Unlikely Saints

This project is the evolution of an idea I had back in November.  I was trying to come up with ideas for smaller pieces that I could put in a $500-and-less  show at work.  For some reason, the idea of doing icons came to me.  I knew I didn’t want to do traditional Byzantine style icons, and I knew I wanted to–in some small way–open the door of “sainthood.”  In Protestant (and especially in Evangelical, it seems) circles, the title of Saint is resisted as something lofty to be bestowed in recognition of great works, an acetic life, and martyrdom.  Sainthood has, in fact, been made into an elite status in the Orthodox and Roman Catholic traditions.  In reaction, “Saint” is rarely used to describe one redeemed and recreated by Christ’s work.

The icons I wanted to create initially would be connecting characters–both good and bad–in the Old Testament with characters in the New Testament.  I wanted to do icons of those characters that are under the radar, like Samson or Saul.  The deadline for that show passed, however, and so the idea had more time to grow.  Through reading and discussion, I really got a sense of all Christians being Saints.  Through the Cross, our identity of “Sinner” is destroyed, and we are recreated as “Saint.”  ”If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.”  This revelation of something I had learned but not known challenged everything I felt about the title “Saint.”

Prior to this, the word had negative, elitist associations.  I felt that to call someone a Saint somehow put them above the common believer.  Which isn’t really such a bad thing:  ”consider others better than yourself.”  The word also seemed to have implications of an extraordinarily pious life.  These notions I had of those venerated as Saints contrasted sharply with people I know who are Saints.  Former alcoholics, homosexuals, addicts, criminals–those the least likely to be venerated, yet in God’s eyes, some of the most useful.  So that’s what this series is about:  Unlikely Saints.  If the truth were known about us, we’d all be included.  

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~ by jikarner on May 14, 2011.