In class we discussed the Ecstasy of Saint Theresa by artist Bernini. Ecstasy is defined as intense delight. It is divine joy. The idea of joy is different from happiness. Happiness is an emotion. It comes and goes depending on one's mood. Joy is spiritual. It is not created by us, but by God to be experienced by us. Bernini exhibited this joy in Saint Theresa's face. I don't know the exact quote, but C.S. Lewis said "joy cannot be fulfilled by anything on earth. It can only be pricked." Joy is heavenly. We get a taste of it here, but it is experienced in a place of complete goodness. This is where art is purely religious. Not only because the subjects, Saint Theresa and the angel, are religious, but because of what the statue is communicating. It is a feeling beyond us. I think many art forms can do this. This seems to be true religious art. Maritain said, "If you want to make Christian art, be Christians, and seek to make a beautiful work in which your entire heart lies; do not try to make it Christian." The religious aspect of this art is the heart of it; it is what the artist is trying to communicate.
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