off-grid

Christianity And The Arts

Image source: Pixabay.com

The only artist who is perfect in all forms of creativity . . . is of course God—the God who is Personal.

—Edith Schaeffer, Hidden Art (1971)

Come with me to the Alps and look at the snow-covered mountains.

There can be no question. God is interested in beauty.

—Francis A. Schaeffer, Art and the Bible (1973)

The God of Creation

The Bible has a lot to say, both directly and indirectly, about God’s love for beauty. Even a quick reading of Genesis 1 demonstrates the marvelous wisdom and power of God in creation. We see light spring out of darkness, vast reservoirs of water lifted into the heavens, massive landforms rise out of the sea. We see trees and grasses spring instantly from the earth to bud, blossom, and bear fruit in a day. We see the sun rise over the horizon for the first time, and the moon climb through the night sky pacing the sun.

We see stars set into constellations and galaxies. We see multi-hued fish and fowl swarm to fill the seas and skies. We see great dragons navigate the deep. We see beasts, cattle, and creeping things prowl and crawl and cavort through the meadows, fields, and rain forests of the new Earth. And, of course, we also see the first man and woman, unstained by the Fall, lift their eyes to heaven to hear the voice of God. The whole thing must have been staggering to behold. And it’s right here at this point that adjectives can’t live up to what they’re describing. In fact, philosophers of aesthetics could write long volumes simply on this first chapter of Genesis alone.

But behind Genesis 1, hidden in eternity, is the beauty and majesty of the Triune God Himself … Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It’s important to know that this God is simple in His essence. He’s doesn’t have “parts or pieces.” He isn’t partly this and partly that. He isn’t mostly this but a little bit of that. God’s essence is identical with His attributes. He is both truth and light. He is also beauty, glory, and joy.

Put God Back Into History And Teach Your Kids What They Won’t Learn Anywhere Else!

But here’s the interesting thing:

This one, simple God exists eternally as three distinct Persons. From eternity, the Father begets the Son who then speaks the divine Word. From eternity, the Son is the Father’s only Begotten. This divine Logos is the brightness of the Father’s glory.

Implications

Image source: Pixabay.com

From this brief summary of Trinitarian theology, we can make some basic observations about the ontological foundations of the arts. First, God is coherent and rational. He is light, “and in him is no darkness at all” (1 Jn. 1:5). There are no dark corners in His being. He isn’t evolving or on His way to becoming anything new. He isn’t in process of being. In fact, there is no room in His mind for surprises. His attributes aren’t in competition. This all-wise and perfectly rational God is … at the same time and to the same degree … Joy, Beauty, and Delight.

Second, it is the nature of this God to reveal Himself. He expresses Himself both by Word and Spirit (He breathes life). God delights in this self-revelation and self-communication. He joys in shared beauty, glory, and truth.

We should then expect that this God would pour out His beauty and glory onto and into anything and anywhere He decides. We should expect then, that His creation would both reflect and declare His glory. We also should expect that His spoken and written Word would abound in beauty, wisdom, simplicity, and majesty.

Third, God is Trinity. He is true diversity in perfect unity. In God, unity and diversity are equally ultimate. The universals don’t swallow up the particulars. The particulars don’t destroy the universals. God’s nature is harmony, balance, perfect integration, complexity, simplicity, true community, and true individuality.

This is the God who chose to create the earth and more. The God who made the world, the God who speaks both beautifully and powerfully in His Word. We should expect God’s Word and God’s created world to be characterized by the same attributes.

It’s A History Must-Have For Homeschool Families

It is no wonder, then, that when we open Scripture, we find that God speaks of Himself as a working Artisan or Artist. Get this: He’s a singer (Zeph. 3:17), a potter (Isa. 64:8), a gardener (Isa. 5:1-2), an engraver (Zech. 3:9), a jeweler (Isa. 54:11), an architect and builder (Heb. 11:10), and even a metal worker (Mal. 3:3).

