Emerging Christian artists often desire to make important and meaningful work while remaining both true to their beliefs and faithful as artists. Whether it is due to pressure (direct or indirect) from family, the church, religious institutions, or peers, they regularly favor making overtly “Christian” art. To provide them with a multiplicity of options for making, this research explores six different philosophical approaches for Christian studio artists:

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• Biblical- the art object is outwardly religious/spiritual

• Liturgical- the making is an act of worship

• Incarnational- everything made is intrinsically Christian

• Prophetic- compelled to express, the artist speaks out about injustice and/or darkness

• Ritualistic- dedication to the habit of making becomes religious in itself

• Dynamic- the artist moves freely between all approaches

 

Each of these methods are described and explained in this paper, which also includes an apologetic for making and a charge for artists regardless of their approach.