The main difference that separates secular goldsmithing and jewelry from other artistic crafts is the use of natural precious materials. The same is the case with all church art, because it uses only natural and often precious materials. This is primarily — gold in iconography and church architecture, natural minerals in the composition of pigments for icons and, of course, the wide application of precious materials in liturgical vessels, coffins, arks, icon fittings and finally in all objects that are part of church art. What is the canonicity of using natural and precious materials?
It is difficult for a person with modern aesthetic views to connect the luxurious decoration in churches and temples and the wealth of church vessels with the asceticism of the Christian religion. Along with other antonyms of Christianity, this contradiction also becomes comprehensible as soon as we find the strength to rise above materialistic understanding and start looking at things spiritually:
Чињеница је да су сви „овоземаљски“ природни материјали представе и симболи „оноземањског“: „…Јер што је на Њему невидљиво, од постања свијета умом се на створењима јасно види, његова вјечна сила и божанство, да немају изговора“, — говорио је апостол Павле (Посланица Римљанима 1.20). Могућност присуства Божанске енергије у материји, канонско је стајалиште Цркве још од времена Јована Дамаскина, након победе над јереси иконокласма. Становиште о природном пореклу материје, да је исту створио сам Бог, постаје од изузетне важности. У вези са тим је и појава строгих захтева постављених како наспрам самог материјала у употреби тако и над уметником који га обликује и ради са њим. Према светитељу Филарету Дроздову, лажно камење и лажни материјали се не могу користити у црквеним обредима , не из разлога што су ниске вредности, већ зато што у себи носе лаж. Сходно томе, за освећење течности може се користити само вода а за вршење Евхаристије само вино и хлеб. Драгоцени материјали, због своје реткости, превазилазе оквир материјалног, и као такви, због непостојања директних овоземаљских аналогија, најбоље одсликавају духовност. Свето Писмо и учења Светих Отаца препуни су описа мистичких визија и духовних доживљаја, који се преносе путем злата, сребра и драгог камења. Целокупно знање сакупљено у овим Светим Предањима основа су за цркену златарску уметност.
Speaking about the requirements that are placed before an artist who deals with sacred art, we must remember the Old Testament, where his role is defined: "And the Lord said to Moses, saying: Behold, I have called by name Beseleil son of Uriah, son of Or from the tribe of Judah. And I filled him with the holy spirit, wisdom and understanding and knowledge and every skill, so that he skillfully invents everything that can be made of gold and silver and brass, that he knows how to cut stones and embroider, that he knows how to carve wood, and do any work. And behold, I joined Eliav son of Ahisamach from the tribe of Dan with him, and I gave skill in the heart of every skilled man to make everything that I commanded you..." (Exodus XXXI.1-11). The file continues with a strict regulation on the use of materials in sacred objects. The prohibition from the Old Testament is also known: "You shall not make for yourself a graven image or any image of anything that is in heaven above, or on the earth below, or in the water under the earth." (Exodus XX.4), which can be attributed to the independent , to the "heathen" creativity of artists. Such creativity, bearing in mind the religiosity of human nature, unconsciously leads to idolatry. The words of the Bible warn: "Cursed is the man who would make a graven or cast image, an abominable thing before the Lord, the work of the hands of artists, even if he casts it in a hidden place..." (Laws XXVII.15). By working with natural materials, the ecclesiastical artist respects the Old Testament prohibition of creating realistic images and scenes. Therefore, church art is not creativity in the sense understood in secular art. An ecclesiastical artist does not create from "nothing", as secular painters create a golden glow using oil paints, on canvas, competing with the Lord himself.
The church artist is nothing more than a servant in the "field" of the Lord. His task is to know and convey God's plan. Like the priest, he tries to establish a connection between the two worlds by discovering the spiritual essence in matter. Therefore, his actions are reduced to service to God and not to creativity. In this connection, something should also be said about the necessity of a selective approach of church art to new technologies. Some of them violate the religious character of the artist's work and his relationship with God. Nowadays, it is primarily computer simulation and modeling technology. Using it, the artist forgets about his role, does not mature spiritually, but begins to approach external criteria, technical quality and quantity, ceding his place and role to the computer. Such an order removes the influence of God on church creation.
High demands related to the material and the worker himself were met by the old church artists with strong faith, love and humility. Unfortunately, nowadays we fulfill these canonical requirements to an insufficient extent and often forget their essence. We create works that are formally ecclesiastical, but in reality are dead imitations. Taking part in the religious life of a person, such "creations" can contribute to the weakening of faith or the appearance of iconoclastic tendencies among the faithful, and to the strengthening of atheism among the unbelievers. On the other hand, when religiosity takes on an emotional character in goldsmithing, the concept of "Divine energy" is replaced by "material energy", which leads to the worship of the substance itself and the magical use of goldsmith's objects.
