--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: God does not ask for 'religious' art or…" description: "\"God does not ask for 'religious' art or 'Catholic' art. The art he wants for himself is Art, with all its teeth\" — Jacques Maritain" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/jacques-maritain-8918_art_god-does-not-ask-for-religious-art-or-ca_2491847.jpg" --- # God does not ask for 'religious' art or 'Catholic' art… ![“God does not ask for 'religious' art or 'Catholic' art. The art he wants for himself is Art, with all its teeth” quote by Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/jacques-maritain-8918_art_god-does-not-ask-for-religious-art-or-ca_2491847.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/jacques-maritain-8918_art_god-does-not-ask-for-religious-art-or-ca_2491847.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/df5/jacques-maritain-8918_art_god-does-not-ask-for-religious-art-or-ca_2491847.jpg) > “God does not ask for 'religious' art or 'Catholic' art. The art he wants for himself is Art, with all its teeth” [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Divine expectation is for art that is fully expressive, not confined to religious labels. **In simple terms:** God wants art that is bold and universal. Key Takeaway Create authentic, daring art. Themes art spirituality authenticity Mood reverent challenging Type theological philosophical When to use this quote - church murals - public sculptures - digital installations - performance art Key Concepts sacred vs secular creative freedom expression Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance faith and artistic freedom? - What does “art with all its teeth” mean to you? A Different Perspective Religious audiences may resist non‑traditional forms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/art/) [Artist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/artist/) [Catholic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/catholic/) [Religious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious/) [Religious art](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religious-art/) ## Related quotes > [“The definition of Christian art is to be found in its subject and its spirit. Everything, sacred and profane, belongs to it. God does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/the-definition-of-christian-art-is-to-be-found-in-its-subject-and-its/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [As a non-Catholic, and since I was a child, I have been obsessed with the ritual and the beauty of Catholic art. I look…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nan-goldin/as-a-non-catholic-and-since-i-was-a-child-i-have-been-obsessed-with/) [Nan Goldin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nan-goldin/) > [If it adapts itself to what the majority of our society wants, art will be a meaningless recreation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-camus/if-it-adapts-itself-to-what-the-majority-of-our-society-wants-art/) [Albert Camus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-camus/) > [As much as I hate his movies, Oliver Stone has an aspiration I admire, and that is that he wants his art to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-kushner/as-much-as-i-hate-his-movies-oliver-stone-has-an-aspiration-i-admire/) [Tony Kushner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-kushner/) > [The poet wants justice. And the poet wants art. In poetry we can't have one without the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hirsch/the-poet-wants-justice-and-the-poet-wants-art-in-poetry-we-can-t-have/) [Edward Hirsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hirsch/) > [“ONLY' having the Gift, people appreciate this madness as Art. Everybody wants to have Art in their lives, but no body wants to have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hiroko-sakai/only-having-the-gift-people-appreciate-this-madness-as-art-everybody/) [Hiroko Sakai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hiroko-sakai/) > [It's been so long now and so much has happened that I am able now to look back with much less emotion and my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-colacello/it-s-been-so-long-now-and-so-much-has-happened-that-i-am-able-now-to/) [Bob Colacello](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-colacello/) > [The headdresses of the Egyptians have great symbolic and emblematic importance, for they represent the auric bodies of the superhuman intelligences, and are used…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manly-hall/the-headdresses-of-the-egyptians-have-great-symbolic-and-emblematic/) [Manly Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manly-hall/) > [Basically there can be no categories such as 'religious' art and 'secular' art, because all true art is incarnational, and therefore 'religious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeleine-l-engle/basically-there-can-be-no-categories-such-as-religious-art-and/) [Madeleine L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeleine-l-engle/) > [The religious conflicts of the Reformation era were never simply and only about religion, because religion during this era as in the Middle Ages…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-stephan-gregory/the-religious-conflicts-of-the-reformation-era-were-never-simply-and/) Brad Stephan Gregory > [“I love the French and Italian church paintings from the Middle Ages. But I'm also interested to learn more about who was the first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jen-lancaster/i-love-the-french-and-italian-church-paintings-from-the-middle-ages/) [Jen