Art and the Bible have been intertwined for hundreds of years and reflect what people believed about God.
What is biblical art? Biblical art exists as a way of expressing what people believe about God. Over time, it evolved to express different aspects of God and the world he created. Looking at biblical artwork throughout history helps us to better understand their theology and can also give us insight into what we believe about God today.
When I sat down the first time to write this post my research was less than fruitful. So, I met with one of my professors for some guidance and needless to say I was blown away by what I learned. Now, I can pass that on to you.
Some topics covered in this post are:
- Theology Expressed in Art
- Era of Persecution: Christ as the Good Shepherd (30-313 AD)
- Era of Constantine: Christ as King (313 – 1517 AD)
- Era of the Protestant Reformation: God’s Grace in Everyday Life (1517-1545 AD)
- Era of the Counter-Reformation: Reconciling with Christ In My Own Life (1545-1860 AD)
- Era of Pre-Modern Art: Art as Self Expression (1860-1970 AD)
- God Revealed Through Art
Theology Expressed in Art
When I first approached this topic I had everything backwards. I was looking for artwork that had a significant impact on Christianity when, in reality, the artwork wasn’t what made the impact.
Artwork is the evidence of what people thought about God. Those ideas are what had an impact. The artwork simply served to communicate them.
As we look through history, we will be able to see how artists expressed their theological ideas through artwork.
To continue reading, check out the rest of this post on justdisciple.com.
Allow me to introduce myself 