Christian Art
"Christian art" is a term
which, while it always applies to the fine arts and their
creations only, is nevertheless used in more than one meaning
which we must distinguish in this encyclopedia. Most frequently we
designate by Christian art, the fine arts in as much as we
find them in the service of the Church, i.e. in so far as they
serve either to construct or to embellish houses of worship, the
homes of the consecrated servants of God, monasteries, convents,
the last resting-places of the faithful, etc., or in as much as
they beautify the rites and ceremonies of the Church. In this
sense, Christian art is also called ecclesiastical art, and we
find it convenient to treat this subject under the title
ECCLESIASTICAL ART. But Christian art is sometimes also used to
denote the fine arts and their creations, in as much as they are
in harmony with Christian ideals and principles. In this regard
Christian art will be treated under the several special headings
into which its divisions naturally fall. (See PAINTING; MUSIC;
SCULPTURE etc.)
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