THE CHURCH
“But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body (The Church).”
THE CHURCH
tHOUGH THERE ARE MANY PARTS,THERE REMAINS BUT ONE BODY!
The Apostle Paul spoke frequently about the nature of the Christian church, but perhaps nowhere as succinctly as in 1Corinthians chapter 12. It’s here he compares the diversity and unity of the church as similar to that of the human body. He concludes his analogy with this summary statement: “Though there are many parts, there remains but one body.”
For 2000 years artists have been trying to capture this essential, complex dynamic of the church of Christ, and with all due reverence, I submit my own unique expression in the form of a COMPLICATED CONTRAPTION.
This imachination projects heavy doses of Christian symbolism, beginning with the structural bones… Every pipe is connected to every other pipe, and you’re right, it was no easy feat.
It’s meant to remind us of a vision shared long ago by Israel’s prophet Ezekiel, who, when he looked down at the Valley of Dry Bones heard God promise him one day they would live again! It’s from this divine connection we get our children’s song: “And the foot bone is connected to the ankle bone, and the ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone,” and, you know how it goes!
Elsewhere, the Apostle Paul made the bodacious claim the church is the primary focus of the cosmos! The same God who said, “Let there be light,” also said, “Let there be church, and it was so.”
Substituting for the sun, moon, and stars on this contraption is a hand-crafted antique flashlight sputnik chandelier overseeing the creation below… and prepared at a moments notice to beat back the darkness.
The motif of light and darkness pervades this art.
In the laborious, labratorious late night hours of building, rebuilding, and then one-more-time rebuilding these giant gizmos, I’m always struggling to find that fine balance and artistic symmetry which not only pleases the eye but speaks to the soul. It’s just machinery if it can’t do both. I think The Church can provide you and yours a spiritual experience.
This piece has sat in our den for two years, and it feels like part of the family. We’ve entertained hundreds of guests, and I believe everyone of them has been magnetized and entertained by The Church. It’s not the Sistine Chapel, but in today’s world, it’s call to communion is probably more evangelistic!