God also speaks of Himself as a work of art: “In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people” (Isa. 28:5). And, of course, in the first lines of Scripture, we read, “In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth” (Gen. 1:1). God is the Artist who makes all things from nothing and who made no two things exactly alike. Literally everything God has made … speaks of His glory and power (Ps. 19).

Conclusion

Before Scripture ever says in so many words that God is Spirit, it shows us in great detail that God is Creator. From the very first chapter, Scripture is antithetically “at odds” with any Gnostic, Platonic or Neo-Platonic view of creation or of art. God made the world in all its wonder, beauty, intricacy, mystery, strangeness, and glory. In all these dimensions, creation declares God as He truly is. God made man in His very image. He also made man to know Him, to commune with Him and to live and work in His world. My guess is that this is the perfect place to begin any discussion of Christianity and the arts.

For Further Reading:

Herman Bavinck, The Doctrine of God (Edinburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1977).

Edith Schaeffer, Hidden Art (Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 1971).

Francis Schaeffer, Art and the Bible (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2006).

Gene Edward Veith, State of the Arts, From Bezalel to Mapplethorpe (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books, 1991).

H.R. Rookmaker, Art Needs No Justification (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1979).

Leland Ryken, The Christian Imagination (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1981).

Leland Ryken, The Liberated Imagination, Thinking Christianly About the Arts (Wheaton, IL: Harold Shaw Publishers, 1989).

This Article Was Originally Posted On offthegridnews.com Read the Original Article here

Self Sufficiency

NYC Adds Nearly 4,000 People Who Never Tested Positive To Coronavirus Death Tolls

New York City added nearly 4,000 people who never tested positive for the coronavirus to its death toll Tuesday, bringing coronavirus-related deaths in the city to around 10,000 people.

The city decided to add 3,700 people to its death tolls, who they “presumed” to have died from the virus, according to a report from The New York Times. The additions increased the death toll in the U.S. by 17%, according to the Times report, and included people who were suffering from symptoms of the virus, such as intense coughing and a fever.

The report stated that Democratic New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio decided over the weekend to change the way the city is counting deaths.

“In the heat of battle, our primary focus has been on saving lives,” de Blasio press secretary Freddi Goldstein told the Times.“As soon as the issue was raised, the mayor immediately moved to release the data.”

The post New York City added nearly 4,000 people who never tested positive for the coronavirus to its death toll appeared first on Daily Caller

This Article Was Originally Posted On dailycaller.com Read the Original Article here

off-grid

The Ultimate Energizer Review – Does It Really Work?

If you’re looking for a review of the ultimate energizer guide then you have come to the right spot because in this exclusive article we’re going to blow the lid off the ultimate energizer once and for all and reveal weather it is the real deal or not.

This brings us to the review of the ultimate energizer guide. This is a program that provides users with classified information on how to build a free energy generator. But can the program really make you achieve this?

does it work? will it be worth your investment, time and energy? all these questions and more are what this review on the ultimate energizer program seeks to help you find answers to.

The ultimate energizer review – is it worth it?

> Click here to get access to the ultimate energizer guide now

About The Ultimate Energizer guide

The ultimate energizer is your ultimate guide to building your own alternative and portable energy source to power up any of your household appliances including refrigerators and aircon units. It is a very affordable way to having an emergency generator that can help you save more than 50% from your electricity bills without spending too much on other alternative energy source like solar panels or wind turbines which is costly and will also need a lot of space.

The ultimate energizer causes you to be calm about the electricity bill. This well ordered guide shows you how to manufacture this claim “home energy gadget” today impeccably. This will dispose of your energy charge ensured.

It is lost to the earth which means we need to really take care of it in order to reduce the cost of energy bills which introduces the ultimate energizer guide.

About The Ultimate Energizer Creator

The creator of the complete the ultimate energizer guide is steven perkins. He found the journal of the founder of this technology in his home when his father shifted near quebec city in canada.

In this post, we will review the ultimate energizer whose creator claimed to offer a way through which you can generate non-stop current. According to the author, you can drop down your electricity bills by 80%.

