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Dana Gioia

Christ's parables were intended to stir curiosity and called for a response from His listeners. They pointed to the greater truths of His Kingdom applicable to both the individuals hearing them and the culture in which they lived. These truths surprised the listeners, and it became apparent that only those who believed in Christ could understand them. Jesus said that those who didn't understand fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy:

For this people's heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them. -Matthew 13:15

So why art?

Great art can educate its audience in aesthetics, history, and great causes; sensitize it to injustice; and enrich a society and its citizens. But most of all, art is about truth when it is based upon biblical principles. Truth in art can be the tool God uses to call His people into His Kingdom, just as Jesus used the art of storytelling (the parables) to reveal the very heart of His gospel. Christian artists can be messengers of the gospel just as pastors, musicians, and educators.

In 2003, for the first time in history, a creative artist was asked to serve as the chair of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). He has also recently received the Presidential Citizens Medal. Dana Gioia (pronounced JOY-uh) was nominated by President George W. Bush for this influential role in American culture. Shortly after his appointment, which he continues to serve, Gioia said, "Art is a distinct and irreplaceable way of knowing the world because it alone, unlike science or philosophy, uses and engages the fullness of our humanity. Art... simultaneously addresses our intellect, our senses, our emotions, our imagination, our intuition, our memory and our physical body-not separately, but together, simultaneously, holistically." ¹ When asked about judging the "best" in any artistic discipline, Gioia stated that it would be difficult because his discernment grows from deeper convictions. "The best art, poetry, and narrative tend to contain a universal or timeless quality that speaks across culture and ages," he said. "For instance, Christ's parables move us today as powerfully as they did their first hearers." Gioia, a strong Christian, also commented in one interview that art has the essence to "call people back into the church."

The congregation is invited to hear Dana Gioia at an evening on the arts:

Thursday, January 29, 2009
7:30 pm-Reception • 8:00 pm-Presentation
Arlington Hall at Lee Park, 3333 Turtle Creek Boulevard [map]

¹ from "Mr. Gioia Goes to Washington," Response: The Seattle Pacific University Magazine, Summer 2004, Vol. 26, No. 7