Collide Magazine

The Fine Art of Criticism

Scott McClellan - Originally posted Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Criticism (noun) - 
the analysis and judgment of the merits and faults of a literary or artistic work

What is it inside of men and women that inspires us to create? What moves us to draw on the walls of caves, write poetry, sing songs, sculpt raw materials, paint, and make films? As Christians, we think we know. We believe we were created by Creator and in some way bear his creative image. Thus, we create.

But what about criticism? Why do we instinctively criticize every created thing? My uneducated guess is that there are two reasons. The first, more noble reason is that art by definition elicits a response from the observer. The artist speaks through his or her art and the viewer responds with his or her thoughts, impressions, and reactions. Art is a conversation; it is not passive or flat or self-sufficient. Like a tree that falls in the forest when no one is there to hear it, a work of art, unless it has been observed, hasn’t said anything. In this way, an artist expresses an idea or feeling and the observers answer: “I identified with the artist’s angst,” “She was trying to communicate hope, but it felt contrived to me,” or “What did he mean by ‘I drink your milkshake’?” As artists and observers converse, something of value happens while we examine art, God, the meaning of life, and the human experience.

The second reason I think we criticize is more sinister. We criticize because we are broken and want others to know they’re broken, too. We are self-centered and so we declare the extent to which a work of art has failed to satisfy or impress us. We desperately seek the approval of others and so we withhold our approval. We are insecure about our talents and abilities and so we deride the talents and abilities (or lack thereof) of others. We criticize because we’re not perfect and neither is anything we create.

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So how can you tell whether an individual’s criticism is motivated by the first reason or the second? I don’t think it’s hard to distinguish. Listen to the words and listen to the tone in which they are spoken. Listen for thoughtful engagement with and evaluation of the subject and listen for dimwitted insults hurled at the subject and anyone who appreciated the subject. If you’ll just listen, you’ll have a good idea about the origin of an observer’s critique. Chances are it’ll be either reasonable discourse or undercooked diatribe. Either way, just by listening you might learn more about the observer than the art or artist.

But what about criticism and the Christian? I don’t believe, as some might suggest (or practice), that we’re to avoid criticism because we’re Christians. As you may have discerned from my earlier guesswork about criticism, I don’t believe the practice is inherently bad. Potentially bad? Of course--what isn’t potentially bad in the hands of broken people? To me, to avoid criticism is to avoid art, or at least, to avoid any meaningful interaction with art.

Rather than attempt to make criticism and Christianity two mutually exclusive pursuits, it would be more beneficial to determine where the two overlap. If art has value because it is inspired by a creative Creator, and if meaningful interaction with art inspires a critical response, it stands to reason that a thoughtful, generous examination of the merits and faults of a particular work of art also has value. (Note: That examination is of the merits and faults of the art, not the artist. If you’re looking for justification for criticizing people, you won’t find it here.)

If we are to critique, we must avoid two things: setting our Christianity aside while we critique or re-shaping (perverting?) our Christianity to allow for acrimonious degradation, prideful derision, and envious sniping. None of Jesus’ instructions about loving God and others can be suspended when we critique. None of Paul’s teaching on humility and edifying speech can be ignored when we critique. To follow Christ is to follow him everywhere, from the art gallery floor to the live music venue to the church media website. When we as Christians engage art--whether it be a sermon illustration video, a song on the radio, or whatever--let us do so in a manner worthy of our calling as the Church. As corny or basic as it may sound, let us critique with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. This kind of criticism is much more challenging than the convenient and dismissive habit of declaring that something “sucks.” But I think we’re up to the challenge.

As a wise man once told me, “Hurting people hurt people.” Too often that is what criticism entails (whether originating from within the Church or not). Allow me to suggest that redeemed people ought to be in the business of redemption.

Note: Over a year ago, Scott blogged about critiquing church media here and here.