Monasteries, Race, and God’s Design for Beauty
I have had the privilege of visiting several monasteries, the only monasteries I've ever been to, in Bulgaria. When I think of monasteries, I think of peace and quiet, and that's been quite true of my experiences thus far. What's captured my attention the most is actually the grounds and gardens on which these sites reside. The colors of flowers and vines that surround the buildings make me ponder how God could create such beautiful things, and it makes me think I couldn't imagine how beautiful the garden of Eden must have been.
When entering the churches, there's a level of fear for me that makes me hold my breath a bit. I think it's a mix of feeling both awe at the grandeur and history, along with terror due to my lack of understanding and not wanting to mess something up or be disrespectful. I love the painted walls and icons because they tell stories of God and remind us of who Jesus is, and the saints remind us that we are not alone. The portraits in gold are particularly stunning and make you think how precious these messages are. But I also can't help but think about how our humanity and brokenness affect the pictures presented in these holy spaces. The shades of skin have all resembled mine, white, and I can see myself fitting in alongside Jesus and his company. But what if this wasn't my skin? What if my skin was dark, or my eyes narrow, would I still be only thinking about the stories behind the paintings, or would I be asking myself more questions like, where were my people? Where was my family? Has anyone like me been a defender of the faith or a martyr? What would I think when I see little devils depicted with brown skin? It makes sense that artists would contrast light and dark, but when spiritual powers at war get embodied in this way, how easy it becomes to taint skin created in the image of God with this simplistic contrast. It's clear to see the dehumanization of people of color in majority white cultures.
What I wonder now is if the artists knew. Did they consider the impact of their color choices? Were they aware of their own biases, or ever think, perhaps what we're elevating isn't God and his kingdom, but our own community and those people like us? Painting icons is not just an art, but an act of worship.
A monastery is supposed to be a place to contemplate God and feel as though you are in eternity. The gardens and gold do that for me, but the people in the pictures, need some more friends created in the beautiful and vast image of God.