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The Church uses several different forms of art in different ways for different
purposes. The purpose may be worship, communication or even simplifying ideas in the
Bible to make them easier to understand or portray them visually. Specifically, this paper
will focus on visual art, music and theatre.
Visual art consists of arts that are consumed visually such as paintings,
photograph, movies and architecture. The photo below is of the stained-glass windows
and stone arches in the Salisbury Cathedral in Wiltshire, United Kingdom. This
photograph shows three arches and the central three windows in the cathedral which is
meant to symbolize the trinity. Smith (2015) emphasized the importance of architecture
and said that the Church building serves as a symbol and communicates the principles
and goals of the Christian community. The subject matter of the photo is the stained-glass
window and the stone arches. The architecture and window are meant to remind people
observing it the theme of the trinity and draw the eye to front of the church where the
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main events occur in the Church.
Music is sound made by instruments and voices to produce beauty,
harmony and express emotion (Mirriam-Webster Dictionary). Music has been used in
Church and religion since its beginning and is constantly referenced in the Bible. Music
is the most commonly used art form in Church as most Churches have a dedicated
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worship time using music. Colossians 3:16 (English Standard Version) says to sing
psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. The photograph below depicts music during a worship
session at Passion City Church in Atlanta, Georgia on November 22, 2021. The subject
matter of music can cover many topics from the redemptive work of God in Jesus’
sacrifice on the cross to how humans need salvation and the love of God. The singer
portrayed in the picture below, Kristian Stanfill, has a song titled “There’s Nothing that
our God can’t do” the song focuses on the fact that God is all powerful and can overcome
all obstacles.
Theater is used in Church to portray the stories and themes found in the Bible. As Smith
(2015) said man is meant to see and hear the religious themes presented in Church. The major
uses of theatre in Church usually happen around major holidays like Easter and Christmas. These
productions focus on the major events in the Bible of Christ’s birth, death and resurrection. A
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great example of this is the film Passion of the Christ. Smaller productions include skits, one act
plays and sermon illustrations. Theatre can make biblical themes and stories accessible and more
easily understood than a traditional sermon. The photo below is of a theater production from
Church at Skyline in Front Royal Virginia. The production was focused on the Easter story. The
picture depicts the production’s depiction of the crucifixion of Christ. The production serves the
purpose of sharing the story of Christ in an easy to understand and engaging production.
Overall, the Church uses forms of art to engage people that are already involved
in the Church and to spread the message of the Gospel to people who may not have heard
it yet. The use of art in Church serves to make understanding the Bible and its themes
more accessible and easier to understand. Using art in Church keeps attendees engaged
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Works Cited
English Standard Bible. (2016). Literal Word. https://esv.literalword.com/ D (Original work
published 2001)
Smith, .DA Creative Church: The Arts and a Century of Renewal. Available from: Liberty
University Online Bookshelf, Kendall Hunt Publishing, 2015.
“Skyline Productions | the Church at Skyline.”DThechurchatskyline.com, 2024,
www.thechurchatskyline.com/productions. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.
“Topic: Hope Has a Name.”DPassion City Church, 2024, passioncitychurch.com/topic/hope-has-
a-name/. Accessed 7 Oct. 2024.
Stanfill, Kristian .DThere’s Nothing That Our God Can’t Do&. Passion, 2020.
Merriam-Webster. “Definition of MUSIC.”DMerriam-Webster.com, 2019, www.merriam-
webster.com/dictionary/music.
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