A Sampling Bibliography on the Arts
Anderson, Cameron, J., The Faithful Artist: A Vision for Evangelicalism and the Arts, Inter Varsity Press, 2016
Cameron is a former InterVarsity national leader and also a painter. This book is an informative and thoughtful account of how art and faith have, at times, been in tension and how they have at other times found full cooperation. Anderson is not only well-versed in the visual arts, he is insightful in his accounts.
Anderson, Jonathan A. and William Dyrness, Modern Art and the Life of a Culture: The Religious Impulses of Modernism, Inter Varsity Press, 2016
You may remember Hans Rookmaaker’s important book Modern Art and the Death of a Culture (ideas from this work actually influenced his friend, Frances Schaeffer). Rookmaaker took a “declinist” view of culture – believing art served to express that culture is in decline. Anderson is an artist and art critic teaching at Biola University, and Dyrness is a theologian and art historian teaching at Fuller Seminary (Dyrness also knew Rookmaaker). This book challenges the view that modernity is a “narrative of progress from the religious to the secular,” noting that this narrative is no longer acceptable. The book provides insight into the widespread presence of “religious impulses” among many of the artists of the 19th and 20th centuries: Delacroix, Gaugin, Van Gogh, Cezanne, the Pre-Raphaelites, Kandinsky, Rouault and more. This is an important book that seeks to provide a fresh account of the relationship between Western mainstream (visual) art and faith, drawing on the lives of the artists.
Bauer, Michael, J., Arts Ministry: Nurturing the Creative Life of God’s People, Eerdmans, 2013.
Bauer takes up the theme of arts ministry, detailing how it may serve to foster experiencing God’s presence, the formation of human identity, the way in which it bridges to the world around us, how it may address human creativity, enrich communal worship, and what it may look like in practice.
Dyrness, William A., Visual Faith: Art, Theology, and Worship in Dialogue, Baker Academic, 2001
Dyrness provides an informative two–chapter overview of visual art from the early church through to the present. It includes a chapter on art and the Biblical Drama; one on reflecting theologically on visual art; current challenges for Christians and the arts; as well as an informative chapter on new opportunities for Christian involvement in the arts.
Guite, Malcolm, Sounding the Seasons: Seventy Sonnets for the Christian Year, Canterbury Press, 2012
I thought some of you may have a particular interest in poetry or may even write your own poetry, so I have included three books with poetry as a theme. Imago hosted the author of this collection at a poetry evening at Wycliffe College in 2018. Guite is an Anglican priest and chaplain at Girton College Cambridge University – not to mention, he is a prolific poet: see his website.
Jeffrey, David Lyle, In the Beauty of Holiness: Arts and the Bible in Western Culture, Eerdmans, 2017.
This is a modest-sized coffee table book at about 380 pages, with lots of color images and excellent commentary. Jeffrey is a Canadian who taught for many years at the University of Ottawa and has written widely in the field of literature. Some years ago he left Canada to go to Baylor University in Texas. This book looks at art before 1500 in the first section, and then in the second section art after 1500 to the present. Beautifully written and beautifully illustrated, this work draws from the author’s deep knowledge of the bible.
Johnston, Robert, Reel Spirituality: Theology and Film in Dialogue, Baker Academic, 2000
Johnston Robert, God’s Wider Presence: Reconsidering General Revelation, Baker Academic, 2014
Johnston is a notable figure in the discussions around theology and film. Imago hosted him in 2014 in Toronto – for a two-day event – Meeting God at the Movies. The first title looks at film as a resource for theological and biblical reflection. The second work asks the question, “if we can have an encounter with God through creation might we also have an encounter with God through culture – music, visual art, and of course film?” Johnston says yes.
McEntyre, Marilyn, When Poets Pray, Eerdmans 2019
McEntyre is a fine writer – eloquent and insightful. I am a great fan of one of her earlier books.
