Discussion of a C.S. Lewis Quote
A Christian and an unbelieving poet may both be equally
original ... and draw on resources peculiar to themselves, but with this
difference. The unbeliever may take his own temperament and experience, just as
they happen to stand, and consider them worth communicating simply because they
are his. To the Christian his own
temperament and experience, as mere fact, and as merely his, are of no value or
importance whatsoever: he will deal with them, if at all, only because they
are the medium through which, or the position from which, something universally
profitable appeared to him.
... C. S.
Lewis (1898-1963), “Christianity
and Literature”, in Rehabilitations and
other essays, Oxford University Press, 1939, p. 193
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Some years ago at a group exhibition I noticed that in every
persons blurb about their work it was made clear that the primary source of inspiration
and ideas had come from ‘within’. The
work was not about the world as we look at it but, was about ‘me’ as I look at
‘me’, how ‘I’ feel, how ‘I’ think, ‘my’ existence and the idea that who ‘I’ am
is all I can ever truly know. The
general ethos was that art is about ‘me’ and for ‘me’. C.S. Lewis warns Christians about this self
exalting attitude to making art in the quote above. He says, “To the Christian his own temperament and experience, as mere fact, and
as merely his, are of no value or importance whatsoever…” Isn’t that a bold
statement in todays society! But it’s
true, isn’t it? The only thing of true
value to us as Christians is that which comes from outside, that which comes
from God. Paul says in Romans 12 verse
3:
“For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you
not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think with
sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned.”
The only thing inside us of value, and worth considering, is
the faith that has been given to us by God.
This should make us very humble and outward-looking artists indeed!
Now let’s look at a couple of brief examples of God’s people
making art in the bible. What was their
primary resource and who did their art benefit?
Adam’s first recorded acts of creativity;
- He looked at Gods creation and named the animals.
- He looked at Gods creation and composed a poem about Eve.
His acts of creativity were not about him but they were
about the gifts God had given him in the world.
Who benefited? Primarily not Adam
(although he would have found pleasure in his creativity) but the animals, Eve,
and ultimately God as he watched his creation being “very good”.
Or consider the Psalms.
The writers are always outward looking, always singing about the world
around them and their faithful creator.
The overriding sense is that what’s inside of man cannot be trusted; we
can trust God alone. Take for example
Psalm 103 verse 1:
“Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless
his holy name!”
The Psalmist doesn’t in anyway exalt his own soul but rather
he exhorts his soul to bless the LORD. There
is no hint of self exaltation or pride. Although the Psalm is deeply personal there is
no doubt that the emphasis is not on ‘me’ but on God. So who does the Psalm benefit? This Psalm has benefited, served, and
challenged people for centuries and it undoubtedly honours the creator of
heaven and earth!
There are many, many other examples we could look at through
the bible but finally let’s think about Jesus.
You might say that Jesus was not an artist (aside from his carpentry)
but every word and action from Christ was loaded with creative meaning and
purpose, and what’s more, he always looked outside of himself for his
material. As John 15 verse 15 says,
"…for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known
to you."
The source of what Jesus said and did was God the
Father. All of his miracles, radical
actions, conversations, parables, statements about his identity, everything
found its source in God. He looked
outside of himself even to the point of death as Paul writes in Philippians 2
verses 6-8:
“…though he was in the form of God, he did not count
equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing taking the
form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled
himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.”
Who benefited?
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If you’re an artist, I challenge you to consider C.S. Lewis
statement above. Is your art made in
reference to your take on the world or Gods take on the world? Does your art serve you or does it serve
other people and honour God?
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