Faith Perspective on Art and Creativity
Baha’i Teachings on Art and Creativity – for CRIC Meeting
… the true worth of artists and craftsmen should be appreciated, for they advance the affairs of mankind. – Baha’u’llah
All art is a gift of the Holy Spirit. When this light shines through the mind of a musician, it manifests itself in beautiful harmonies. Again, shining through the mind of a poet, it is seen in fine poetry and poetic prose. When the Light of the Sun of Truth inspires the mind of a painter, he produces marvellous pictures. These gifts are fulfilling their highest purpose, when showing forth the praise of God. – Abdu’l-Baha
We, verily, have made music as a ladder for your souls, a means whereby they may he lifted up unto the realm on high . . .
Bahá’u’lláh
By the power of the Holy Spirit, working through his soul, man is able to perceive the Divine Reality of things. All great works of art and science are witnesses to this power of the Spirit. - Abdu’l-Baha
In accordance with the Divine Teachings, the acquisition of sciences and the perfection of arts is considered as acts of worship. If a man engages with all his power in the acquisition of a science or in the perfection of an art, it is as if he has been worshipping God in the churches and temples ... What bounty greater than this that science should be considered as an act of worship and art as service to the Kingdom of God. – 'Abdu'l-Bahá
Can you paint upon the page of the world the ideal pictures of the Celestial Concourse? The pictures which are in the ideal world are eternal. I wish you to become such an artist. Man can paint those ideal pictures upon the tablet of existence with the brush of deeds. The holy, divine Manifestations are all heavenly artists. Upon the canvas of creation, with the brush of their deeds and lives they paint immortal pictures which cannot be found in any art museum of Europe or America. But you find the masterpieces of these spiritual artists in the hearts. – 'Abdu'l-Bahá
Falun Dafa
In 2003 our teacher, Li Hongzhi, gave two lectures on this topic; one to the visual artists and another to the musicians. The visual artists were invited to this meeting in order to create an exhibition which was intended to help people understand Falun Dafa and the ongoing persecution and to leave a visual record of these events for the people of the future.
Practitioners of Falun Dafa realize that humankind is in an era of moral decline and Li Hongzhi warned the artists not to add to that decline. He said:
"I'll just talk about whatever comes to mind, and I'll only talk from the Fa-truths. Fine art is very important to mankind. Like other forms of human culture, it can play a guiding role with respect to people's concepts in human society, influencing mankind's aesthetic values. The concepts of "what is aesthetic" and "what is the appropriate sense of beauty that people should have" are closely related to mankind's moral foundation and standards. When people find unaesthetic things aesthetic, then people's moral values are gone." *
He advised us on how and what to depict saying:" ...when human beings truly believe in Gods and truly go about depicting Gods, Gods will show those things to human beings. It is the most perfect, most sacred, and what mankind yearns for and their most wonderful resting place. Therefore, what the works can depict is boundless." *
"....But if human beings paint Gods--think about it everyone, Gods are glorious, magnificent, and emit merciful, benevolent energy that benefits people--the people who render the paintings or create the sculptures benefit in the process of completing the artwork, and at the same time the artist develops good thoughts while he creates artwork of Gods, and therefore Gods may help him strengthen his righteous thoughts, and remove the karma on the artist's body and his thought karma. After others look at that kind of artwork they'll benefit, they'll become broad-minded, they'll have good thoughts in their minds, and it will make their character nobler. And when Gods see humans having upright thoughts, they'll remove dangers and calamities for humans. So which way is more beneficial for mankind?" *
He also taught us the history of both Western and Eastern art. Then, using examples of Renaissance Art, he talked about the context in which those paintings were created. He then answered our questions.
*All quotes are from: " Teaching the Fa at the Discussion on Creating Fine Art (Li Hongzhi, July 21 2003, Washington D.C.)" and the complete lecture can be read online at: https://falundafa.org/eng/eng/lectures/20030721L_2.html
Art and creativity in your faith-Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
This beautiful earth is a magnificent work of art and was created for us by God. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that we are all spirit children of God and lived in his presence in a pre-earth life. Our spirit body (soul) came to earth to gain a physical body and have experience out of God's presence. Here there is an opportunity for us to choose good or evil and the artistic talents we are blessed with can be developed to inspire and uplift spiritually or to drag down. For example, some artists create paintings that help us appreciate this beautiful earth and the people that inhabit it. Others may attempt to destroy us with degrading pornography that is portrayed as an art form. The Church has accepted the King James version of the Bible as its official version, not only for its accuracy but also for its thought provoking artistic quality. The stimulating writings of poets may support scripture. In the Bible's teachings on death, we read “Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it” (Ecclesiastes 12:7). The poet William Wordsworth wrote “The soul ..... Hath had elsewhere its setting.... we come from God....who is our home” (Ode on Intimations of Immortality). Poets may also warn against evil. In Shakespeare's Macbeth we read “But 'tis strange, and oftentimes to win us to our harm, the instruments of darkness tell us truths, win us with honest trifles to betray us in deepest consequence.” Art in its various forms, that inspires us to choose the good and be happy, is of God.
Anglican Church
The Anglican Church celebrates the arts in all of its forms as a sign of God’s creativity worked out among human beings. If fact, arguably we are called to be co-creators with God in this wonderful enterprise of creation. The ability to celebrate the arts is further underscored by the fact that we think of ourselves as Christians who celebrate the Incarnation of God in Jesus Christ. This means that we have a deep respect for and love of the beauty and creativity which can be found in Creation and in the human ability to mimick that creativity in the celebration of the Arts. Anglican Churches, except for brief periods of time historically when the concern about idolatry, caused suspicion of holy images, has universally used art, literature, poetry and music to enhance worship and has valued the contribution of artists in all disciplines. Stain glass window, paintings, icons, hymnary, chant tones, and great poetic works have always been part of Anglican worship.