75 masterpieces every Christian should know : the fascinating stories behind great works of art, literature, music, and film

425 Pages·2015·28.47 MB·English

by  Glaspey

© 2015 by Terry Glaspey Published by Baker Books a division of Baker Publishing Group P.O. Box 6287,
Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakerbooks.com
Ebook edition created 2015
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or
transmitted in any form or by any means—for example, electronic, photocopy, recording—without the prior
written permission of the publisher. The only exception is brief quotations in printed reviews.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data is on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC.
ISBN 978-1-4934-0046-1
Unless otherwise indicated, Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, New International Version®.
NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All
rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com
Interior design by William Overbeeke
“What a treasure to see how God has used the talents of his people to express their faith and his glory
through music, literature, architecture, and more. I loved seeing threads of God’s goodness woven
throughout each unique story. Thank you, Terry, for your passion to bring these masterpieces to our
attention and into our hearts!”
—Lysa TerKeurst, New York Times bestselling author and president of Proverbs 31
Ministries “Why should the Creator have stopped speaking through art and music with
Giotto or Bach? In this beautifully illustrated and conceived book, Terry Glaspey takes us
on a comprehensive tour of art, music, and architecture from the ancient world up to the
present.”
Michael Card, singer/songwriter and bestselling author “Thousands of Christian books are
published every year. In the midst of the steady torrent of clamoring voices, there will
inevitably stand above the rest a few that make a unique mark. This is one of these books.
My friend Terry has penned a gem here, helping us see and appreciate the voice of God’s
Spirit in the cultural matrix of the now and the past. 75 Masterpieces Every Christian
Should Know is simply magical. Trust me. This stands way out.”
—Dr. A. J. Swoboda, professor at George Fox Evangelical Seminary and author of A
Glorious Dark “Terry Glaspey offers a feast of art, film, music, and literature to satisfy the
soul. In 75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know he presents enduring works that
brilliantly express the faith, exploring their meaning, technique, and significance. An
essential for any Christian, this book beautifully celebrates the creative spirit of
Christianity.”
—Judith Couchman, art historian and author of The Art of Faith and The Mystery of the
Cross “As a songwriter, I have found it impossible to separate the most important part of
my life—my faith—from my music. Thanks to Terry’s new book, I now see that I am in
good company. Terry masterfully blends his gift of words with his passion for history and
the arts, making it inspiringly clear that so many of the greatest works of art in history
indeed do bear the fingerprints of our Creator.”
—Matthew West, award-winning singer/songwriter “This is more than a collection of art;
it is a trove of carefully studied treasures. Terry Glaspey’s research and insights combine,
much like the art he’s studied, to create rich and redemptive readings that both engage and
inspire. These pages will cause you to wonder at the creative genius resplendent in the
people of God and fill you with the pleasure of his presence as it appears in all things
skillfully crafted.”
—Dr. Marty Trammell, Humanities Chair, Corban University “I absolutely love this
book! Reading 75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know feels like a walk through an
art museum, where you relish each creative piece before you. To discover commonality in
the creative works of Dante, Hildegard of Bingen, Albrecht Dürer, Michelangelo, Martin
Luther, Frederick Buechner, J. R. R. Tolkien, Emily Dickinson, Bob Dylan, and dozens of
other artists, musicians, painters, writers, and scholars from various time periods is to find
my heartbeat. Terry doesn’t just introduce us to these fascinating, breathtakingly beautiful
works of art—some of them familiar and some of them new—but also shares the
background of each artist’s life, faith, historical timeframe, and how they came to craft their
particular work. While experiencing this book, you will, as Buechner’s Saint Godric, find
‘the grace of God smack in the middle of a fallen world.’”
—Cornelia Becker Seigneur, author of WriterMom Tales and founding director of the
Faith & Culture Writers Conference “Terry Glaspey seems to know a bit about everything
and a lot about the things that matter most. I would read anything he wrote, but this unique
volume surpassed my great expectations. If you enjoy pondering the connections between
faith, art, culture, and daily discipleship, you will adore this. 75 Masterpieces Every
Christian Should Know is itself a masterpiece. Who else can tell you about a painting by
Caravaggio, a novel by Jane Austen, and a live album by Johnny Cash all in the same
book? Thanks be to God for Glaspey’s clear faith, informed knowledge, and winsome
writing that can help us glean spiritual insight in cultural projects from to Dante to Dylan,
from Rembrandt to The Tree of Life.”
—Byron Borger, owner and founder of Hearts and Minds Bookstore “Most writers just set
the table, but Terry Glaspey has brought the meal. By curating these great works into one
book, Terry offers an artful feast of the ages! Come and partake; you will not leave hungry!
He reminds us that we have a magnificent ‘heritage in the arts of which we can be
justifiably proud.’ May this rich album of our artistic inheritance inspire us as we but ‘stand
on the shoulders’ of the giants who have come before. Every artist should read this book.
Every Christian should too.”
—Nicole Johnson, author, dramatist for Women of Faith “In 75 Masterpieces Every