Of course the ultimate energizer owners provide resources. But the truth is that you are a master creator. All of them have that talent in us. The only difference is the extent to which it is hidden in each of us.

Features of The Ultimate Energizer

The features of the ultimate energizer guide are as follows:-. This program guide will help you to design a the ultimate energizer generator which will follow the rules of linear induction motor which is built around a track that is orbicular to maintain the smooth motion of rotors that are transportable.

You can find here, a extensive review which highlights all the important features and performance criteria of the ultimate energizer. Use of the the ultimate energizer is very easy since all of the functions can be accessed in a short time; you have complete control over it. 100% money back guarantee shows that the ultimate energizer really works. The ultimate energizer gives full customer support for 7/24/365, also, features, credibility and the ultimate energizer’s ease of use are favorably satisfied by the buyers.

Use it on any electrical appliances from small clocks to big plasma tv screens, refrigerators, and air conditioners. Power the cabins while hiking to the mountains or camping. Other essential features of this complete the ultimate energizer are that it is easy to assemble and does not require a technical background to master engineering.

Pros and Cons of The Ultimate Energizer

I’ve created this honest ultimate energizer review to help you make a well-informed decision. I’ve tested it myself and now i’m going to share with you all the key aspects you may be interested in: how does it work? is it really so powerful and effective? what are its pros and cons?.

It is non-polluting. It remains popular the ultimate energizer guide pros & cons because it is both a renewable and clean source of energy. Harnessing solar energy is more than a fine idea it’s currently a reality in thousands of homes in a lot of nations around the world.

>> Click here to get access to the ultimate energizer guide now

On the review of the ultimate energizer guide, we will be looking into what exactly the program is all about, the details of the energy generator program, the benefits, pros & cons and our conclusion on the program.

Does The Ultimate Energizer really work?

The device is usable during emergencies. It works without fuels and therefore there are no expected fumes. It is weather proof. Cons of the ultimate energizer. You can only download the program from the official website.

But the ultimate energizer reviews that are available from real users online on platforms like google and youtube seem to confirm that the device does indeed work. So, as per my ultimate energizer review answer to the question is the ultimate energizer legit? is definitely yes.

The ultimate energizer guide. The ultimate energizer is said to work for your home and cut electricity by 82%, guaranteed by tomorrow. The ultimate energizer reviews. It can boost any type of electricity by as much as 5 times.

Advantages of The Ultimate Energizer Program

The program can benefit you in many ways. Below we are listing the advantages of using the ultimate energizer program for generating electricity:. This device will help you save up to 60%-70%, without investing money in solar panels which can cost you a lot of money.

There are additional the ultimate energizer guide program advantages too, including advantages at tax time, so do your homework on what you might have for being a solar power pioneer contributed back.

Why The Ultimate Energizer is Useful?

The ultimate energizer is a complete guide and blueprint. With it, you get everything you need to know to build your own free energy generator. This generator can be completed for less than $50 if you have some tools already. But i remember reading another review of the ultimate energizer, and the guy said he took days. Maybe he was crafty. Then, you assemble it and get it to work.

You will be guided step by step, that anybody who can read can build it. You do not need prior building experience or massive strength; it is that easy. Building the ultimate energizer takes under 4 hours if you are slow and definitely a lot less when you have help.

The ultimate energizer has already changed the lives of over 30,000 families who chose to power their homes using this eco-friendly device. This is definitely a good investment that is worth your time and money and if you think it isn’t after trying it out, you can request for a refund.

Is The Ultimate Energizer a Scam?

The ultimate energizer guide really show you how to power your house and save tremendously, or is this just another overhyped scam? this system was created after its owner decided he wanted to have a home power generating system in case of any crises or disasters.

The ultimate energizer pdf. It does not need any conventional electric power. The ultimate energizer scam. In this program, you can also build more generator and sell for profit. This product can also be incorporated into the automobile to power an electric motor.

All you need is an open mind and a desire to try new things to get a life in the field of freedom of energy. So, what are you waiting for? it’s time to say goodbye to major energy companies and start using the ultimate energizer guide today.