Why Art Class?

A Christian School Art Teacher's Perspective

By Cheryl Funk
Christian School of York

Then Moses said to the Israelites, "See, the LORD has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all kinds of crafts--to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood and to engage in all kinds of artistic craftsmanship. And he has given both him and Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the ability to teach others. He has filled them with skill to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers, embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen, and weavers--all of them master craftsmen and designers.
--Exodus 35:30-35

Why art class? Fine arts have the unique ability to communicate visual beauty as well as instill life skills such as persistence, creativity, and expression, therefore developing the child as a whole. Research has shown that art classes encourage various types of contemplative skills such as visual-spatial, reflection, self-criticism, experimentation, and learning from mistakes. Even the Bible begins with creation in Genesis 1:1, inscribing, “In the beginning God created.” Core to our very existence is our Creator’s ability to envision and embody a new form for His creation.

Persistence is a critical skill for students to learn in today’s fast paced environment. Art projects are not finished in a single class period, but must be refined, maybe even for several weeks.

Creativity is an inextricable step in problem solving. Any vocation or profession today demands an individual’s ability to think critically and “outside the box” in order to excel. The traditional approach to a self-portrait would be simply to paint a likeness. Thinking “outside the box” opens many avenues with which to experiment. A self-portrait in mixed media collage involves giving the viewer insight into the individual’s personality. This occurs as personal items such as pictures, drawings, and memorabilia are used perhaps giving us more of a self-portrait than merely a likeness.

Expression of the student’s ideas, emotion, vision, and voice may also be displayed visually. Art students are encouraged to see their projects in relation to other subjects. Whether students create insects in clay, using correct anatomical construction, or create an African mask from the same natural materials the Africans used, they are challenged to think critically and across disciplines in order to apply the learning also taking place in subjects like science and social studies courses.

For students who are challenged in the fine arts there are educational benefits for actively participating in an Arts program. According to Americans for the Arts, students of art are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, write an award winning poem or essay, or enter a math or science fair.

In order to consider a student’s education complete, there must be a comprehensive and ordered study of the theory, techniques, and history of Art in societies. Some of the most enduring works are visual; the Parthenon, Sistine Chapel, or Michelangelo’s “David” are both visually enduring and symbolic to customs and religion in history.

Appreciation for external beauty is a reflection of God’s creative ability. Francis Schaeffer noted, “A Christian should use these arts to the glory of God--not just as tracts, but as things of beauty to the praise of God. An art work can be a doxology in itself.”

REFERENCES
Schaeffer, Francis A. “Art and the Bible.” Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1978.

Helping Students Discover and Develop their Spiritual Gifts

We have different gifts, according to the grace given us. If a man's gift is prophesying, let him use it in proportion to his faith. If it is serving, let him serve; if it is teaching, let him teach; if it is encouraging, let him encourage; if it is contributing to the needs of others, let him give generously; if it is leadership, let him govern diligently; if it is showing mercy, let him do it cheerfully.
--Romans 12:6-8

What would life be like for a person who, from birth, was perfectly able to walk but didn’t know it until adulthood, and therefore never made any effort during childhood to learn to walk? Obviously, it would be very difficult for such a person to achieve his or her full potential in life.

The example is extreme and improbable. Yet it’s a simple, effective illustration of what happens to Christians who are delayed in discovering their spiritual gifts or in learning how to apply their God-given abilities in a spiritual context.

Nothing that God does is without purpose. So any special ability that God has given us has an intended use within the Body of Christ. But the adult Christian who lacks adequate understanding or development of his or her spiritual gifts is hindered in the fulfillment of God's purpose for his or her life, just as the physical potential is hindered of the hypothetical adult who is just beginning to learn to walk.

While home and church life provide important environments in which young people can begin to explore and develop their spiritual gifts, the Christian school experience provides additional opportunities for them to consider how their God-given abilities could be applied for God’s purposes.

In a Christian school, everything from biology courses to basketball games takes place in a spiritual context. Experiences in school can also be opportunities to discover potential gifts for:

• Teaching, through classroom discussions and written assignments
• Leadership, through serving as a team captain
• Praise and worship, through courses or extracurricular activities in music or performing arts

These are just a few of many possible examples. Secular educational environments also provide students with the opportunity to explore natural skills that may point to their spiritual gifts, but the openly spiritual context of the Christian school environment can accelerate discovery of their spiritual application. This, in turn, can give students, as they move on from school and into adulthood, a stronger sense of God’s purpose for their lives and of how they will fulfill it.

Spiritual Warfare for Students

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
--Ephesians 6:13

In Ephesians 6:13, Paul writes that “our [emphasis added] struggle … is against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.”

Note the use of the word our: to whom does our refer? Since this passage appears in a letter to the Church at Ephesus, it seems self-evident that our must refer to the community of believers. And this concept is important to understanding the place of spiritual warfare in the life of the believer.

It can be argued that most of the evil work that Satan and his minions do here on earth is not directed toward the unsaved, who by definition are already under his dominion, already following “the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient” (Ephesians 2:2).

Of what use would it be, therefore, for the enemy to direct spiritual attack toward the unsaved? It seems clear from passages concerning spiritual warfare that spiritual attack is an experience primarily of the saved. The enemy of our soul tries to make the lives of believers miserable, creating tensions within marriages and families, conflict between parents and children, splits within churches, setbacks for ministries just as they begin to flourish, and so on—all in an effort to tarnish the example that the Body of Christ presents to an unbelieving world.

The educational environment is no exception. We live in an age where, in public schools and secular universities, relativism rules. School prayer is illegal, in the name of separation of church and state. Displaying a nativity scene is forbidden—and yet, oddly enough, Halloween observances are encouraged. Teaching evolution is mandated, yet efforts to present intelligent design as an alternative are either silenced or, even worse, ridiculed.

The longer they spend in secular settings, the greater the challenges Christian students encounter to the tenets that Christian parents and churches strive to instill. While Christian education isn’t the only way—and should never be the sole means—of equipping students for the challenges to their faith and spiritual attacks they will inevitably face, it can be an important resource in developing a solid, scriptural foundation.

Disciplined, daily, guided Bible study in an academic setting from elementary school through 12th grade—not to mention an overall academic environment that encourages application of scriptural principles to all fields of study—is an immense help in developing a spiritually renewed, biblically thinking mind. Help during youth in developing a grounding in scripture gives students a special advantage in fulfilling the command to “Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist…” (Ephesians 6:14). It’s an advantage that stays with them for a lifetime.