Religion and People-Amy Jackson

Outside reading

"Religion operates not only on the vertical plane but also on the horizontal. It seeks not only to integrate men with God but to integrate men with men and each man with himself." -Martin Luther King Jr.

This quote made me think about the reasons for religious art. Yes, it is to connect the person viewing the art with God. To give them a sense of the divine and contemplate other ideas. But I think there is another reason. As Martin Luther King Jr. says, religion connects people. If two people are participating in a piece of religious art, whether they are looking at a painting, reading a poem, listening to music, they might have a similar experience. This experience most likely varies from person to person, but they can relate by discussing their experience. We did this in class with the drum circle. If religion seeks to integrate men with men, then religious art seeks to do the same. He also says that religion seeks to integrate each man with himself. If the art is religious, then the person experiencing it finds out something about themselves through the art. They are faced with feelings and questions. Religion seeks to connect and this is often accomplished through art.