Page 129 - EMCAPP-Journal No. 8

Foundational Discussions in Christian Psychology

his reflection on life and its purpose, it was all The criterion cannot be sexual excitement or
about the attempt how to bridge the gap bet- fantasy, because then any stimulation or visual
ween God and human beings by means of the impression related to sexual connotations and
aesthetics of beauty, the expression of love and to sex will fall under the category of pornogra-
the imaging of art. The beauty of the cosmic phy.
body within its imperfect earthly realm, as well
as the attempt to depict it in painting and sculp- Pornography refers very specifically to sexu-
turing, serve as a vehicle to glorify God. al exploitation and the dehumanisation of sex
so that human beings are treated as things or
For Michelangelo imaging in art is iconic be- commodities (Court 1990:929). Pornography
cause it is helping him to approach the perfect points in the direction of the depiction or the
beauty of God (Schoeman 2009:559). To captu- description of the unequal misuse of power and
re human embodiment is to capture the ensoul- violent sexuality (physical and psychological
ment of life and the aesthetics of God. violence against others and oneself) promoting
promiscuity. The genitals then become playful
The naked human body: anatomy of the hu- tools (the instrumentalisation of physiology)
man soul not intimate icons to celebrate the beauty of life.
Within Greek art the naked human body and its The advantage of the Michelangelo perspective
perfect symmetry equals beauty and should be on the aesthetics of human embodiment is that
assessed as a piece of art. Spivey (2006 75) re- introduces a paradigm shift in anthropology
fers to the canonization of human embodiment from the hedonistic perspective of promiscuity
in art by Polyclitus. For Polykleitos the human to the aesthetic perspective of beauty, from the
body is from an aesthetic point of view perfect performance of sexuality to the enjoyment of
due to the tension between symmetry, balance sexuality. In fact, the human body and the geni-
and harmony. The naked human body therefore tals are not designed to destroy and to ruin, but
reflects dynamics, balance and harmony not to heal, to beautify and to console, to comfort,
pornography . to bestow compassion in life.
4

Pornography is derived from two Greek words, The further implication is that every part of
pornay and graphay (Melton et al. 1989:68). the human anatomy becomes a representati-
Pornay is derived from peraymi that means ‘to on of the whole, namely the soulfulness of life.
sell’, usually in reference to a slave or prostitute The human anatomy participates in the noti-
for hire. Graphay refers to that which is written, on of the image of God and cannot be exclu-
inscribed, or pictured. “Pornography” then li- ded from the spiritual destiny of humankind,
terally means to picture or describe prostitutes, i.e. to represent God and his grace. The whole
with the connotation of an unequal slave/ma- of the human soul is enfleshed in every part.
ster relationship. Nothing about the human anatomy and func-
Pornography is therefore not nakedness as such tioning can be called filthy or dirty. For examp-
(see the statute of David by Michelangelo and le, in the Old Testament excretion like semen
the paintings in the Sistine Chapel), or explicit was rendered as ‘unclean’. According to the es-
sexual pictures or portrayals of sexual acts, or chatological perspective, nothing can anymore
erotic material, stimulating sexual excitement. be rendered as unclean. The whole of life and
the entire cosmos are under the rule of God
and serve the glorification of the Creator. With
4 During Pius V’s pontificate, the Congregation of the reference to Psalm 24:1; 50:12, 1 Corinthians
Council of Trent decided, on January 11th, 1564, to have 10:26 declares that the whole earth is the Lord’s
the private parts cover. The most pornographic decision and everything that is in it. After Pentecost Pe-
in the history of Christian spirituality! Pope Paul IV there-
fore summoned the House of Carafa Daniele da Volterra ter has to discover nothing, even pork, is holy
to cover the genitals. The artist who did the covering was and partakes in the glory and holiness of God.
given the name “Braghettone” meaning”trouser painter” Nothing can be called anymore unclean. “What
(Néret 2006:78).
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