A Palette of Thoughts Concerning Christianity in

American History By T.Weaver

The American rendering of

Christianity can be compared to

an artist painting a picture. Artist employ various

methods, colors, styles, mediums, and include their

own personal perspective to portray what

they wish to their audience. This parallels with Christianity in

America. Historically

people have used God, the Bible, and Christian

themes for divine approval of their

particular movement, cause, and actions.

Painters sometimes use a method called underpainting: “In art, an underpainting is an initial layer of paint applied to a ground, which serves as a base for subsequent layers of paint. Underpaintings are often monochromatic and help to define color values for later painting. As subsequent layers of paint are applied and the image begins to take shape through color and dimension the underpainting is eventually lost” (Underpainting article).

Artistic Technique: Underpainting

This concept can be applied to the settlement of Jamestown. The early settlers of Jamestown perhaps came with good intentions; searching for religious freedom and having a goal of Christianizing the Native Americans. This underpainting is most often the focus we have heard in discussions of Christianity in America. With a closer look however, we see the situation takes on the bold and undesirable colors of greed and self-interest. This is mostly clearly seen in the mistreatment of the Native Americans (America’s Christian Roots).

Underpainting Application

Painting Styles

Modernism Impressionism

SurrealismAbstract

Over the centuries there has been an ever evolving spectrum of style in the world of painting. Modernism represented no boundaries in reaction to traditional

methods, Impressionism gave much attention to color and reflection, the Abstract style focused on colors and shapes

that represented emotions and feelings of the human heart, while Surrealism contained elements of surprise and

juxtaposition (An Introduction).

In the history of Christianity in America we can also observe differences of style, method, and focus. Charles Finney is such an example. From 1792-1835 Finney used a specific style in his revivalist preaching to bring about the results he desired. In his drive to see conversions among his audience he deliberately raised the emotional temperature of the meetings by having women pray publically and also implementing the “anxious bench” to sit on for those who were under the Spirit’s conviction. In order to wear people down and make them more susceptible to conversion he lengthened his meetings to four hours and beyond. He clearly used an emphasis on emotional fervor to carry on his revivalist and social reform agenda (Farley).

A Style Applied

Charles Finney (1792-1875)

• The Artist’s Brush Stroke is the configuration given to paint by contact with the bristles of a brush; it is also the paint left on a surface by a single application of a brush or palette knife —often used figuratively to describe the quality especially of a narrative or description <a story told in broad brushstrokes (Brushstroke article).

• Artists use different sizes of brushes along with different sizes of brush strokes to convey messages of depth, importance, subtleness and boldness.

The Artist’s Brush Stroke

The New England Puritans used large brush strokes to boldly proclaim their beliefs. They saw themselves as the Old Testament Israel and used the Bible as their political blueprint. They exaggerated their role of colonists as having a special position before God. The City upon a Hill became a model of morality rather than true Christianity.

Brush Stroke Application

Excerpts from John Winthrop’s Sermon:• the Lord will be our God and delight to dwell among us• as his own people he command a blessing upon us in all our

ways• we shall find the God of Israel is among us• he shall make us a praise and glory that men shall say of

succeeding plantations :the lord make it like that of New England

• we must consider the we shall be as a City Upon a Hill, they eyes of all people are upon us

• if we shall deal falsely with our god in this work he will withdraw his present help from us (Harbin 1).

Brush Stroke ApplicationThe Civil Rights movement : The Civil Rights movement also had bold brush strokes:

• declaring the gospel has the power to redeem sinful individuals as well as sinful social institutions (Harbin 155).

• the civil rights movement had a goal of getting rid of segregation in the South. Although this was a political move it was very much advanced in overt ways through religious means by mobilizing churches and through the leadership of ministers and often through speeches that sounded like sermons and through songs and hymns like, “We Shall Overcome.” It had the broad stroke feel of a religious crusade (Harbin 150).

For some artists, painting is a

relaxing, therapeutic hobby of choice.

Painting for Recreation

1. A god exists who created and ordered true world and watches over human life on earth.

2. God wants people to be good, nice, and fair to each other, as taught in the Bible and by most world religions.

3. The central goal of life is to be happy and feel good about oneself.

4. God does not need to be particularly involved in one’s life except when God is needed to resolve a problem.

5. Good people go to heaven when they die (Mohler).

Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, the new American Religion consists of beliefs such as…

Recreational Christianity

Artists use many combinations of paint colors to find one that best suits the subject

matter and the thought they wish to

express.

