September's Artist of the Month

Every class has now been introduced to September's "Artist(s) of the Month", the early Christians, who covered the walls of the Roman catacombs they built between the 1st and 2nd century A.D. (anno domini or In the Year of our Lord) with paintings, sculptures and engravings.  Step by step, students have been walked through discussions of how these works relate to us today.  That question is addressed in the response below taken from the Stonebridge Art Guide written by Wendy Giancoli:

Art history is a revelation of Jesus Christ! Throughout the ages, God purposed that the visual arts should serve as a TEACHER of the Bible and its Gospel message. Works of art have always been the people's Bible as artists throughout the centuries have portrayed the Bible in every media.  Beginning with the first century Christian symbols and martyrs' paintings on the catacomb walls through the Middle Ages, the vast majority of the people were unable to read or write, so that the constant depiction of the Bible even upon familiar household objects made the stories almost universally known. 

        
To quote Cynthia Maus in her book, Christ and the Fine Arts, "The artist's brush taught the story of Christianity more convincingly than the pen of the theologian."

The past is our heritage and glory.  God also purposed that the visual arts should serve as a RECORD of Christ, His Story and His relationship with man leaving a visual testimony of God's wondrous workings and mighty Hand!  Christian art is the HERITAGE of all the world!

Psalms 78:4-7 - "We will not hide them from their children,
    but tell to the coming generation
the glorious deeds of the Lord, and his might,
    and the wonders that he has done.

⁵ He established a testimony in Jacob
    and appointed a law in Israel,
which he commanded our fathers
    to teach to their children,
⁶ that the next generation might know them,
    the children yet unborn,
and arise and tell them to their children,
⁷     so that they should set their hope in God
and not forget the works of God,
    but keep his commandments"