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A review by josiahdegraaf
Art and Faith: A Theology of Making by Makoto Fujimura
4.0
This was a really thought-provoking book on the meaning of art from a Christian perspective. I loved all of the illustrations and examples Fujimura took from Japanese culture to explain what true art looks like. Fujimura's reflections on the restoration of brokenness in art, the value of making sacrifices for art, the deep connections between art and love, and the ability that art has to have a softer approach to cultural transformation were all really valuable and I really appreciated hearing his perspective.
The one aspect of the book I'm still mulling over is Fujimura's suggestion that we're ultimately created to make art. His point that the Christian life is about more than fixing our sin problem--that we're actually called to do something as well--was well-put. To the extent that he seemed to be arguing that our purpose is primarily to do art, I was more unsure. This seemed to be elevating art on a pedestal that's too high--especially when there are many other worthy vocations out there. While Fujimura did clarify that everyone can do art (whether or not one is an artist), I wrestle with whether it has a position as high as Fujimura says it is. I'm not convinced yet; I'm also not convinced that he's completely wrong. So I'm still thinking on it.
As a whole, I really enjoyed this book and it's one I hope to return to at some point in the future.
Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good).
The one aspect of the book I'm still mulling over is Fujimura's suggestion that we're ultimately created to make art. His point that the Christian life is about more than fixing our sin problem--that we're actually called to do something as well--was well-put. To the extent that he seemed to be arguing that our purpose is primarily to do art, I was more unsure. This seemed to be elevating art on a pedestal that's too high--especially when there are many other worthy vocations out there. While Fujimura did clarify that everyone can do art (whether or not one is an artist), I wrestle with whether it has a position as high as Fujimura says it is. I'm not convinced yet; I'm also not convinced that he's completely wrong. So I'm still thinking on it.
As a whole, I really enjoyed this book and it's one I hope to return to at some point in the future.
Rating: 4 Stars (Very Good).