Easter 2021

I typically share art in this space which is less overtly spiritual than what I'm choosing to share today, on this Easter Sunday.  My reasoning is always that overtly spiritual art often feels inauthentic to the lived experiences of those who don't consider themselves religious, and even many who do.  My goal here is connecting God's truth to universally relatable situations and feelings, and the polished picture of perfect trust and happiness sometimes presented by Christian artists is unrelatable to the vast majority of us who live the messy lives of reality.  There's a fantastic book on art and the Bible, by Francis Schaeffer, which, in part, explores this disparity and addresses some of the issues with "Christian art".

Occasionally, though, there are works that lean toward the overtly spiritual which still manage to resonate deeply, because they carry that critical piece of authenticity.  They don't shy away from human doubt or fear; they aren't worried, as Schaeffer puts it, that they might "fall off the end of the earth" by pursuing challenging questions about God or faith or life.

Easter should challenge us.  Easter is a celebration of the story of a man who was brutally killed by an angry mob, then resurrected from the dead, who now brings salvation and eternal life to the world if one only believes.  That should challenge us.  That should give us pause and cause us to question, wonder, and yes, probably doubt.  It should cause us to dig deeper, to ask questions, to seek answers.  Again, as Schaeffer says, an "infinite, personal God who is really there" can handle it.  And if not ... wouldn't we want to know?

Poet Joanah Madzime explores topics like these with vulnerability and artistry.  She digs into what many Christian artists steer clear of.  She tells God directly, and honestly, that she's done.  She's over it, and has a compelling list of reasons why.  In the midst of boldly confronting the audacity of faith, she creates a striking conversation:

What would your honest conversation with God be today?  You're allowed to have it, whether you consider yourself religious, spiritual, agnostic, or atheist.  None of us will fall off the end of the earth by speaking honestly, in all the messiness of life, with a God who may or may not be there, and may or may not respond.  We have freedom to be authentic.  It can take any form; some of us call it journaling, some call it venting, some call it praying.  But above all, let it be called honest, because faith, or art, or life, without honesty doesn't benefit anyone.