---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Christians . . . ought not to be…"
description: "\"“Christians . . . ought not to be threatened by fantasy and imagination. Great painting is not \"photographic\": think of the Old Testament art commanded..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/francis-a-schaeffer-22002_art_christians-ought-not-to-be-threatened-by_2444295.jpg"
---

#  Christians . . . ought not to be threatened by fantasy and…

![“Christians . . . ought not to be threatened by fantasy and imagination. Great painting is not &quot;photographic&quot;: think of the Old Testament art commanded by God. There were blue pomegranates on the robes of the priest who went into the Holy of Holies. In nature there are no blue pomegranates…” quote by Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/francis-a-schaeffer-22002_art_christians-ought-not-to-be-threatened-by_2444295.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/francis-a-schaeffer-22002_art_christians-ought-not-to-be-threatened-by_2444295.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/francis-a-schaeffer-22002_art_christians-ought-not-to-be-threatened-by_2444295.jpg)

> ““Christians . . . ought not to be threatened by fantasy and imagination. Great painting is not "photographic": think of the Old Testament art commanded by God. There were blue pomegranates on the robes of the priest who went into the Holy of Holies. In nature there are no blue pomegranates. Christian artists do not need to be threatened by fantasy and imagination, for they have a basis for knowing the difference between them and the real world "out there." The Christian is the really free person--he is free to have imagination. This too is our heritage. The Christian is the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars.””

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Christian imagination is free and distinct from reality, allowing creative expression beyond literal truth.

**In simple terms:** Christian imagination is free.

Key Takeaway

Embrace imaginative freedom.

Themes

faith imagination art

Mood

hopeful thoughtful

Type

theological inspirational

When to use this quote

- painting religious scenes
- writing allegories
- designing worship spaces

Key Concepts

theology creative liberty

Questions to Reflect On

- How does imagination serve faith?
- Where should limits be set?

A Different Perspective

Balancing imagination with doctrinal truth can be challenging.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Beyond the stars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beyond-the-stars/) [Christian art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christian-art/) [Christianity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christianity/) [Imagination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/imagination/) [Old testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/old-testament/) [Painting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/painting/) [Real world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-world/)

## Related quotes

> [“The Christian is the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/the-christian-is-the-one-whose-imagination-should-fly-beyond-the-stars/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [I would love to hear all types of Christian artists played all over the world. I'd love to hear good, positive mainstream music played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacie-orrico/i-would-love-to-hear-all-types-of-christian-artists-played-all-over/)

[Stacie Orrico](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacie-orrico/)

> [So, Shane &amp; Shane are my favorite Christian artists out there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabby-barrett/so-shane-shane-are-my-favorite-christian-artists-out-there/)

[Gabby Barrett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabby-barrett/)

> [What makes art Christian art? Is it simply Christian artists painting biblical subjects like Jeremiah? Or, by attaching a halo, does that suddenly make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-makes-art-christian-art-is-it-simply-christian-artists-painting/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It is short-sighted, not to say stupid, in the correct desire to be relevant as Christian artists in an unchristian age, to pick up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calvin-seerveld/it-is-short-sighted-not-to-say-stupid-in-the-correct-desire-to-be/)

[Calvin Seerveld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calvin-seerveld/)

> [Now, there are people that are Christian artists, because they have a purpose to be evangelical for Christ. I don't feel I've been called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-stapp/now-there-are-people-that-are-christian-artists-because-they-have-a/)

[Scott Stapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-stapp/)

> [“because Christian artists substituted spiritual strength for Greek surface beauty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-i-dimont/because-christian-artists-substituted-spiritual-strength-for-greek/)

Max I. Dimont

> [I like writing different types of music. I like writing Christian music. I like collaborating with Christian artists. We have a Christian following. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/i-like-writing-different-types-of-music-i-like-writing-christian/)

[John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/)

> [The Christian in the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-schaeffer/the-christian-in-the-one-whose-imagination-should-fly-beyond-the-stars/)

[Francis Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-schaeffer/)