Christian Should Know, Terry Glaspey traces the scarlet thread of Christian thought
through the ages, following it through the veins of fine art, music, poetry, and architecture.
Expounding upon the historical significance of each masterpiece, and including stunning
images, Glaspey opens the vault, showing us the treasures of our Christian artistic heritage.
A page-turner from the start, 75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know exposes us to
the uncommon beauty birthed by the uncommon men and women of faith. Simply put,
Glaspey’s work is one of the most informative, enjoyable, and artistically inspirational
books I’ve read in some time.”
—Seth Haines, author of Coming Clear “Terry Glaspey has done us all a great favor with
his new book, 75 Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know. He invites us to become his
traveling companions on an adventure through two thousand years of Christian expression.
These stories will inspire and expand your appreciation for the beauty, glory, majesty, and
mystery of God as expressed through art, literature, music, and film.”
—Jim Thomas, pastor of The Village Chapel, Nashville, Tennessee “Sitting down with 75
Masterpieces Every Christian Should Know is like enjoying a great meal at a fine restaurant
—it’s rich, it’s fulfilling, and each new piece is wonderful. There is so much to like I’m not
even sure where to start. Terry Glaspey has created a great read, with interesting stories
about the best art ever created.”
—Dr. Chip MacGregor, MacGregor Literary Agency “New York Times columnist David
Brooks has written that when ‘you experience great art, you widen your repertoire of
emotions.’ If Brooks is right (and I believe he is), then Terry Glaspey has given us a
profound resource for expanding our repertoire through the works he introduces and
reflects on wisely, deeply, and artfully in this book. Feast on the sights, sounds, and words
covered here as Glaspey does what few could with such elegance: dwell on centuries of art,
architecture, poetry, books, music, and film created to the glory of God and in doing so,
open a well of appreciation—and emotion—in the hearts and minds of his readers.”
—Jeff Crosby, editor and compiler, Days of Grace through the Year “75 Masterpieces
Every Christian Should Know is a spectacular affirmation that yes, we are created in God’s
image. The very God who created the cosmos has placed within us the desire to create as
well—no wonder we are so compelled to paint, to write, to sing! This book is a museum
unlike any other—one that explores some of the noblest expressions of human creativity
that, in one way or another, point back to the majesty and beauty of God. You’ll find
yourself enriched as you survey the remarkable variety of ways people who profess faith
have reflected God’s image in the arts.”
—Steve Miller, author of C. H. Spurgeon on Spiritual Leadership “Writing voluminously
through lovingly spare words, Terry Glaspey has done a great service to the church and the
world. He reminds us of the loamy richness that is the legacy of those who relentlessly
‘kick at the darkness till it bleeds daylight.’ There is so much to be grateful for in this
book.”
—Steve Bell, award-winning singer/songwriter
For all the creatives
who carry on the tradition
of expressing your faith
with skill, artistic integrity, and a sense of wonder.
You are a part of the story this book tells . . .
Contents
Cover 1
Title Page 3
Copyright Page 4
Endorsements 5
Dedication 7
Acknowledgments 13
Introduction 15
1. Paintings in the Roman Catacombs, unknown (paintings, c. 300) 19
2. The Book of Kells, unknown (illuminated manuscript, c. 550) 23
3. Gregorian Chant, unknown (choral works, c. 580) 27
4. Ordo Virtutum, Hildegard of Bingen (choral work, c. 1151) 31
5. Chartres Cathedral, unknown (cathedral, 1134) 35
6. The Windows of Sainte-Chapelle, unknown (stained glass, 1248) 40
7. The Divine Comedy, Dante (poem, c. 1320) 44
8. The Scrovegni Chapel Frescoes, Giotto (paintings, c. 1305) 48
9. The Holy Trinity Icon, Andrei Rublev (painting, c. 1410) 52
10. The Adoration of the Lamb, Jan van Eyck (paintings, 1432) 56
11. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse, Albrecht Dürer (woodcut,
1498) 60
12. The Garden of Earthly Delights, Hieronymus Bosch (paintings,
c. 1500) 64
13. The Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michelangelo (painting, 1508–12) 69
14. “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God,” Martin Luther (hymn, c. 1529) 74
15. The Procession to Calvary, Pieter Brueghel (painting, 1564) 78
16. The Burial of the Count of Orgaz, El Greco (painting, c. 1586) 82
17. The Incredulity of Saint Thomas, Caravaggio (painting, 1601–2) 87
18. The Holy Sonnets, John Donne (poems, 1633) 92
19. The Temple, George Herbert (poems, 1633) 96
20. Agnus Dei, Francisco de Zurbarán (painting, c. 1635–40) 100
21. St. Teresa in Ecstasy, Bernini (sculpture, 1652) 104
22. The Return of the Prodigal Son, Rembrandt (painting, c. 1669) 109
23. The Pilgrim’s Progress, John Bunyan (novel, 1678) 114
24. “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross,” Isaac Watts (hymn, 1707) 118
25. St. Matthew’s Passion, Johann Sebastian Bach (oratorio, 1727) 122
26. Messiah, Georg Frideric Handel (oratorio, 1741) 126
27. “Amazing Grace,” John Newton (hymn, 1779) 130
28. Songs of Innocence and Experience, William Blake (poems, 1789–
94) 134
29. The Creation, Franz Joseph Haydn (oratorio, 1798) 139
30. Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen (novel, 1813) 143
31. The Wanderer above the Sea of Fog, Caspar David Friedrich (painting,
1818) 147
32. Symphony no. 5, The Reformation, Felix Mendelssohn (classical music,
1830) 151
33. The Voyage of Life, Thomas Cole (paintings, 1842) 155
34. The Light of the World, William Holman Hunt (painting, 1854) 161
35. The Heart of the Andes, Frederic Edwin Church (painting, 1859) 165
36. Fairy Tales, George MacDonald (stories, c. 1871) 170
37. The Brothers Karamazov, Fyodor Dostoyevsky (novel, 1879) 174
38. La Sagrada Familia Cathedral, Antoni Gaudi (cathedral, begun 1882) 178