The Renaissance Of The Arts

The twentieth century has seen a significant recovery of the arts in both secular and religious culture. The following essay delineates some of the areas in which the arts have emerged within the church and discusses the contribution that the arts make to the worship of God. A renaissance of art has occurred in twentieth-century worship. A wide variety of new music is being written, much of it in "contemporary" styles. Sermons are being acted out as dramas. Permanent and temporary visual art graces the worship environment. Even solo, ensemble, and congregational dancing is being used to give bodily expression to our praise. Where did all this creative activity in worship come from? Why is it now in our liturgies and services? Many congregations are asking these questions and others. In what follows, we will examine some of the impulses and influences that have helped bring about this intensified artistic expression in worship. From the beginning of this century, many factors have b…