amy: sistine chapel

I think I am almost embarrassed at how typical my response is to the Sistine Chapel. I understand that everyone who goes to the Sistine Chapel adores it. I understand this, but for some reason I felt that perhaps I would be different.

It blew me away. I do not know if I will ever have such an experience as I did with the Sistine Chapel. Some do not like how many tourists are around or how long it takes to get to it. For me, all of that disappeared when I entered into the Chapel. I could have sat there forever being reminded of how marvelous and surreal the gift of life truly is for men and women.
As I study, and experience, I do not believe that artwork ever becomes the axis mundi. That being said, I am not entirely sure where I think art fits into the scheme of life, at least for the Christian. I do not think there should be a war between art and religion, but perhaps a better perspective? Art is not what brings us to God. By experiencing the Sistine Chapel, I may have felt wonder at its incredible depiction of the Bible, but ultimately that would not lead me to God. I believe that it is God who brings us to Himself. Art should never try and lower the person of Christ to being its limited self. Art can never express all of Jesus or God.

On the other hand, I feel that art is a crucial component to life. Why is it so crucial? Some have argued that it is because the symbols in religion, ie art, become the axis mundi. I think that is false and puts art on the same plane as God. Instead, I believe that art was created to be the most natural way for man to celebrate God. If God did not want man to create He would not have given men such talent as in the case of Michelangelo. This is where art and religion meet. The Bible says that whatever one does, he should do it to the glory of God. Michelangelo understood this and created an image that expressed his faith in worship to God which will lives on in the hearts of those who see it.