THE GOLDEN ARTIST

Gold dust is everywhere. You can find it in lip gloss, hand sanitizer, body lotions and all over Charismatic sculptor Max Greiner Jr. During the creation of his latest sculpture, The Coming King, a life–size, 18–foot bronze statue of Jesus on a white horse, the artist claimed gold–colored dust appeared. According to a news item in the February issue of Charisma, "Golden particles also covered his skin and clothing. He stored the shirt, shoes and socks he was wearing to prove the incident occurred."

The magazine acknowledged Greiner "has been embroiled in controversy" over the claim. A sample of the purported "gold" was sent to Texas A&M University for testing. The results showed the substance was not gold, but appeared to be "plastic with a thin metal coating similar to glitter." Other specimens were "a nickel metal flake" and "a weathered flake of the mineral mica." Charisma further reported that Greiner's "charismatic church had already asked him to leave after he spoke about gold dust appearing in his studio earlier that year."

Greiner is undaunted by the criticism. "We're leading hundreds of people to Christ with it. ... God has anointed it and is using it to lead people to [salvation] is pretty unique," he told Charisma magazine.

Greiner is no stranger to controversy and boastful claims. The Texas–based sculptor asserts that in 1986, God audibly spoke to him and told him to create The Divine Servant, a sculpture of Jesus washing Peter's feet. Greiner said he hoped that his statue would "introduce Christians and non–Christians alike to a divine Servant – the God who stripped Himself of His own deity." There is a copy of the statue at Dallas Theological Seminary. Greiner has further claimed that people have been healed because of the sculpture.

Greiner's latest work was commissioned by Paul Crouch of the Trinity Broadcasting Network. It will be placed outside TBN's headquarters in Southern California.

–MKG

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