The Latest Issue of Christian Counter Culture takes a close look at how Christians should, or maybe shouldn't, engage with the arts. It is one of the best reads that I have come across in a while, making me exclaim (in my head) "Yes! That is exactly right!" time and time again. Here are a few selected quotes to give you a feel for what was said:

Most Christians today have one of two responses to the subject of art. They either know nothing about it — hence, they care not a wit about it — or what they do know about today's art world is repugnant to them. As a result, they are openly hostile to the cultural domain of the arts. This circumstance is both understandable and tragic."

Art, creative human expression, and the enjoyment of beauty need no justification. The ultimate justification is that they come as a good and gracious gift from God above.

The arts ask hard questions. Art incinerates polyester/velvet dreams of inner healing and cheap grace. Art hurts, slaps, and defines. Art is interested in truth: in bad words spoken by bad people, in good words spoken by good people, in sin and goodness, in life, sex, birth, color, texture, death, love, hate, nature, man, religion, music, God, fire, water, and air. Art tears down, builds up, and redefines. Art is uncomfortable. Good art (which, among other things, means truth-telling art) is good in itself, even when it is about bad things.

Because art destroys a false sense of security, it is looked on with suspicion, even perceived as an enemy by the middle class and its spokespersons in the church, who, through ignorance, subdue ' artists and discourage talent. "Do not offend your brother" is a Bible verse often misused to intimidate the artist in the same way as "turn the other cheek" is sometimes taken out of Biblical context to justify "Christian" pacifism. There is a Bible verse handily available for every tyrannical cause, to be exploited by those who use the Bible as an ideological weapon.

Moreover, a Christian artist does not need to concentrate on religious subjects. After all, religious themes may be completely non-Christian. The counterculture art in the underground newspaper in which Christ and Krishna are blended — here is religious art par excellence. But it is completely anti-Christian. Religious subjects are no guarantee that a work of art is Christian. On the other hand, the art of an artist who never paints the head of Christ, never once paints an open tomb, may be magnificent Christian art. For some artists there is a place for religious themes, but an artist does not need to be conscience-stricken if he does not paint in this area. Some Christian artists will never use religious themes. This is a freedom the artist has in Christ under the leadership of the Holy Spirit.