Comments on: He Must Increase…a meditation http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2008/07/21/he-must-increasea-meditation/ Catholic Anglican Reflections on Theology and Culture Sun, 11 Jul 2010 19:17:43 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 By: Darkness Whistler http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2008/07/21/he-must-increasea-meditation/comment-page-1/#comment-1633 Darkness Whistler Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:45:12 +0000 http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2008/07/21/he-must-increasea-meditation/#comment-1633 Julie, Thanks for you question...I am not sure I know the answer to this. I am not versed enough in approaching the history of Christian art with this question. It may be that at least part of the answer lies in a "high Christology" vs a "low Christology." In other words the shift at various points in the history of the Church's theology is such that a times the Diety of Christ gathers more attention while at other times his Humanity takes center stage. There are of course those who maintain that medieval paintings such as Grunewald's show an unhealthy turn toward a fetishizing of suffering and violence. There may be something to this, though I have found such accounts to be mostly unconvincing and tending toward a vast oversimplification of a very complicated history. For instance, it is her vision of the human and frail Jesus who ultimately gives Theresa of Avila the confidence to trust in a God who has entered the depths of her human condition and therefore becomes one of a handful of the greatest mystics the western church has ever known. Are we to simply dismiss her thought with the charge of a "fetishizing of human frailty?" I think not. But, again, I am not in a position to give a coherent account of all the details of this complex history, so I am open to the possibility that such an account of the turn toward the unhealthy focus upon suffering may have at least some bearing upon a right rendering of the tradition of western xian art. Given the fact that you asked the question and describe the earlier works as having the "perfect" body of Christ, perhaps you have thoughts on this and could help us...? Thanks again. Julie,
Thanks for you question…I am not sure I know the answer to this. I am not versed enough in approaching the history of Christian art with this question. It may be that at least part of the answer lies in a “high Christology” vs a “low Christology.” In other words the shift at various points in the history of the Church’s theology is such that a times the Diety of Christ gathers more attention while at other times his Humanity takes center stage. There are of course those who maintain that medieval paintings such as Grunewald’s show an unhealthy turn toward a fetishizing of suffering and violence. There may be something to this, though I have found such accounts to be mostly unconvincing and tending toward a vast oversimplification of a very complicated history. For instance, it is her vision of the human and frail Jesus who ultimately gives Theresa of Avila the confidence to trust in a God who has entered the depths of her human condition and therefore becomes one of a handful of the greatest mystics the western church has ever known. Are we to simply dismiss her thought with the charge of a “fetishizing of human frailty?” I think not. But, again, I am not in a position to give a coherent account of all the details of this complex history, so I am open to the possibility that such an account of the turn toward the unhealthy focus upon suffering may have at least some bearing upon a right rendering of the tradition of western xian art.

Given the fact that you asked the question and describe the earlier works as having the “perfect” body of Christ, perhaps you have thoughts on this and could help us…? Thanks again.

]]> By: Julie http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2008/07/21/he-must-increasea-meditation/comment-page-1/#comment-1522 Julie Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:51:47 +0000 http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2008/07/21/he-must-increasea-meditation/#comment-1522 why were there so few paintings prior to this one by Grunewald that displays Christ in his suffering? Many of the earlier Crucifixion pieces have the perfect body of Christ? why were there so few paintings prior to this one by Grunewald that displays Christ in his suffering? Many of the earlier Crucifixion pieces have the perfect body of Christ?

]]> By: Darkness Whistler http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2008/07/21/he-must-increasea-meditation/comment-page-1/#comment-649 Darkness Whistler Tue, 22 Jul 2008 03:18:27 +0000 http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2008/07/21/he-must-increasea-meditation/#comment-649 You are welcome David. Thanks for your generosity. I am glad it was helpful. Grunewald's painting has a strongly Iconic feel as well. You are welcome David. Thanks for your generosity. I am glad it was helpful. Grunewald’s painting has a strongly Iconic feel as well.

]]> By: David W. Congdon http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2008/07/21/he-must-increasea-meditation/comment-page-1/#comment-647 David W. Congdon Tue, 22 Jul 2008 00:49:25 +0000 http://www.thelandofunlikeness.com/2008/07/21/he-must-increasea-meditation/#comment-647 "As the Body of Christ our lives are to be 'the bony finger' of John the Baptist who points the world to Christ." Wow. I've always loved the Isenheim Altarpiece, and this is a profound interpretation of the "body of Christ" image. Thanks. “As the Body of Christ our lives are to be ‘the bony finger’ of John the Baptist who points the world to Christ.”

Wow. I’ve always loved the Isenheim Altarpiece, and this is a profound interpretation of the “body of Christ” image. Thanks.

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