Bob Jones University Museum and Gallery
Quote of the Day:
"In the words of Henry Hope, who first introduced the university’s museum to the public (“The Bob Jones University Collection of Religious Art,” Art Journal XXV, no. 2 (1965–66): 154–162), the spirit of the collection is “more that of the Counter Reformation than of Martin Luther” (162). In this respect, little has changed since Hope (followed by Donald and Kathleen Weil-Garris Posner’s, “More on the Bob Jones University Collection of Religious Art,” Art Journal XXVI, no. 2 [1966–67]: 144-153) reviewed the collection almost forty years ago; the holdings still overwhelmingly salute traditional Catholic religious themes (or Catholic interpretations of Old Testament events and personages)." David M. Kowal
The following is a letter I wrote years ago to the Editor of The Perilous Times newsletter regarding an article they ran about BJU's Museum and Art Gallery. I sent a copy to Dr. Bob Jones Jr. so as to provide him with an opportunity to respond. Of course, he did not.
The Perilous Times expose on the Bob Jones University Museum and Gallery prompted some interesting discussion with a fellow BJU grad who is a music minister. My friend had two comments on the article.
First, he opined that the ornate canvasses painted by the old masters were to be appreciated on the basis of their sheer beauty. Incidental doctrinal errors (once known as heresy) in the Roman Catholic masters’ artistry should be excused for beauty’s sake.
By applying such a standard, the rock opera Jesus Christ, Superstar could be judged as an appropriate operatic artform for a Christian. Indeed, the operatic media, the artistic canvass on which Jesus Christ, Superstar is ‘painted,’ exhibits great melodic beauty at times. Many Christians have unwittingly been enchanted by some of these beautiful tunes. Yet, the beautiful melodies with which artists characterize Jesus Christ as a pop culture “superstar” betray the holiness and the person of our Savior. What is the difference between the new heresies of the pop culture and the aged heresies of Romish masters being propagated by Bob Jones University Museum and Gallery? BJU has rejected the Biblical principle in I Th. 5:21: “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.”
Secondly, my fellow Bob Jones University grad friend thought the article was unduely critical and confrontational. He said that the article just did not make allowances for the “good” done by BJU.
Evidently, my friend is confused by the inconsistencies between the talk and the walk, the teaching and the contradictory example coming from the leaders of Bob Jones University. My favorite professor of history, Dr. Panosian, taught the following concerning those who insist on mixing things like artistic beauty and heretical error: “Wherever truth exposes error, error will oppose truth, and truth will be drawn into conflict. The believer must both stand and advance against the enemy. Although controversy is not to be sought, it must be accepted. He cannot ignore strife, though it is not of his making. Love is a noble virtue, but Christian love is love in the truth.”… “[M]odern history affords ample opportunity for the teacher to illustrate our final lesson, that Satan’s method is to counterfeit the true.”… “We are conditioned to regard the “good” in every mixture of good and evil, when as discerning Christians, we should regard the evil. Few would value the scraps of good food in a garbage can. Just as the good food is totally contaminated by its association with the bad, so is whatever of good may seem to be in a spiritual mixture. In fact, the presence of the good makes the evil more subtly dangerous.”
Through the ages good religious art has inspired and influenced believers for God’s glory. But to be truly “good” in God’s eyes, religious art must be free of heretical errors. No matter how artistic and beautiful it appears, heresy, whether propagated in rock operas or on seasoned canvasses, remains heresy. Such religious art is a counterfeit of that which glorifies the Lord Jesus Christ.
Yet, how is it that heretical art – and those who propagate it – are above earthly question and confrontation? Observers of BJU have noted that one does not question or disagree with the Joneses and retain the patronage of BJU. In fact, those who disagree with the Joneses are often subjects of retaliation by the Joneses.
Winking at pet sins and accommodating contradictions at Bob Jones University are the marks of gelded ‘sheeple’ seeking BJU’s patronage and promotion. It seems that the BJU-crowd only “earnestly contend” for the Christian faith when doing so suits their own self-interests. That makes one wonder if they are motivated by a love for Jesus Christ or adulation for Bob Jones University and the Joneses. Paul’s example was to openly and impartially confront public error because unrebuked sin subverts the purity of the faith of others: “I withstood him to his face, because he was to be blamed…” (Ga. 2:9) Genuine Biblicists must confront such carnal “philosophy and vain deceit” (Col. 2:8) and emulate the corrective example of Paul: “Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do…” (Phil. 4:9).
To determine the direction BJU is headed, note the walk, not just the talk, of its leadership. To determine the extent of the effect Bob Jones University’s contradictory walk and talk has on those so trained like my friend above, note the moral and ecclesiastic relativism of many of BJU’s graduates. To determine the future of modern fundamentalism, examine its schools and those who train its future leaders: “As the schools go so does the movement.” (Dr. Myron Cedarholm)
Mark Fitzhenry
cc.: Dr. Bob Jones, Jr.
Sent to The Perilous Times Newsletter
Undated, probably written around mid to late1990’s
(Slightly modified, April 29, 2007)
