It’s simple. We often don’t stand a chance against the secular media world when it comes to artistic innovation (even though all of western art was pioneered by us) because we try to play it safe in so many ways. Somewhere along the line we correlated artistic risk with “scandal”, “immorality”, or “heresy.” This is not the case. Now, are there cases where someone abandons their morals, values, and beliefs just to be noticed, accepted, and seen? Yes. But that doesn’t need to be the case. Risk is not sin. On the contrary risk is inherent to the disciple. It’s risky to get out of a boat and walk on water. It’s risky to proclaim the Gospel. Artistically: It was risky to incorporate an organ into liturgical music for the first time. It was risky to debut stained glass windows to catechize the lay faithful for the first time. WE HAVE TO START TAKING RISKS IF WE WANT TO GET THE ATTENTION OF THE NEXT GENERATION. If you’re ready to take risks, contact me. 👍🏽
Amen!
Data Delivery Operations Manager | I help mid-market organizations lay the foundations that enable them to maximize the value of their data. | Ora et Labora
4moThis is absolutely true. I think a major contributing factor to this fear is that our culture has swallowed whole the lie that there is a divide between secular and sacred. That there is a line that should not be blurred, much less ever crossed. This is one of the most entrenched lies that came out of the enlightenment, and was reinforced in modernity. And now, it is being made even worse by capitalism, where quality has become synonymous with profitability and commercial reward. No such line has ever existed. It is all sacred. All of creation was created by God. He is the source of all creativity. Everything you create is made possible by God; His love animates all of creation. Create accordingly. Because the greatest danger is not in taking risk, but in failing to properly glorify God by holding back.