Christian Worship and the Practices of Visual Art

William Dyrness, Fuller Theological Seminary June 26-July 7, 2006 Sponsored by the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship Funds provided by the Lilly Endowment, Inc.

Seminar Description
The past generation has witnessed an amazing renewal of Christian worship that spans the denominational and theological spectrum. Accompanying these refreshing winds has been a new and sometimes striking use of the various visual arts in worship. Though at times this has appeared ad hoc and experimental, this movement has often embraced gifts of the congregation previously ignored and has allowed worship to appeal to a broader ranger of ages and social groups. Clearly this convergence of the visual arts and worship demands attention and reflection.

This seminar will explore the present situation of the use of visual art in the church's worship and consider this against the background of the various traditions of the Christian church and recent developments in the arts. Discussions will include more general issues of the use of the visual elements and space in worship, as well as more particular topics such as architecture and images in relation to the elements of worship. Discussions will center around seminal readings and the input of the seminar leader as well as visiting consultants. But the goal will be to determine how the practices of the visual arts can be a force for renewal in the variety of worship styles that exist today.

The seminar is designed primarily for practitioners in congregational worship, whether pastors, artists, or worship leaders. Students and teachers in the fields of worship and the arts will also be welcome.

About the Director
William Dyrness is Professor of Theology and Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary. He teaches and writes in the areas of art, worship and culture. He was a founding member of the Brehm Center for Worship, Theology and the Arts at Fuller. His most recent books are Visual Faith: Theology, Art and Worship in Dialogue (2001) and Reformed Theology and Visual Culture: The Protestant Imagination from Calvin to Edwards (2004). He spends his spare hours visiting art galleries and reading novels and traveling with his wife Grace and, when possible, his three grown children.

Seminars & Workshops 2006 Index

For further information contact:
Seminars in Christian Scholarship
Calvin College
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Grand Rapids MI 49546-4402
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fax 616.526.6682
seminars@calvin.edu