Lancaster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jen-lancaster/) > [Music, among those who were styled the chosen people, was a religious art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/music-among-those-who-were-styled-the-chosen-people-was-a-religious/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [“Whether it is Bach or Mozart that we hear in church, we have a sense in either case of what gloria Dei, the glory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xvi/whether-it-is-bach-or-mozart-that-we-hear-in-church-we-have-a-sense/) [Pope Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xvi/) > [I am also really into religious artifacts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathleen-robertson/i-am-also-really-into-religious-artifacts/) [Kathleen Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathleen-robertson/) > [“The spectacle shop was old, long, and narrow, with a glass front and a small thin door that opened onto a somewhat busy avenue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/k-m-alexander/the-spectacle-shop-was-old-long-and-narrow-with-a-glass-front-and-a/) K. M. Alexander ## More by Jacques Maritain > [It has never been recommended to confuse "loving" with "seeking to please"... ...Salome pleased Herod's guests; I can hardly believe she was burning with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/it-has-never-been-recommended-to-confuse-loving-with-seeking-to/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [A great philosopher in the wrong is like a beacon on the reefs which says to seamen: steer clear of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/a-great-philosopher-in-the-wrong-is-like-a-beacon-on-the-reefs-which/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [I don't see America as a mainland, but as a sea, a big ocean. Sometimes a storm arises, a formidable current develops, and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/i-don-t-see-america-as-a-mainland-but-as-a-sea-a-big-ocean-sometimes/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [It is impossible for a Christian to be a relativist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/it-is-impossible-for-a-christian-to-be-a-relativist/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [The light of common sense is fundamentally the same light as that of science, that is to say, the natural light of the intellect.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/the-light-of-common-sense-is-fundamentally-the-same-light-as-that-of/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [Absolute atheism starts in an act of faith in reverse gear and is a full-blown religious commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/absolute-atheism-starts-in-an-act-of-faith-in-reverse-gear-and-is-a/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [Poetry proceeds from the totality of man, sense, imagination, intellect, love, desire, instinct, blood and spirit together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/poetry-proceeds-from-the-totality-of-man-sense-imagination-intellect/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [The great and admirable strength of America consists in this, that America is truly the American people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/the-great-and-admirable-strength-of-america-consists-in-this-that/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [That is why I think, in defiance of Plato, that there is at once error and vulgarity in saying that poetry is a lie,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/that-is-why-i-think-in-defiance-of-plato-that-there-is-at-once-error/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [The first step to be taken by everyone who wishes to act morally is to decide not to act according to the general customs…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/the-first-step-to-be-taken-by-everyone-who-wishes-to-act-morally-is/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [The only artist who does not deserve respect is the one who works to please the public, for commercial success or for official success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/the-only-artist-who-does-not-deserve-respect-is-the-one-who-works-to/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [Things are opaque to us, and we are opaque to ourselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/things-are-opaque-to-us-and-we-are-opaque-to-ourselves/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [Thus society is born, as something required by nature, and (because this nature is human nature) as something accomplished through a work of reason…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/thus-society-is-born-as-something-required-by-nature-and-because-this/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [Poetic experience is distinct in nature from mystical experience. Because poetry emanates from the free creativity of the spirit,it is from the very start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/poetic-experience-is-distinct-in-nature-from-mystical-experience/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) > [We do not need a truth to serve us, we need a truth that we can serve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-maritain/we-do-not-need-a-truth-to-serve-us-we-need-a-truth-that-we-can-serve/) [Jacques Maritain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) [Explore all 76 Jacques Maritain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-maritain/) ## 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": "God does not ask for 'religious' art or 'Catholic' art. 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