. They were personal gods...but they were not big enough....All the classical gods put together were not really enough, which is why...in the concept of fate, in Greek literature, one never knows for sure whether the Fates are controlled by the gods, or whether the Fates control the gods....There is constant confusion between the Fates and the gods as the final control. This expresses the Greeks deep comprehension that their gods simply were not adequate."1
The Greeks were in constant awareness that they could find no satisfying conclusion to complete their beliefs. And what is more, the only thing missing from their philosophy was the most pivotal facet, the crux that all their other ideas were really flowing from. The God of Christianity fills this position perfectly.
Augustine made the connection. He studied Plato's forms, found the truth within them, and realized that the mechanics of Plato's philosophy would work if God was plugged in as the power source. Augustine said himself:
“You, Lord, who are beautiful, made [the heavens and the earth] for they are beautiful... Yet they are not beautiful or good or possessed of being in the sense that you their Maker are. In comparison with you they are deficient in beauty and goodness and being.”2
Jensen adds that:
"For Augustine, the original attraction of the beautiful was the evidence of divine grace, irresistible, magnetic, and salvific; it was God-initiated, not human-willed. The power pf our recognition stems from the fact that we are created in the image of God, and so share in a marred but original beauty. However, Augustine would add, we need to transcend attraction to beautiful things in creation and focus on the ultimate source of that beauty."3
Augustine made an obvious connection between his beliefs and those of the Greeks, and, in the process, actually found the perfect explanation of the way God designed aesthetics.



Since the 1800's the arts have made many rapid changes in face and the philosophies pushing them. One thing is sure though, the majority absence of the church in the field of the arts has had a great effect on the downward progression of the arts. This is simply a reflection of the negative effects of the church's overarching attitude of absence from social interaction.


1Schaeffer, Francis, He is There and He is Not Silent, p.35-36.
2 Augustine, Confessions. trans. Henry Chadwick. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1991.
3Jensen, Robin, The Substance of Things Seen, p.8.

PERSPECTIVES IN THE EVOLUTION OF CHRISTIAN
AND SECULAR PHILOSOPHIES IN ASTHETICS
Profession # 2
History beyond the Bible

To begin, Plato's idea of the forms included his beliefs on aesthetics. In his paper on aesthetic norms, Alex Forrest explains that, "for Plato, beauty was one of the Forms, an eternally fixed ideal that could not be perfectly emulated in the material world but that none the less existed. He asks rhetorically, 'And he who having a sense of beautiful things has no sense of absolute beauty... Is he awake or in dream only?' The conclusion is such that a man is living in a dream rather than reality. Conversely, the one who recognizes the existence of absolute beauty is wide awake."1
In her book, Jensen says that in Plato's theory "beauty does not passively work on us but stirs us up to strive this union [with the Divine]. While we strive, we are transformed: as we progress toward this goal, we are gradually shaped in its own image."2
Obviously, Plato was moving in the right direction, much more so than would be expected from one who is not a believer. Though Plato's ideas were not founded on the correct universals, he built many clearly Christian assumptions based on his perception on the world around him.

Working off of Plato's theories at a much later date, Plotinus made further developments on this philosophy. Jensen explains Plotinus' beliefs on beauty by explaining his statement thus:
Let us, then, go back to the source, and indicate at once the Principle that bestows beauty on material things. Undoubtedly, this Principle exists; it is something that is perceived at the first glance, something which the soul names as from an ancient knowledge, and recognizing, welcomes it, enters into unison with it....This, then, is how the material thing becomes beautiful--by communicating in the beauty that flows from the Divine.' Thus, for Plotinus, as for Plato, progression lies first in the attraction of the objective for the observer, next in the relationship that emerges between the two, and finally in the recognition that both attraction and relationship are dependent upon the ultimate source of beauty itself. Beauty is not the goal or highest reality; its source, the Good, is. Our aspirations are, ultimately, toward the Good.3

From these philosophers, the fact is made apparent that even the unregenerate man is able to come to the conclusion that there is some deeper meaning that art itself in a thing of beauty. From simple general revelation, these men were able to see deep biblical truth that remains elusive to many Christians.

1Alex Forrest, Beauty is Not in The Eye of The Beholder, p.2-3.
2Robin Jensen, The Substance of Things Seen, p.7.
3Ibid, p.7-8.

PERSPECTIVES IN THE EVOLUTION OF CHRISTIAN AND SECULAR PHILOSOPHIES IN ASTHETICS
Profession #1

Throughout history, within every culture and subculture, there have been, without variation, some forms of art. Surely this is a sign as to the nature with which all of man kind has been created. All human beings, whether naturally gifted in this area or not, have been endowed with a natural propensity towards beauty. It is also true that art can portray a message, on emotional and mental levels, which can been illustrated and perceived at a variety of levels. Humanity often clings to its ability to relate to emotions and messages in art, as well as its ability to express itself through artistic venues.
Historically, Christianity has had a major influences on the development of the arts, but in this day and age, the two dwell in completely separate worlds. Christian theology and philosophy should not only allow room for the arts, but require them to be creatively administered in the worship of God. Christianity must realize the importance of creativity and art to God, and strive to restore these areas of life to their rightful importance.

What Does Murdering Muses Mean?

While using a word like "murder" may leave a bad taste in some people's mouths, I find it completely appropriate in context. Besides the alliteration, "murder" correctly paints a word picture of the idea.
The muses are given credit for the arts and sciences, as well any inspiration that any human receives in these areas. To me, this hits home a lot more than most other ancient ursurpers worshipped by various peoples. While most stories of the gods sound more like soap operas, this myth actually gives some of God's most visible creative designs to someone else. So, the purpose of the name is simple. There is a need to give Him back His glory for what He and He alone has done. So that is the purpose and goal. To design and create as He would direct. Though the context of this name's origin is completely irrelevant in today's society, the purpose expressed is more than needed.

I just finished reading He Is There And He Is Not Silent by Francis A. Schaeffer, and I have to say that anyone who enjoys contemplating ideas of philosophy would do well to find a copy. One of the most interesting things about his passion for his beliefs is that he was not taught progressively to believe what he did, but came to it after studying it from the opposite side of the situation. He was an agnostic, and ended up holding to and finding complete satisfaction in the antithesis of this belief. This makes his reasoning all the more convincing, to know just how vividly he wrestled with everything he conveys.

If anyone has any interesting books or authors they enjoy, let me know about them, along with a brief synopsis!

"And, because he is not threatened by the difference between reality and fantasy, the Christian should be the man with the flaming imagination and the beauty of creation." - Francis A. Schaeffer

What does Broken Box mean?

It's kind of funny actually, because while I was on the site forum for Cafepress, and I found another broken box, quite by accident. I checked out their page, and I have no clue what it means to them. Seeing as they appeared much better established to date, I guess I cannot take credit for knowing what it really means, I suppose they have first dibs.

But, in my own little mind, I found it as I do most of my ideas, by accident on my part. Usually, as you might guess with me, these ideas involve some type of imagery. Picture a box, a crate really, that has been demolished. Only two sides still stand, connected to the bottom side, and the rest lies splintered around this monument. Your Ideas are what were in the box. Your philosophies, your ethics, your God, etc. And they are in need of change. That is really what life is about to my knowledge. Changing to have a better worldview, and then living by it. What worldview do you actually live by? Is it the same one you proclaim? This is truly rare. So the box needs to be broken in some way for any one of us. Whether its expanding or adjusting our views or living closer to what we find logical, the box must be broken, so growth can occur.

"...no finite point has any meaning unless it has an infinite reference point." - Francis Schaeffer