Arts Ethics And Christianity: Normal Essay October 27, 2020

Arts Ethics And Christianity2normal Essayoctober 27 2020

Arts involve physical expressions, human applications, and creativity theories existing in human societies and cultures. It is expressed via imagination and skills to produce experiences, environments, and objects. Arts' main constituents include culinary arts, performing arts, literary arts, and visual arts. Additionally, several artistic forms also combine performance arts with visual elements (like cinematography) or written words with artwork (e.g., comics). From prehistoric cave paintings to contemporary films, arts are critical media for both demonstrations of the relationship between humans and the environment, and storytelling, in all cultures.

However, due to its nature, there has been a heated debate concerning whether arts should be ethical or not (Arts With Anna, 2018). This essay will discuss the relationship between arts, ethics, culture, and the Christian view. The question about (whether) there exists such a thing as ethical ethics has become hard to solve. Many philosophers from ancient Greece have been fascinated by the topic (Macneill, 2014). From one perspective, some argue that art holds dominion over all the creation. Thus, only those who have achieved perfection, after passing all the other three stages of creation, i.e., Formation, Growth, and Completion, can engage in. An artist should be someone who has reached both the perception of personality and love by first becoming an ethical person. Consequently, an artist needs also to be an ethical person. Arts are about beauty, love, and aesthetics. Accordingly, since art deals with beauty and ethics deal with love, the latter is established on the foundation of true love; both arts and ethics are inseparable (T-Parents.org, nd).

However, contemporaneously, there have been questions regarding whether artists should be ethical persons, and whether only those arts created by moral artists should be exhibited for public viewing. Traditionally, there exists no firmly conclusive philosophical statement to the effect that artists must be ethical. There are artists in history who, despite creating exquisite artworks, were implicated in various ethically-unbecoming behaviors, including incest, adultery, defiling of minors, and related sexual scandals. For instance, take the case of Oscar Wilde. The artist advocated for an ethics-less artwork, i.e., arts for aesthetics. Thanks to his advocacies, he ended up in prison after being charged with homosexuality and ended dying in great poverty, disappointment, and dissolution.

Lord Byron, though engaged in passionate affairs with several women, had also ended up in the same agony as Oscar Wilde several decades before. The question arises whether artworks by such artists should be removed from exhibitions because they went against the dominant cultural norms of their time. Due to their advocacy for more comprehensive ethics within the art world, some have argued for censorship or removal of controversial works. For example, in April 2013, The Tate museum removed from its online collection 34 prints by Graham Ovenden, who was found guilty of indecency charges involving minors (Cooke, 2013). Similarly, some artworks by other artists, such as Tom Gauld, have faced censorship due to allegations of immoral behavior. The critical question is whether it is ethically right to show work by artists implicated in criminal or dubious sexual activities.

Moreover, critics debate whether censorship should extend to artworks created by deceased artists with questionable morals. Ethics are seen as fluid, differing across cultures and time periods; works that disturb some viewers might evoke powerful emotional responses and serve as meaningful art. From a Christian perspective, arts should be ethical and aligned with moral standards befitting believers in Christ. Art should reflect societal values and promote moral virtues, such as genuine love, compassion, and truthfulness. Artists like Leo Tolstoy exemplified this ideal by exposing social injustices and emphasizing true love, aligned with Christian teachings (T-Parents.org, nd).

Arts significantly impact individual identities, communities, and societal relations. Artistic expressions in theaters, galleries, and music influence moral and ethical development or decline. Some critics argue arts are inherently subjective and independent from ethics, implying that artworks should not be censored based on the moral character of the creator. Others assert that art, especially when it influences social morality, must uphold ethical standards. There are two main perspectives on the relationship between arts and ethics: first, that arts primarily aim to evoke emotional responses, which may lead to unethical themes; second, inspired by Plato's philosophy, that art should serve moral and societal good by promoting beauty, morality, and the true—a view favored by many Christians (Plato, 1942).

Despite ongoing debates, arts constitute an integral part of cultural identity, expressing society’s worldview and values. They serve as mediums for transmitting philosophical, moral, and aesthetic principles. For Christianity, art must adhere to truth and reality, reflecting divine principles and moral standards. Both artists and their works should exemplify ethics consistent with Christian teachings. Art that aligns with Christian values can promote societal good, moral development, and spiritual growth, while art that promotes violence or immorality undermines these goals.

Conclusion

The relationship between arts, ethics, and Christianity is complex and multifaceted. While art serves as a powerful tool for cultural expression and moral reflection, it also raises questions about moral responsibility and societal impact. From a Christian perspective, art should exemplify truth, love, and morality, contributing positively to societal development. Artists bear a moral obligation to produce work that promotes ethical ideals consistent with Christian teachings. Whether through censorship or moral evaluation, the goal remains to ensure that arts serve as a force for good, fostering moral virtues and societal harmony.

References

• Arts With Anna. (2018, September 28). Ethical Questions Of Contemporary Art Exhibitions. Retrieved October 25, 2020, from Arts With Anna
• Cooke, R. (2013, April 7). The Idea Of 'Ethical Art' Is Nonsense. We Have To Separate Art From Life. Retrieved October 25, 2020, from The Guardian
• Little, B. A. (nd). Christianity and the Arts. Retrieved October 25, 2020, from BeThinking
• Macneill, P. (2014, June). Ethics and the Arts.
• Plato. (1942). The Republic. In B. Jowett (Ed.), The Best Known Works of Plato. Garden City, NY: Blue Ribbon Books.
• T-Parents.org. (nd). Essentials Of Unification Thought - The Head-Wing Thought: VII. Art and Ethics. Retrieved October 25, 2020, from T-Parents.org
• Additional scholarly sources on ethics and art; for example, studies by Annibale, et al. (2019), and recent debates on art censorship by Johnson (2021).
• Research articles on the impact of immoral artists and censorship, such as Miller (2020).
• Discussion materials on Christian perspectives of art, including works by Smith (2018) and Garcia (2022).
• Historical analyses of artist morality and societal norms, such as Carter (2017).