A Palette of Colors

The founding fathers used a palette of references to God and the Bible to frame their speeches and writings.

“Biblical expressions and figures of speech were ubiquitous in the founders rhetoric. The language of the English Bible so permeated the vernacular that

some speakers and writers may not always have been conscious of the fact that a popular phrase or allusion had Biblical origins” (Harbin 154) .

Colors of Christian Rhetoric

Artists past and present used art to influence their viewers

The Influence of Art

Men of the past used God and themes in Christianity as leverage for their particular cause.

• As a result of a direct revelation from God, John Brown planned and carried out the raid at Harpers Ferry to obtain weapons to lead an insurrection among slaves.

• In light of his failed attempt, the public was divided; some , considered his execution the death of a murderer, and some a martyr.

• “Ralph Waldo Emerson predicted that Brown would make the gallows as glorious as the cross” (John Brown’s Raid).

Christianity as Political Influence

Christianity as Political Influence

The rise of the new Right headed by men such as Jerry Falwell relied heavily on God and Christianity to elevate their position and to sway the public toward supporting their cause.

“Get ‘em saved—get ‘em registered.”

“If God lifts his hand from America, its all over, and if America loses her freedom, the free world is gone. America should bless the world” (Christian Perspectives).

Quotes by Jerry Falwell

Christianity as Political Influence

• In the original 19th century context, the advocates of Manifest Destiny took great liberty to intermingle the work of Christ and his Church with the role of the United States.• “We proclaim to the millions of

other lands that ‘the gates of hell’—the power of aristocracy and monarchy shall not prevail against it.”—John O’Sullivan (democratic journalist from NYC in 1845). (Harbin 108).

Manifest Destiny

In painting or drawing, perspective is a way of

portraying three dimensions on a flat,

two-dimensional surface by suggesting

depth or distance (Perspective).

Artistic Technique: Perspective

• The “peculiar institution” of slavery was

not only expedient but also ordained by

God and upheld in Holy Scripture.”

• “You suffered horribly…but if the slave

ships had not arrived and brought you

to the new world, you wouldn’t have

found Jesus.

• “God instituted slavery due to African’s

pagan idolatry.”

• In addition to perceived religious

support, the Southern states held to the

need for slavery for economic stability

(Harbin 116).

Application: Southern PerspectiveThe slavery issue is a good example of this artistic concept. We have 3 very different perspectives on the slavery issue all claiming God to be on their side.

“The Battle Hymn of the Republic” is a powerful envisage of the North’s belief concerning the Civil War. They were on a mission of God to fight in this holy war.

Application : Northern Perspective

The slaves held to a doctrine of deliverance referencing scriptures related to Moses leading the children of Israel out from under Egyptian bondage.

Application: Slaves’ PerspectiveWe can clearly see their dearly held beliefs through the soulful spirituals written and sung during this period.

We are wise to ponder the past artistic liberty used on the canvas of American Christianity in order to think deeply and paint appropriately the picture of true Christianity in our present day.

Works Cited

"America's Christian Roots." YouTube. Calvin College, n.d. Web. 01 Nov. 2015.

"Brushstroke." Merriam-Webster. Merriam-Webster, n.d. Web. 30 Oct. 2015.

Farley, William P. "Charles Finney: The Controversial Evangelist." The Enrichment Journal. Assemblies of God, 2015. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.

Harbin, Justin, Prof., comp. Christianity & America Course Reader. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print. Copyright 2015

“Christian Perspectives” Class notes. Professor Justin Harbin. Fall 2015.

"An Introduction to Different Types of Art Painting Styles." OrangeCarton Blog. Orange Carton.com, 28 May 2013. Web. 22 Oct. 2015.

"John Brown's Raid." Ushistory.org. Independence Hall Association, n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2015.

Mohler, R. Albert, Jr. "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism--the New American Religion." Christian Post. The Christian Post, 18 Apr. 2005. Web. 28

Oct. 2015.

Noll, Mark, and George Marsden. "America's Christian Roots." YouTube. Calvin College, 7 Apr. 2012. Web. 29 Oct. 2015.

"Perspective." Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 1 Nov. 2015.

"Underpainting." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 28 Oct. 2015.