Faith, Art, and Government 1

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When I searched for a photograph to go along with my Another Look at Why post for yesterday, I found a treasure of posters from the late 1950s and early 1960s tucked away at the Library of Congress. The United States Navy issued each poster and the U.S. Government Printing Office printed them. The artist was internationally-recognized graphic designer Joseph Binder. Binder was born and educated in Austria. He emigrated to the United States in 1934, became a U.S. citizen in 1944, and began serving as art director for the U.S. Department of the Navy in 1948.  This 1962 poster of the apostle Paul quotes from the King James Bible.

Paul, 1962

Above all, taking the shield of faith,
wherewith ye shall be able to quench
all the fiery darts of the wicked.
And take the helmet of salvation,
and the sword of the Spirit,
which is the word of God:
Ephesians 6:16-17

Binder’s posters illustrated other people from the Bible. He designed each one for the Chaplains Division of the Navy. I love to find evidence of faith in American life and particularly within the U.S. government. I’m sure you do, too. I am grateful that these posters are part of our American heritage. I am grateful that they proclaimed the gospel with these quotes from the King James Bible.

Nicodemus, 1962

There was a man of the Pharisees,
named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
The same came to Jesus by night,
and said unto him, Rabbi, we know
that thou are a teacher come from God:
for no man can do these miracles
that thou doest, except God be with him.
Jesus answered and said unto him,
Verily, verily, I say unto thee,
Except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God.
John 3:1-3

Matthew, 1962

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father,
and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever I have commanded you:
and lo, I am with you always,
even unto the end of the world. Amen.
Matthew 28:19:20

John, 1962

This is the disciple which testifieth
of these things and wrote these things:
and we know that his testimony is true.
And there are also many other things
which Jesus did, the which,
if they should be written every one,
I suppose that even the world itself
could not contain the books
that should be written. Amen.
John 21:24-25

All posters are courtesy of the Library of Congress.

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