A Call For Recovery Of The Visual Arts In Anabaptist Worship

Traditionally, Anabaptists have been wary of the visual arts in worship. This article, however, observes that modern culture presents unique challenges that were not present during the early Anabaptist opposition to the arts and that can be met by artists. Thus, the article calls for a union of art and ethics and a dual concern for both the transcendent and immanent, resulting in an intentional and imaginative use of the visual arts in worship. Our problem with the arts is rooted in our rather uncritical adherence to Anabaptism. Any resolution must begin with a recognition that the Anabaptists joined other reformers in throwing out the baby with the bath water. All the senses were employed in Roman Catholic faith and worship. But in the interest of reforming the church of the day, or even recreating the New Testament church, a significant narrowing occurred; the Word-the written Word and the heard Word-became the front and center focus for the mainline reformers. The Anabaptists adde…