Art and the Bible

by Francis A. Schaeffer

A short book (100 pages) that invites us to think biblically about the lordship of Christ in every aspect of our creative lives. It contains two short essays – “Art and the Bible,” and “Some Perspectives on Art” –, offering compelling conclusions and guidance regarding a Christian perspective on art.

From InterVarsity Press: “The lordship of Christ should include an interest in the arts,” writes Francis Schaeffer. “A Christian should use these arts to the glory of God, not just as tracts, mind you, but as things of beauty to the praise of God.” Many Christians, wary of creating graven images, have steered clear of artistic creativity. But the Bible offers a robust affirmation of the arts. The human impulse to create reflects our being created in the image of a creator God. Art and the Bible has been a foundational work for generations of Christians in the arts. In this book's classic essays, Francis Schaeffer first examines the scriptural record of the use of various art forms, and then establishes a Christian perspective on art. With clarity and vigor, Schaeffer explains why “the Christian is the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars.” (https://www.ivpress.com/art-and-the-bible)

Saving Leonardo – A Call to Resist the Secular Assault on Mind, Morals, & Meaning

by Nancy Pearcey

Following on the philosophical footsteps of her mentor, Pearcey examines contemporary culture (and arts) through Schaeffer’s fact/value split, “the idea that humans can have genuine knowledge only in the realm of empirical facts.” A former agnostic, Pearcey offers a “crash course in how to detect worldviews in the arts and culture.” She investigates contemporary artistic expressions, from impressionism to cubism to expressionism to abstraction, and demonstrates how “artists interact deeply with the thought of their day.”

The book’s premise: what you see and hear in the arts and popular media is not the innocent expression of personal opinion, but often deliberate antagonism toward a Judeo-Christian world and life view.

A free sample (Introduction and Chapter 1) is available. The book also includes more than 100 art reproductions and illustrations.

Be Thou My vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship

by Jonathan Gibson

Written by an ordained minister in the International Presbyterian Church (UK) and seminary professor, Be Thou My Vision is a 31-day liturgical guide designed for individuals and families. “Each daily reading includes a call to worship, adoration, confession, assurance, creed and catechism, the Gloria Patri, a prayer of illumination, Bible reading, intercessory prayer, and the Lord’s Prayer. Designed to be read in 15–20 minutes a day, this beautifully produced liturgy will give readers focus and purpose to their daily quiet time while teaching them historical prayers, creeds, and catechisms that point them to Christ.”

You can download the Table of Contents, Preface, and Chapter 1 (Scriptural Foundation for Daily Worship) at Crossway website (https://www.crossway.org/books/be-thou-my-vision-cob/)

How Should We Then Live?: The Rise and Decline of Western Thought and Culture

by Francis A. Schaeffer

An overview of Schaeffer’s best insights into biblical truth and its relationship to all of culture. The book is a walkthrough of history, from Ancient Rome through Woodstock, with an eye on “key moments in history which have formed our present culture,” with informative analysis of works of art and artistic expressions.

Even though written in the 70s, it still has nuggets of knowledge to offer; and as an editor wrote, “Taking the advice of C. S. Lewis, we want to help our readers ‘keep the clean sea breeze of the centuries blowing through our minds,’ which, as he argues, ‘can be done only by reading old books.”

Crossway offers a free e-chapter of the book, from its newly designed 2022 edition – https://www.crossway.org/books/how-should-we-then-live-tpb-2/. There is also a supplementary ten-episode documentary film series based on the book (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IB3Qqj5M2k).

“Then Sings My Soul”

Hymn Stories series

by Robert J. Morgan

“Learn more about your favorite hymns and those not-so-familiar songs that have inspired so many for years.” The collection of books include: Then Sings My Soul; Then Sings My Soul Book 2; Then Sings My Soul Special Edition (Holiday); Then Sings My Soul Book 3; plus a Then Sings My Soul Prayer Journal. Among the hymns included are: Abide with Me; Holy, Holy, Holy; Be Thou My Vision; Fairest Lord Jesus; and plenty more. A good entry resource to get to know a little bit of the history of the hymns we sing.