James 1:21

Rank Growth (2014) (18" x 14")

collage on canvas board

In this passage James describes quite a different garden through his imagery: "Therefore rid yourself of all sordidness and rank growth of wickedness, and welcome with meekness the implanted word that has the power to save your souls." (NRSV)

My wife and I have learned from sad experience that a plot of land must first be thoroughly weeded before introducing new plants. Otherwise, the weeds will grow up around them and be difficult to remove by spraying or digging up without also damaging the desirable growth.

The Song of Solomon

Garden of Delight (2014) (18" x 14")

collage on canvas board

All of the characters in the Song of Solomon (Song of Songs) are present in this canvas. Surprisingly, there are some parallels to the Garden of Eden, including (besides the similar settings) a loving couple, the presence of God, an evil force (the little foxes that spoil the grapes) and guards--not angelic this time but city officials who figure in the lovers' dreams.

The Garden of Eden

A Momentary Eden (2014) (18" x 14")

collage on canvas board

I recently completed three canvases featuring gardens in the Bible. The first of these, of course, concerned the Garden of Eden. This was only a momentary Eden, however, to which mankind will never return. The new heaven and earth are not pictured as a garden, as Jacques Ellul has perceptively pointed out; the future is instead portrayed as a city even though many of the themes found in the early chapters of Genesis are repeated in the Book of Revelation.

Balaam: Numbers 22-24

Two Asses (2005) (18" x 15")

collage and acrylic on canvas

The Old Testament contains another story in which money and religious power come together. In this case, the prophet Balaam who already has supposed religious gifts, as opposed to the story of Simon Magus.  The enemies of Israel approach Balaam to pray to God against that nation, but Balaam is compelled to bless them instead.  Again, the moral is that God's favor cannot be purchased.

Acts 8

The Power Called Great (2005) (24" x 18")

collage and acrylic on canvas

When Paul and his companions travel through Gentile territory, they encounter several people claiming to have supernatural powers. Simon Magus is a rare example of one of them who is convinced of the truth of the Gospel after hearing Philip speak and seeing miracles being performed. However, it is the power that the apostles have that really impresses Simon, and he steps over the line when he offers to purchase that ability from them.

This is a troubling story because it reminds us of Jesus' words that not all who call themselves Christians are so in reality.  As Peter tells Simon Magus, "your heart is not right before God" and "you are still in...the chains of wickedness."

Acts 16

Jailbreak (2005) (9" x 11" x 1.5")

collage and wax in shadow box

The apostles seemed to have spent a lot of time in prison, but managed to witness even there. In this case, Paul and Silas were thrown into jail at the request of some men who owned a slave girl who could divine the future. Paul exorcised the spirit out of her and thereby ruined a profitable business for her owners. Economic gain is just one of the underlying motives for persecution of Christians today.

Acts 2

Peter Stood Up (2005) (12" x 16")

collage on canvas

Reading the early speeches of Peter in the Book of Acts, such as the one he delivered on the Day of Pentacost, it is easy to get the idea that he is merely laying a guilt trip on the crowd for being responsible for the death of Jesus. However, the gist of the whole speech makes it clear that it is just one of several techniques Peter uses in order to try to save them. To look at someone laying on a real guilt trip, just read Stephen's speech a little later in Acts.

Matthew 6:19-21

Moth and Rust (2014) (14" x 14")

collage on canvas

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus advises his audience not to rely on material possessions that are subject to decay of one sort or another, but instead build up heavenly treasures. Interestingly, his brother James, whose epistle is almost a commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, states that these same rotten and rusted possessions will be used as evidence against the rich at the Last Judgment. This is probably because these material goods should not have been hoarded, but could have been used to help others, thus purchasing the "pearl of great price" that Jesus speaks about elsewhere (and is shown in the center of the above collage).

Jael

Partial Portrait: Jael (2014) (6" x 6")

acrylic on canvas

That muscular arm actually belongs to a woman, named Jael. Her daring deed is recorded in Judges 4. She lured the enemy general Sisera into her tent and drove a tent peg into his head with a hammer. All in all, it was not a good day for Sisera since he was fleeing for his life at the time after his army had been defeated through the help of another woman, Deborah.  Never underestimate the power of the "weaker" sex.

Sodom and Gomorrah

Departure (2006) (36" x 24")

mixed media

The aftermath of the disaster at Sodom and Gomorrah is pictured here surrounded by images from the similarly destroyed cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum.

Lot and the Angels

Entrance (2006) (36" x 24")

mixed media on canvas

Lot greets the angels at the gates of Sodom while storm clouds gather overhead prior to the tragic events that happen next.

Samson

Samson (2014) (6" x 6")

acrylic on canvas

The flawed hero Samson is shown in repose just before his hair is cut, rendering him helpless.

Ehud

Ehud (2014) (6" x 6")

acrylic on canvas

Judge Ehud is not a judge by our definition; he is a lone assassin who daringly ventures into the palace of King Eglon of Moab. Since Ehud is left handed, he is apparently able to better conceal his sword from any guards who wish to frisk him. He then talks Eglon into letting him into his inner chamber, where Eglon is stabbed to death. How Ehud manages to escape is somewhat of a mystery. But it has been proposed that he actually may have dropped down the king's privy to a lower chamber and exited that way.

