Gayle L. Goudy

Art + Belief Reflections

The Cross from Christ’s Perspective: Psalm 22 and James Tissot

Reflection • James Tissot’s watercolor imagines the crucifixion from Christ’s perspective, illuminating Psalm 22 as Jesus’ prayer from the cross. What begins in anguish moves toward trust, resurrection, and triumph. The article invites readers to hear “My God, my God” not as despair alone, but as a cry filled with hope. Originally published in Words…
Flight to Egypt | Evacuating Israel

What happens when a pilgrimage to Israel is suddenly interrupted by war? In this video, I share my experience of traveling in Israel during a time of conflict and making the difficult journey home by land through Egypt after air travel was disrupted. What began as a Holy Land pilgrimage became a deeper lesson in…
The Other Brother: The Prodigal Son’s Hardest Lesson (Luke 15)

James B. Janknegt’s The Two Sons retells Luke 15 in contemporary imagery and brings the older brother to the foreground. This video shows how the painting reframes the Prodigal Son as a test of grace, resentment, and reconciliation for those still in the father’s house.
Forgiveness as a Gift of Love: Pascal Fessler’s “Return of Judas”

Reflection • Pascal Fessler’s Return of Judas imagines Judas returning after betraying Jesus and asks whether forgiveness is possible. Placing viewers among the disciples, the painting challenges us to confront Christ’s command to love and forgive—even when it feels impossible. Originally published in Words of Grace, Grace Church Cathedral (Charleston, South Carolina), March 2026.
The Theology of Damar Hamlin’s Jacket

After his on-field cardiac arrest, Damar Hamlin wore the “Eternal” Jesus jacket at the Super Bowl—and backlash followed. This video reads the images through hip-hop remix culture and Scripture to ask how faith can be seen, misread, and recognized.
Hamlin’s ‘Eternal Saint’ Jacket Faith, Offense, and Recognition

Reflection • Interprets Damar Hamlin’s “Eternal Saint” jacket as a remix of devotional imagery, hip-hop iconography, and public testimony. Shows why the same image can read as reverence or offense—and what “recognition” asks of viewers.
“Son, why have you treated us like this?”

Reflection • Reads Simone Martini’s depiction of Jesus in the Temple through Luke’s story of misunderstanding, anxiety, and return. Explores how art visualizes tenderness and tension in holy family life without flattening the mystery of Jesus. Originally published in Words of Grace, Grace Church Cathedral (Charleston, South Carolina), January 2026.
Shame & Guilt Do Not Define Us

Reflection • Uses contemporary pop culture to clarify the difference between guilt (“I did wrong”) and shame (“I am wrong”). Connects that distinction to forgiveness, hope, and choosing light over self-condemnation.
“Forgive us our Tresspassing”

Reflection • Interprets Banksy’s “Forgive us our trespassing” as a layered meditation on sin, boundary-crossing, and social critique.Links the street art posture of “ask forgiveness, not permission” to confession, community, and the church’s call to welcome.
The missing nails in Dali’s “Christ of Saint John of the Cross” (1951)

Reflection • Compares Dalí’s crucifixion to St. John of the Cross’s sketch to ask what it means to picture forgiveness. Argues that the absent nails and crown reframe sin as “remembered no more”—mercy made visible.