I went to this Stations of the Cross art exhibit at a local Church near me today. I went for a couple of reasons, one my friend suggested I go, two, it is Good Friday, so I thought it was appropriate.
And it’s always good to support local artists. However, as I went around each piece of art (some of which is pictured above), and I read the information in the booklet I was given about each work, I felt something was missing.
The true story of the Cross.
Yes, I understand what they were trying to do with the works, highlighting the issues of today with immigration and humanity as a whole. And as a talking point for those who may not be of faith (some of the artists were open in the spiels that they were agnostic and not even believers). But, it left me feeling like it was making the Stations of the Cross PC so as not to offend the wider populace.
But isn’t the point of the Stations of the Cross supposed to point to Jesus and His sacrifice for us on the Cross?
This world is a broken place and we are all broken people in need of a Saviour. Our sin is serious, serious enough to deserve eternal death. But, Jesus came to cover our sins with His blood on the Cross.
I felt this exhibition overshadowed Jesus and spoke more of the issues in this world. Not that those issues aren’t important. We need to do what Jesus told us to do, feed the hungry, care for the sick and the poor and the oppressed and the elderly, but the Stations of the Cross is meant to be about reflecting on Jesus.
Of course, if it gets people talking about Jesus, that’s not necessarily bad, but I think there is a problem when we don’t explicitly talk about the Cross and Jesus on Good Friday.
As pieces of art, they spoke volumes, but I think there is a fine line between using the art as an analogy of the crucifixion story and to looking beyond it…and completely overshadowing what Jesus did for us on the Cross. (Especially if the exhibition is called the Stations of the Cross and is being shown in a Church)
It does touch on themes that come out of the gospel narrative such as Jesus’ death and resurrection and forgiveness; however, at least for me, it didn’t point me to Christ. It seemed more like New Age thoughts placed within a Christian context.
Or maybe I didn’t get the point of the exhibition as a whole…
Marly's World 