Gideon

Partial Portraits: Gideon (2014) (6" x 6")

acrylic on canvas

This is the first of four in a series featuring characters found in the Book of Judges. They are called partial portraits for two reasons. The descriptions of the judges in this book are very brief (for the most part) and do not give a three-dimensional picture of the people involved. They are usually known only for one main event in their lives, usually a violent event.

The other obvious reason they are partial portraits is that they are blown-up details from medieval paintings. For example, the above picture only shows Gideon's foot right before he picks up the fleece he cast on the ground earlier looking for a sign from God. Gideon's act is not one to be emulated since it shows his lack of faith in God's earlier words to him.

Provision

Provision (2005) ((16" x 20")

collage and acrylic on canvas

The clearest statement regarding God's provision is found in the Sermon on the Mount, in which Jesus first argues from the greater to the lesser and then from the lesser to the greater: "Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Consider the birds of the air; they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they." (Matt. 6:25-26)

Plague

Plague (2005) (16" x 20")

collage and acrylic on canvas

A surprising amount of art in the Middle Ages was preoccupied with the various plagues to which they were subject.  Our current-day plagues may be different in some ways but are still present. We should constantly remind ourselves that all things, even those we consider to be "bad," ultimately come from God and therefore can be used by Him for our purification and edification.

St. Paul

Gold Icon: St. Paul (2005) (11" x 14")

collage and acrylic on canvas

This piece captures two moments in career of Paul. The first is at the very start of his life as a Christian when he was still blind (both physically and spiritually) and being tested by Ananias.  The second event is found at the very end of Acts when Paul and his companions have been shipwrecked on their way to Rome and he suffers no ill effects from a presumably poisonous snake bite.  Paul's story is a truly amazing one from start to finish.

St. Peter

Black Icon: St. Peter (2005) (11" x 14")

collage and acrylic on canvas

This composition captures Peter's amazing transformation from a simple fisherman to one whom Jesus entrusted to "feed my sheep."  Whether you consider him the first pope or a leader among leaders, his example is certainly one to follow.

John the Baptist

Red Icon: St. John the Baptist (2005) (8" x 10")

collage and acrylic on canvas board

Sometimes John is more known for the lurid and gory story of his death than for his role as the forerunner of Christ. According to the angel Gabriel's words found at the start of Luke's Gospel, this role was prophesied centuries earlier.  There is still controversy whether John's coming is the total fulfillment of the prophecy that Elijah will come at the Last Days, but the best interpretation is to take Jesus and Gabriel at face value and assume that this event has already happened.

St. John at Patmos

Blue Icon: St. John at Patmos (2005) (8" x 10")

collage and acrylic on canvas board

I created several "icons" in this style. This one pictures the aging Apostle Paul in exile on the Island of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. The image I used for John is one of Ezra Pound, the American visionary poet who lived part of his life in exile in Italy.

Hell

Homage to Bosch (2003 (16" x 20")

collage on canvas board

I have been especially taken by the surrealist artists, including their precursor Hieronymous Bosch. This is my attempt to use the technique of collage to duplicate the bizarre visions of Hell that Bosch conjured up, whether or not they portray in the least the actuality of that place.

Epistle to the Romans

Romans (1986) (5 1/2" x 8 1/4")

mixed media construction in wooden box

This is the most elaborate of the three similar assemblages based on Paul's letters. It is composed of wax, Plaster of Paris, epoxy resin, pen and ink, and various metallic inserts.  The third row from the top pictures Paul's enigmatic metaphor in the eleventh chapter comparing the church to a tree in which the branches of a cultivated olive tree are broken off, others from a wild variety are grafted in, and then perhaps branches from the original tree will be re-grafted.  This passage has been the subject of endless debate between two different schools of theology--the Successionists who feel that the Church has taken the place of Israel as the people of God and those who feel that God has entirely separate plans for Jewish and Gentile believers.

II Corinthians

II Corinthians (1986) (6 1/2" x 5 1/2")

mixed media construction in wooden box

This is the second piece I completed in a series of boxes with colored wax. I found that it is an interesting and challenging exercise to try to represent a sky with clouds using only crayon shavings and a wood-burning tool.  As far as the symbology employed, at this point I will have to say with Robert Frost, "When I originally made it, only God and I knew what it meant. Now, only God knows."

I Corinthians

I Corinthians (1986) (5 1/2" x 5 1/4")

mixed media construction

The 16 chapters of this letter are portrayed visually through the inscribed symbols in the circles above. The whole construction is formed of colored wax and (appropriately) communion cups in a wooden box frame. I realize that the symbols are faint, but you might be able to figure out what they stand for.

