I recently had to write a paper for my Senior Seminar for Christian Studies majors. I thought I'd present you all with my paper. Keep in mind I haven't double checked for grammar just yet but I'll put up an updated version soon. :P

INTRODUCTION

Taking a quick glance across churches the world, one can immediately notice a striking change in not only theology but the use of the visual arts. Why is there such a huge change across denominations in the use of images? Artists across history have created many masterpieces of work in the name of God but are these images biblical? Would it be morally wrong to display Jesus or God in the form of a sculpture? Can the Word of God be taught not only by means of words but pictures? Is artwork able to help someone worship God? Is the use of imagery within the church nothing more than idolatry? These questions are just a few that might come up in regards to the use of images in the church setting.

The purpose of this paper is to take a historical, theological, and biblical look at the use of the visual arts in the worship setting and find the practical application to the conclusions in an effort to better equip the reader for Christian ministry. This process will first take place by looking at the church's relationship with imagery across history. A theological summary will also illustrate what many theologians have thought about said subject. Also, what the Bible states about imagery and its use must be assessed and understood. Finally, a practical application will be given in order to find out how to apply what has been learned in a manner that is effective and biblical.

If you'd like to read the rest of the post then you may here. :P (It was too long to fit here... a 20,000 character limit wasn't high enough... o.0)