Article January 12, 1974 Issue

The Coincidence of Art and Science

ERNEST H. LYONS, JR.

It is often supposed that art and science are essentially dissimilar. The scientist, it is said, is concerned with externals, that is, the objective world, whereas the artist deals with inner concepts, the subjective sphere. By this view, Christianity, which is necessarily scientific, would diverge from art.

However, because art and science are two modes by which the action of Mind is expressed, they are closely akin. God's essential beauty, loveliness, and all-inclusive meaningfulness constitute both basis and structure of true art. Accordingly, scientific Christianity must be total art, reflecting divine beauty in color, form, symmetry, rhythm, and movement in measure and perfection that is but faintly seen in human artistry. Deep, irrepressible spontaneity, originality, creativity, are constituents of the art of Christian living—that is, loving. Feeling and rationality conjoin, expressed in countless modes of action.

Since God is the only Mind, art emanates from Him alone, just as science does. Both are native in His omniscience. Nothing exists beyond His all-inclusiveness; hence, to Him creation is inclusively contained within His wisdom and intelligence, His intrinsic artistry. But His work also reflects consummate order. It is the source of rationality and logic, and so is ultimate science. Man, the expression of Mind, remains wholly within God's intrinsic allness, possessing by reflection His flawless art and science. Here distinction between objectivity and subjectivity fade in the unity of divine realism. Science and art, entirely independent of physical sense, are seen to coincide throughout.

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