James 5:19-20

Cover-Up (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

The subject in James' final words is the serious, and controversial, topic of apostasy. The most straightforward reading of this passage leads to the inescapable conclusion that it is possible for one of our Christian brothers or sisters to wander so far from the truth of the Gospel that the consequence is spiritual death (although a minority of commentators feel that only physical death is being referred to here).  However, it is still possible for that person to be turned back to the truth, and it is our duty to try to help.

James 5:13-18

Proper Responses (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

James outlines three situations when one should turn to God for help: when we are suffering, cheerful or sick. In addition, he appears to couple sickness with sinfulness in verses 15 and 16. But these are probably two separate thoughts in line with Jesus' teachings to his apostles that there is not necessarily a cause-and-effect relationship between the two.

James 5:12

Black and White (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

After all of the important teachings that have preceded this verse, James unexpectedly begins his warning against taking oaths by saying, "Above all..."  Although this is not a trivial subject by any means, this opening phrase should better be translated, "And in conclusion..."

Again, in these verses, James echoes the sayings of Christ, who explains that we should not swear by anything at all since whatever we swear by (whether by God or by the hairs on our chinny-chin-chin) is beyond our personal control.

James 5:7-11

Patience (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

These verses give advice on how to live your life in light of the fact that Christ is coming again soon. Instead of selling your property and going to a mountain top or walking around with a sign "The End is Coming," one is to live patiently in the presence of trials and not complain about other Christians---in other words, live your life normally.

James 5:1-6

Hard Evidence (2009) (9" x 12")

In the Sermon on the Mount, one of Jesus' reasons for our not trusting in wealth is that it doesn't last. He even uses the same word "rust" that James employs in this passage--the word can stand for any sort of decay.

/There is nothing wrong with wealth itself, but it should be used for good (creating jobs, charity) and not just accumulated. One commentator has said, “Most all people who are able to save and invest experience the temptation to drastically overestimate their genuine needs and/or try to secure their futures against all calamity.”The result is stored resources that could have been used more wisely. Those excess resources will be used as evidence against us at the Judgment.

James 4:13-17

Misty (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

These verses express a hard saying that seemingly discourages us from planning for the future (much as Jesus does in the Sermon on the Mount). However, the real thrust of the passage is to remind us that our life is fleeting and totally in God's hands. We should keep this in mind whenever we make detailed plans for the future.

James 4:11-12

One and Only (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

These verses sound a warning against those who choose to point a finger at others. James says, in effect, that we are judging ourselves when we do this. Ultimately, there is only one supreme judge who can condemn us or forgive us, and that is God.

James 4:1-10

Perfect Mayhem (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

Again in these verses James echoes the thoughts of Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount. He castigates those who are in love with material possessions and pray to God for more. Such people are double-minded in that they seek both God and Mammon and can't have both. This leads inevitably to conflicts with those around them.

James 3:13-18

Up and Down (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

Paraphrasing C. S. Lewis: We should view each person we meet as either the most glorious angel or as the most hideous demon since one of the two will be the ultimate fate of each of us.

James 3:1-12

Out of Control (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

The power of words is the subject of these verse, which echo the teachings in the Book of Proverbs. James highlights the uses of the tongue by employing both positive (steering ships, riding horses) and negative (wildfire, poison) images.

James 2:14-26

Faith is a Verb (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper



One confusing issue for many Christians is the seeming discrepancy between James and Paul concerning the question of faith versus works. This is especially true since both authors use Abraham as a prime example to prove their respective ideas.

The best solution I have found to resolve the issue is to consider a basic principle of hermeneutics (the science and art of interpretation). One should always let an author define his own words. So an instructive exercise is to go through the key passages in Paul and James and write down how each one of them defines the words faith, work and law. You will soon see that there is no contradiction between their teachings, just slight differences in how they define their terms.

James 2:8-13

Transgressors (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

This is an interesting passage in that James plays on the various meanings of the word "law."  First he states (as did Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount) that we are still liable for judgment under the laws of the Ten Commandments. However, we are to speak and act under the commands of a new law, the law of liberty (also mentioned in James 1:25). And if we do, then we will be judged mercifully by God.

James 2:1-7

Cross of Gold (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

James gives a powerful example in these verses that is still applicable today. The question is, "How to we view visitors to our church services?" Is it according to their socio-economic status or their status as someone that Christ died for?

James 1:26-27

Pure Religion (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

These verses do a wonderful job of encapsulating the basics of Christian behavior in two areas that must both be embraced by the believer: maintaining purity in an impure world and entering into the world to help those in distress. Unfortunately, many Christian groups gravitate toward one or the other and thus become either exclusive separatists or those who preach the social gospel only.

James 1:22-25

Amnesia (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper

In these verses, James compares those who are self-deceived (hearers of the word who refuse to follow through with concrete actions) to those who look in a mirror but soon afterward forget what they look like. This collage features a picture of Agatha Christie at her desk since she actually did suffer from an episode of amnesia once.



James 1:19-21

His Master's Voice (2009) (9" x 12")

collage on paper



James echoes Proverbs in the first part of this passage urging us to "be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger."  But, he continues, you must also rid yourself of all sordidness in order to hear God's word and plant it in your heart.