Religion in the public square has caused countless lawsuits and raises the ire of many an American in one direction or the other, pro or con. As a kid I remember our own town controversy about a nativity scene (literally) set up in the town square of Narragansett, RI around Christmas. Initially it just caused a stir, and then the controversy ratcheted up, well, to its very own Supreme Court case! (The nativity lost. My Dad is still bitter about it.)
Well, apparently if you call something religious “Art” and put it in the public square, you’re golden. I find that fascinating–and rather clever if your goal is to open the public square to faith.
Here’s the scoop: the artist, Dylan Mortimer, a graduate of New York’s School of Visual Arts, has come up with “a way to talk about prayer in the public sphere– but with a bit of humor,” according to an article in the New York Post, by installing “a pair of colorful and cheeky prayer booths perched near the entrance to the Roosevelt Island tram in Midtown-replete with a “prayer” sign and an icon of folded hands dangling over the metal and blue-vinyl structures. If the fancy strikes, the pious can flip down a kneeling pad.”
This is sponsored by the city and it’s considered “public art.” And apparently, whether or not people are using the booths for prayer (some are), at the very least, people are having lots of discussions about the installation.
I think this is very interesting in a positive way–opening up a public space for prayer (of any kind, supposedly)–and providing a creative way for people to contemplate religion in the public square. What boggles my mind though, is that it seems okay to do religion in the public square as art, but (going back to that memorable event from my childhood), you can’t set up a nativity scene without ending up smacked down by the Supreme Court. And I get the issue with the nativity scene–why it’s exclusive, etc. But I can’t help but wonder: should folks start calling holiday religious set-ups “Art” as a way to get away with them?
I think the prayer booths set an interesting precedent in the above regard. What do you think? Is this a clever way to bring faith back into the public square?
posted November 14, 2008 at 12:31 pm
Certainly an interesting idea.
Bet there will be some folks who will pull down the pad and “say a little prayer!”
posted November 21, 2008 at 8:33 am
I think this is an awesome concept…if nothing else the icon reminds people to send a prayer upward in the hustle and bustle of this holiday season. Perhaps it may remind people to just say “thank-you Lord” that we are still free in America.
posted November 21, 2008 at 9:39 am
Praise God!
Certainly our Creator of the universe who created us specifically for the purpose of bringing glory and honor to Him, can allow the minds of our small little people “in charge” to think that an “artful” prayer booth is ok in the subways. It proves to me who is REALLY on the throne and allows people to think they actually had something to do with their pious or non-pious decisions! Go God!!!!!
posted November 21, 2008 at 1:27 pm
PRAISE GOD!
It’s time for CHRISTIANS to take a stand!
posted November 21, 2008 at 4:58 pm
So I guess this would also mean that the 10 Commandments set up in and in front of our courthouses across America would be considered “Public Art” as well.
posted November 22, 2008 at 10:13 am
I think this is a wonderful idea. It could serve as a reminder to the pious of all faith to take a moment and give our father the praise that he is due.
I pray that it doesn’t lead to the harrasment of any muslims who may use it to kneel in prayer. Now I am curious, which way does it face?
I try to send a prayer up to our Lord as often as the thought enters my mind. Anything that brings more to think about prayer, may bring them to think about the Lord and may open their heart to recieve the Lord.
That is all good.
posted November 22, 2008 at 1:16 pm
Yes! I love it! Our own version of a prayer wall! Public and take a moment to pray! Be still and know … be grateful, thankful, praise, ask! Even being reminded to pray is heart warming and gives one a new perspective in our busy days…. Go for it!__We are still a free country! __I think if urine on Jesus can be considered art by the NEA, paid for by our taxes, like we heard in the news some years ago, then it is long past the time to call the nativity art! STAND UP PEOPLE… while you still can and have an influence on your culture instead of being led down a path you don’t think is healthy!__I had a dear little third grade student come to class all down in the dumps one day in December a few years back…she could not talk about it… I offered her the paints and art supplies instead of math …. guess what she painted? She painted the most beautiful water color nativity guiled with gold glitter. I told her it was beautiful and I hoped she hung it on the wall when she took it home to show her family. Our principal walked through and complimented her profusely… she had a good rest of the day….THIS WAS IN A PUBLIC SCHOOL IN WASHINGTON STATE! I think we need to rethink what art can be. The word culture includes the religion of the people. ____
posted November 23, 2008 at 3:38 pm
To God be the glory, if we as the people of God Continue to share the Message the way the creator did, more soul`s will come to know christ as there Savior…. I guess it`s like having our own wailing wall. That all who kneel there be see throu the eye`s of God and not the eye`s of Man…. So no judement come upon us.
posted November 23, 2008 at 10:50 pm
The symbol of “praying hands” are powerful. Even though it is considered “public art” it has a powerful effect. It will cause many to reflect on the Lord and utter a prayer just by seeing it. There is power in prayer. __ Love and encourage it.__
posted November 24, 2008 at 1:41 am
A bold and clever move, and well within “political correctness” because it does not say to Whom the kneeler should be praying … maybe to Allah, maybe to Krisha, maybe to the green tree by the blue lake below the great black mountain, maybe to the lottery ticket dispenser. We can only hope that more Christians will have the chance to publicly display their faith before some hood-rats start defacing it, covering it over with graffiti, or just plain ripping it out. However, Christians also know that they can pray anywhere, any way … so maybe this “public art” will be an encouragement to “pray without ceasing”! God bless the artist!
posted November 24, 2008 at 10:50 am
What I think is, it’s a shame to have to pretend something as important as prayer is art in order to have it made acceptable. The day will come and now is, where everybody who ever needed God and didn’t make the time to seek Him, will see things they’ve never seen before and experience things they never thought they would. The irreverent and the unbelieving.
I’m not a preacher, but I know that God is the creator of the universe and everything in it. If there was a big bang, it was Him making the noise.
posted November 24, 2008 at 8:43 pm
I don’t think the artist had any idea how wise our Heavenly Father is when he created these Prayer Booths as a work of art as he calls it.For I myself am an artist.I feel that he may have been thinking one way but God gave him what we call a GOD IDEA.For the Bible say’s over in 1 Cor 1:27,”But hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise;and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty.”All praise to Jesus.