Art and Beauty

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  “But the voice of our age seems by no means favorable to art, at all events to that kind of art to which my inquiry is directed. The course of events has given a direction to the genius of the time that threatens to remove it continually further from the ideal of art. For art has to leave reality, it has to raise itself bodily above necessity and neediness; for art is the daughter of freedom, and it requires its prescriptions and rules to be furnished by the necessity of spirits and not by that of matter. But in our day it is necessity, neediness, that prevails, and bends a degraded humanity under its iron yoke.” —J. C. Friedrich von Schiller. “Letters upon the Æsthetic Education of Man.” (1795)

"So, who's right?"

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Here's a question often heard (or something like it): "So, why does your church do ____ and that church does ____ ?" or "Why does your church say _____ and this church says _____ ? Who's right?"

This is actually an ancient question, easily answered with two words. Our Lord Jesus Christ walked this earth and  met many people, one of whom was an outcast woman who lived in the city of Sychar. She asked Jesus directly: "Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you say that in Jerusalem is the place where people ought to worship.” (John 4:20 [ESV2011]) In other words, "Who's right?"

Jesus answer: "Believe Me . . ."

That's enough right there. Think it over.