> [“The Christian is the one whose imagination should soar beyond the stars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-christian-is-the-one-whose-imagination-should-soar-beyond-the/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“As Francis Schaeffer reminded us, “The Christian is the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leland-ryken/as-francis-schaeffer-reminded-us-the-christian-is-the-one-whose/)

[Leland Ryken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leland-ryken/)

> [“I wasn't threatened by fantasy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-bickle/i-wasn-t-threatened-by-fantasy/)

[Laura Bickle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-bickle/)

> [“I live in a thought world which is filled with creativity; inside my head there is creative imagination. Why? Because God, who is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/i-live-in-a-thought-world-which-is-filled-with-creativity-inside-my/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“The Christian imagination bas produced nothing but an insipid legend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-christian-imagination-bas-produced-nothing-but-an-insipid-legend/)

[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/)

> [Heaven: The Coney Island of the Christian imagination.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/heaven-the-coney-island-of-the-christian-imagination/)

[Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/)

## More by Francis A. Schaeffer

> [“In John 13 the point was that, if an individual Christian does not show love toward other true Christians, the world has a right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/in-john-13-the-point-was-that-if-an-individual-christian-does-not/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“We are not being true to the artist as a man if we consider his work "junk", simply because we differ with his outlook…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/we-are-not-being-true-to-the-artist-as-a-man-if-we-consider-his-work/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“Yet the possibility of information storage, beyond what men and governments ever had before, can make available at the touch of a button a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/yet-the-possibility-of-information-storage-beyond-what-men-and/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“promises: "And Caleb stilled the people before Moses, and”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/promises-and-caleb-stilled-the-people-before-moses-and/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“Edward Gibbon (1737-1794) in his Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire said that the following five attributes marked Rome at its end: first,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/edward-gibbon-1737-1794-in-his-decline-and-fall-of-the-roman-empire/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“The tree in the field is to be treated with respect. It is not to be romanticized as the old lady romanticizes her cat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/the-tree-in-the-field-is-to-be-treated-with-respect-it-is-not-to-be/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“In a fallen world, we must be willing to face the fact that however lovingly we preach the gospel, if a man rejects it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/in-a-fallen-world-we-must-be-willing-to-face-the-fact-that-however/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“The Cross of Christ is to be a reality to me not only once for all at my conversion, but all through my life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/the-cross-of-christ-is-to-be-a-reality-to-me-not-only-once-for-all-at/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“Is it not amazing: though we know the power of the Holy Spirit can be ours, we still ape the world’s wisdom, trust its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/is-it-not-amazing-though-we-know-the-power-of-the-holy-spirit-can-be/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“The Bible is the weapon which enables us to join with our Lord on the offensive in defeating the spiritual hosts of wickedness. But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/the-bible-is-the-weapon-which-enables-us-to-join-with-our-lord-on-the/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“True spirituality covers all of reality. There are things the Bible tells us to do as absolutes which are sinful- which do not conform…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/true-spirituality-covers-all-of-reality-there-are-things-the-bible/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“Upon his authority he gives the world the right to judge whether you and I are born-again Christians on the basis of our observable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/upon-his-authority-he-gives-the-world-the-right-to-judge-whether-you/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“Every once in a while in my discussions someone asks how I can believe in the Trinity. My answer is always the same. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/every-once-in-a-while-in-my-discussions-someone-asks-how-i-can/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“To be really Bible-believing Christians we need to practice, simultaneously, at each step of the way, two biblical principles. One principle is that of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/to-be-really-bible-believing-christians-we-need-to-practice/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

> [“But for many modern liberal theologians (even if they do not say that God is dead), certain other things are dead. Because they do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/but-for-many-modern-liberal-theologians-even-if-they-do-not-say-that/)

[Francis A. Schaeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

[Explore all 28 Francis A. Schaeffer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/)

## More Art quotes

> [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [Before Noah, men having only water to drink, could not find the truth. Accordingly...they became abominably wicked, and they were justly exterminated by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/before-noah-men-having-only-water-to-drink-could-not-find-the-truth/)

[Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/)

> [“Hear the sum of the whole matter in the compass of one brief word — every art possessed by man comes from Prometheus.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/hear-the-sum-of-the-whole-matter-in-the-compass-of-one-brief-word/)

[Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/)

> [I think most artists feel like they're outside society - no matter how many accolades they receive, or how much money is in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-rose/i-think-most-artists-feel-like-they-re-outside-society-no-matter-how/)

[Aaron Rose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-rose/)

> [The capacity to be puzzled is the premise of all creation, be it in art or in science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erich-fromm/the-capacity-to-be-puzzled-is-the-premise-of-all-creation-be-it-in/)

[Erich Fromm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erich-fromm/)

> [That's the great secret of creativity. You treat ideas like cats: you make them follow you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-bradbury/that-s-the-great-secret-of-creativity-you-treat-ideas-like-cats-you/)

[Ray Bradbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-bradbury/)

> [“So, really," continued Jacob as if this were perfectly normal to expound on art in these circumstances, "when you think about it, the artists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justina-chen-headley/so-really-continued-jacob-as-if-this-were-perfectly-normal-to-expound/)

[Justina Chen Headley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justina-chen-headley/)

> [“There are two options in art; either to adopt philosophical life by dissecting art, or to write your own philosophical life and claim it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taf-teh/there-are-two-options-in-art-either-to-adopt-philosophical-life-by/)

Taf Teh

> [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/)

[Adolf Loos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adolf-loos/)

> [During human progress, every science is evolved out of its corresponding art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-spencer/during-human-progress-every-science-is-evolved-out-of-its/)

[Herbert Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-spencer/)

> [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/)

[Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/)

> [I think a business guy is different from an artist. They walk different paths. Artists create the best outputs when they're having fun. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-dragon/i-think-a-business-guy-is-different-from-an-artist-they-walk/)

[G-Dragon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-dragon/)

> [“The only thing--I tell you this straight from the heart--that disgusts me in Salzburg is that one can't have any proper social intercourse with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/the-only-thing-i-tell-you-this-straight-from-the-heart-that-disgusts/)

[Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wolfgang-amadeus-mozart/)

> [The sublime in art is the attempt to express the infinite without finding in the realm of phenomena any object which proves itself fitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/the-sublime-in-art-is-the-attempt-to-express-the-infinite-without/)

[Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georg-wilhelm-friedrich-hegel/)

> [Art isn't done to decorate apartments, but to wage war against the enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pablo-picasso/art-isn-t-done-to-decorate-apartments-but-to-wage-war-against-the/)

[Pablo Picasso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pablo-picasso/)

[Browse all 48,643 Art quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Christians . . . ought not to be threatened by fantasy and imagination. Great painting is not \"photographic\": think of the Old Testament art commanded by God. There were blue pomegranates on the robes of the priest who went into the Holy of Holies. In nature there are no blue pomegranates. Christian artists do not need to be threatened by fantasy and imagination, for they have a basis for knowing the difference between them and the real world \"out there.\" The Christian is the really free person--he is free to have imagination. This too is our heritage. The Christian is the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Francis A. Schaeffer"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/christians-ought-not-to-be-threatened-by-fantasy-and-imagination/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Art"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/christians-ought-not-to-be-threatened-by-fantasy-and-imagination/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/francis-a-schaeffer-22002_art_christians-ought-not-to-be-threatened-by_2444295.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/francis-a-schaeffer-22002_art_christians-ought-not-to-be-threatened-by_2444295.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef6/francis-a-schaeffer-22002_art_christians-ought-not-to-be-threatened-by_2444295.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Christians . . . ought not to be threatened by fantasy and imagination. Great painting is not…” — Francis A. Schaeffer",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Francis A. Schaeffer",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-a-schaeffer/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Christians . . . ought not...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/christians-ought-not-to-be-threatened-by-fantasy-and-imagination/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-a-schaeffer/christians-ought-not-to-be-threatened-by-fantasy-and-imagination/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
