Today our churches meet in shabby worship spaces by comparison–some even in high school gyms.  Let me be clear that I am not advocating a return to focusing resources on physical buildings when it could be used to build bridges for the gospel.  I am struck however by our lack of visual arts.  In centuries past this meant paintings and sculptures today it means video and interactive media.  In the past the Church commissioned these works.  This meant that the artist was paid, and that the Church directed the theme and purpose of the art.  Today artists create their work and hope to sell it rather than getting commissioned to create works of art for patrons.  The main way art is created for patrons today is through advertising.  And if you think about many art in churches and even the buildings themselves communicated and advertised its message.

Here is an example of the work of Caravaggio, part of a chapel dedicated to St. Matthew which depicts the Calling of St. Matthew and the Inspiration of the Gospel.

Another great example is the church of Santa Maria in Trastevere. This church dates from the 4th century and has fantastic mosaics.

What can be done to encourage this today?  Is Vegie Tales our version of Berninni sculptures?  Do we have really skilled artists like Michaelangelo working their entire lives to create masterpieces of visual art?  Are we surrounded by the visual arts in our worship?   I think we may have a long way to go…

The reason for all of this was tied up in the idea of memory.  The Roman emperors were especially concerned with how they would be remembered and for them memory was the link to the eternal.  Their buildings were a testament to their power and would still remain when they were gone.  And so I found in Rome a disturbing quest for eternity that ranges from violent emperors to corrupt popes expressed in everything from religion and construction to art and culture.

Being there in physical space and seeing the immense structures from the Colosseum to St. Peters Basilica, brings this whole idea in focus.  St. Peters took so long to build that the last pope just plastered his name on the front of the building and took credit for the whole project–no mention of Peter the Apostle.  Maybe the pope really was that unsure of his salvation…

What I discovered, thanks to our well educated guide, was that the Colosseum was really the main vehicle for communication in Ancient Rome.  If you are an emperor with a population of over one million people how do you tell everyone of the heroic battles you’ve just won far away?  And if you are really subduing nations how do you communicate your power without CNN?  You need the violence of the games and events in the Colosseum to reenact and reenforce the power you have.  The Colosseum was in reality state controlled propaganda.

Think of the labor involved in daily games at the Colosseum or in the building projects in and around Rome.  Fortunes were spent on these things, today we spend them in media, advertising, and public relations and likely in similar proportions.

What I did find interesting was that our guide, who was really fantastic, brought this idea of memory and experience together in helping us to understand both ourselves and Ancient Rome.  Physically standing in the Colosseum is very different from text book education.  It crystallized for me in a real way and the memory of Rome for me is now a powerful experience.  I could see myself as part of Ancient Rome both in the past, present and future.  We walked and walked and walked in Rome.  Some days as much as 8 miles in the 95 degree, high humidity of July in Rome.  Starting as early as 8 AM, using public transport, sitting at a coffee bar just to rest for an hour or two.  Turn the corner and statues or buildings of massive scale present themselves.  Piazzas everywhere filled with people.  Even though our hotel room had air conditioning we had to purchase a fan in order to sleep.

All of this gave me a much deeper understanding for its culture, personality, and values.  Sometimes the little things you experience if you really get local when you travel makes all the difference.  Confidence, flamboyance, posture, and attitude all translate best in person.  They did so much in Ancient times without the creature comforts we take for granted.  And they did things with passion, intention, and detail.  I don’t think I would have been able to put Rome together from the comfort of an air conditioned bus tour with a few short stops and a five star hotel.  And I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone who truly wants to get to know Rome.

As for memory and experience, all of these blog posts are my modern way of capturing it in memorial.

The Ex

Originally uploaded by viewfromtheheitz

This is a wonderful painting by my friend Michelle. I’ve named it “The Ex” because as the story goes she painted this during a protracted breakup period. Michelle is a great artist and one of the more interesting creative people I know. She’s probably working her magic on a new line of nutritious breads for local coffee houses, but one day she will get back to painting. The Ex is now prominently featured in my home with the frame picked out by my sister Lindsay. Good choice on the frame Lindsay. I’m accepting offers on reproductions with proceeds going to the artist.