“When Christians lost the power of art, they impoverished the church, they impoverished worship, and they lost one of the most powerful means of calling souls to God.” -Dana Gioia
While the visual arts have served as a powerful resource for the church in past centuries, today they are often overlooked. In this course we will learn to “speak” this ancient language, exploring the ways that images can serve as companion and guide in our lives and ministries. We will discuss art from across centuries and cultures as we learn to integrate the visual arts into our journeys as Christians. Each week you will view a pre-recorded lecture and we will meet for discussion, exploring the rich possibilities in four different ways of using images in:
- Opening our eyes to sights of beauty, and of pain, in the world around us
- Interpreting Scripture and picturing – in diverse ways – Biblical figures
- Preparing the sanctuary and in planning for online as well as in-person worship
- Preaching and in prayer
Asynchronous Recorded lecture: 30 minutes (link to be sent out week before class.) Synchronous Class discussion: 60 minutes
Peggy (Margaret Adams) Parker is a long-time VTS adjunct instructor and a professional artist whose work often deals with religious themes.
We strive to welcome all. If cost impedes your participation, please email [email protected] about financial assistance.
This event is brought to you by the department of Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary