I recently finished reading a collection of sermons by J.B. Lightfoot, and in scanning over my highlights I was reminded of a controversial passage. I submit to you:

“Art and culture are God’s own gifts, legitimate embellishments of life, even of worship, which is the highest form of life. But if culture aims at displacing religion, if art seeks to dethrone God – why, then, in the highest interests of humanity, be it our prayer that the sword of the barbarian and the axe of the iconoclast may descend once more, and sweep them ruthlessly away” (Loc 44).

Most of us recoil at the conquerors of old who would destroy centuries of culture and art. We cringe at stories of libraries and/or museums burned, and beauty lost forever.

But many Christians are also against “displacing religion” and anything that “seeks to dethrone God.”

So … Thoughts?

When does art go from sacred to dethroning God? How could art displace religion, or where would the line of self-exaltation be drawn? Is there gray area, or does every piece fall into one category or the other?