Monday, July 11, 2011

Christian Art: Jon McNaughton

Before I feature the work of Jon McNaughton, I feel like I have to talk about nationalism. I always try to keep politics at bay, but politics are subtle. For instance, I label the work of Jon McNaughton under nationalism, next to Christianity. That is already a statement. I am not sure if many people would consider his work nationalist. I'm not even sure if he himself would consider it that. Patriotic at best perhaps. To me though, these works with American political figures so prominently featured seem explicitly nationalist where it in fact aims to link national myths and symbols with the broader Christian narrative. Moreover, in line with the definition of religion I choose to use for the context of this blog, I'd consider nationalism a form of it. Nationalism on an abstract level as a religious phenomenon is interesting in its own right but American nationalism specifically and the way it is interwoven with religious ideas is especially of interest to me. The work of Jon McNaughton illustrates very well the fusion of nationalism and Christianity, where George Washington and Abraham Lincoln are being portrayed almost as prophets and Christ could be also interpreted as a political founder. I can see ideas of Will Herberg also being illustrated here, where he supposes that respect for the American Way of Life is something that religions in the United States have in common. There is much more to be said about all of this, American nationalism is quite something, but first let us marvel at the works of McNaughton!


 "One Nation Under God"

"Peace Is Coming"

"The Forgotten Man"

"Via Dolorosa"


5 comments:

  1. are you really fucked up with that bullshit

    your country and jesus, are different

    you can´t compare jesus, with your country is just unfare and so misplaced

    there is no a fucking religion, the only that matters is god and what he/she created to save us

    christianity is a shit, just like the priests and the actual papa

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  2. I will pray for you.

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  3. Someone with this sick sense of humor, obviously has no clue as to what God and Christ really are. This is bullying aimed at believers just as bad the worst antisemitics towards the Jews but it is aimed at all believers of all faiths.

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  4. It's 2011, and now I wrote this comment in 2019
    This painting is so... Wow, beautiful.

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  5. Muslim dirt people getting mad you are a Christian

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