Recently, I had the pleasure of reading Chasing Francis by Ian Morgan Cron. It’s a quick read and will give all you church leaders something to think about as you serve the Church in the 21st century. Beyond that, Chasing Francis had some really inspiring things to say about the value of the arts and artists to the Church. One of my favorite parts was a journal entry by Cron’s protagonist that features excerpts from “The Letter of His Holiness Pope John Paul II to Artists.” See how this grabs you:
… In order to communicate the message entrusted to her by Christ, the church needs art.
… In Christ, God has reconciled the world to himself. All believers are called to bear witness to this; but it is up to you, men and women who have given your lives to art, to declare with all the wealth of your ingenuity that in Christ the world is redeemed.
… Beauty is a key to the mystery and a call to transcendence. It is an invitation to savour life and to dream of the future.
… Artists of the world, may your many different paths all lead to that infinite Ocean of beauty where wonder becomes awe, exhilaration, unspeakable joy.
I don’t know about you, but I love that perspective — it’s both encouraging and challenging. As he says, it’s up to you to declare with all the wealth of your ingenuity that in Christ the world is redeemed. Is there a better calling?
