(Jesus talks about the coming of the kingdom, and about who will find themselves in and out of God's favour when all is revealed at the end. According to Jesus, the test is quite simple: do we or do we not see, love, and reach out to Jesus in the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the naked, the sick, and the imprisoned people of our time?)
Timothy Schmalz is an almost-local (Kitchener, ON) sculptor whose life-size and small-replica statutes of the hungry, homeless, naked, imprisoned and otherwise very human Jesus are showing up all around the world.
Homeless Jesus
On his website, Schmalz says, "I am devoted to
creating artwork that glorifies Christ. I describe my
sculptures as being visual prayers. It brings me happiness
when my sculptures are installed outside; three dimensional bronze works
of art are excellent advertisements for any Christian Church."
When I Was a Stranger
He goes on, "Saint Gregory the Great
wrote that 'art is for the illiterate'; the use of images was an
extremely effective way to educate the general population. Our
contemporary culture is in the same state today, not because of
illiteracy, but because people are too busy to read. In this world of
fast paced schedules and sound bites, Christian art creates 'visual
bites' that introduce needed spiritual truths in a universal language."
When I Was Hungry and Thirsty
He says further, "Christian sculpture
acts for many as a gateway into the Gospels and the viewer’s own
spirituality. After looking at an interesting piece of art the viewer is
curious. 'Who is this man on a cross? Why does he suffer?' The more
powerful the representation of the art, the more powerful the questions
become."
When I Was Naked
When I Was in Prison
"...excellent advertisements for any Christian church..."
"...an extremely effective way to educate the general population..."
Can you imagine any of these sculptures (which one would you choose?) on the front lawn of our church?
How would you feel being greeted by it on a Sunday morning? What would it say to you?
What might it say to people in the community?
And are there ways in which we communicate that message to others -- even without the statue, by what we do and how we act as a church, and as individuals in the community?
Can you imagine any of these sculptures (which one would you choose?) on the front lawn of our church?
How would you feel being greeted by it on a Sunday morning? What would it say to you?
What might it say to people in the community?
And are there ways in which we communicate that message to others -- even without the statue, by what we do and how we act as a church, and as individuals in the community?
If you wish, you can learn more about Schmalz and his work at his website: https://www.sculpturebytps.com/large-statues-monuments/
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