As an enthusiast of Christian art I am excited by the recent October issue of the Tasmanian Anglican.
The magazine features the artwork of two Christian ladies who are using their art in the community to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.
The story of Paintings & Written Reflections on Biblical Texts features artwork by Maz Gill-Harper from her recently published book Parables of Jesus of Nazareth. One of her paintings, The Sower, appears on the front cover of the magazine.
Michael Frost from Morling College, Sydney, says in his Foreword to the book,
These earthy stories are accessible to the least sophisticated audience…Throughout history, some religious scholars have over-thought the parables, searching too hard for allegory, or finding esoteric meanings never intended by Jesus himself.
The parables are what they are, simple stories that subversively sketch an alternate world, a world brought to earth by Jesus, a world into which we step when we embrace Jesus’ vision and embrace his kingship.
The Sower, from “Parables of Jesus of Nazareth'” by Maz Gill-Harper. Used with kind permission
Sculpture – ‘God has made a way’ tells of artist Rebecca Brogan’s sculpture that was rejected from two exhibitions for being too religious. Through prayer, it was finally accepted at a third exhibition, and a very happy appreciator of recycling junk and artwork (aka my wife) obtained it for outreach events.
Rebecca says of her sculpture (a Cross made from recycled materials of wood, garbage and barbed wire),
Two-thousand years ago, Jesus Christ was rejected and treated as refuse by some while others laid down their lives out of their great love for him. Today some people still view him as a load of rubbish, but to me, he is of inestimable worth.
This is why:
‘God made him [Jesus] who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.’ (2 Corinthians 5:20 NIV-The Bible) Jesus, though he was sinlessly perfect, took upon himself all of my sinful garbage and bore the full punishment for it by dying on the cross in my place. Then, as a free gift received in faith, he forgave me and imputed his perfect right standing with God unto me.’
This sculpture conveys the revolting sin of mankind, which Christ ‘became’ on our behalf. This was his expressed purpose in coming into the world, to bear the punishment for our sin and reconcile us back to God.
Read the rest of the article, Paintings & Written Reflections on Biblical Texts, and Sculpture – ‘God has made a way’. Praise the Creator of the universe for Christian artists!
I hope you also caught the Tasmanian Catholic which also has some articles on art!