Caring for Words in a Culture of Lies. Another worth reading is Make a List: How a simple practice can change our lives and open our hearts. This one on poetry explores the close relationship between poetry and prayer. The author gives us brief reflections (3-4 pages) on selected poems by authors such as Hildegard of Bingen, Robert Frost, Wendell Berry, John Donne, George Herbert, Thomas Merton, Mary Oliver and T.S. Eliot. Her writing is inspiring and excellent material for contemplation.
Martin, D.S., ed. The Turning Aside: The Kingdom Poets Book of Contemporary Christian Poetry, Cascade Books -2016.
Don is a gifted Canadian poet and an avid promoter of poetry. This collection includes the work of Christian poets from the USA, Great Britain, Europe and Australia. The title “the turning aside” was inspired by the words in the story of Moses at the burning bush. Perhaps poetry may be a place of divine encounter.
Sayers, Dorothy, The Mind of the Maker, London: Religious Book Club, 1942.
I have included this book by Sayers – partly because in her incisive writing she provides illuminating insights. In this work she speaks of God as an artist where creation is not simply an act of “power,” but an act of self-giving love. It’s still in print.
Taylor, David, O. ed. For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts. (Forward by Luci Shaw) Baker Books, 2010
Taylor, David, O., Glimpses of the new Creation: Worship and the Formative Power of the Arts, Eerdmans, 2019
David Taylor has become one of the leading voices for Christians in the arts. He lives in Austin Texas but works for the Brehm Center at Fuller Seminary. He is a graduate of Regent College Vancouver, and studied with Jeremy Begbie at Duke University. The first book is a collection of papers given at a conference held in Austin Texas, in April of 2008, under the theme Transforming Culture: A Vision for the Church and the Arts. I had the privilege of being at that conference, and will say it is one of the best I have attended. Papers in the book include authors Andy Crouch, Lauren Winner, Eugene Peterson, and Jeremy Begbie.
The second book by David is more recent. He was an arts pastor for twelve years; and having read some of his blogs, I am confident that this will be a good read. The themes it covers include the meaning of worship, the meaning of art, worship and the musical arts, the poetic arts, visual and architectural arts, narrative arts, theatre arts and kinetic arts (that’s art and the body), and a concluding chapter on arts and the mission of the church.
Williams, Rowan, Being Human: Bodies, Minds, Persons Eerdmans, 2018
This work is part of a series of three, Being Christian and Being Disciples are the other two, each is about 100 pages in length. This work takes up the vexing question of what it means to be human. With the pervasive presence of technology and the development of artificial intelligence and robotics, this question has new urgency. Williams offers a strong Christian foundation for our thinking about being human. In chapter two, he discusses the subject I mentioned asking whether we are “individuals” or “persons.”
Wood, Ralph, The Gospel According to Tolkien: Visions of the Kingdom in Middle-Earth, Westminster John Knox Publishing, 2003
This is a very fine discussion on The Lord of the Rings. I think it’s interesting how Tolkien makes no mention of religion at all in this series, yet it is so deeply Christian.
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If you are interested in still more, here was a bibliography I put together in 2022 that touches on faith and creativity.
Arnold, Jonathan. Sacred Music in Secular Society, Burlington VT: Ashgate, 2014.
Avis, Paul. God and the Creative Imagination: Metaphor, Symbol and Myth in Religion and Theology, London, New York: Routledge, 1999.
Bauer, Michael J. Arts Ministry: Nurturing the Creative Life of God’s People, Grand Rapids MI: Eerdmans, 2013.
Begbie, Jeremy, Daniel Train, and W. David O. Taylor eds. The Art of the New Creation: Trajectories in Theology and the Arts, Downers Grove IL: IVP 2022.
Begbie, Jeremy. Resounding Truth: Christian Wisdom in the World of Music, Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic 2007.
Benson, Bruce Ellis. Liturgy as a Way of Life: Embodying the Arts in Christian Worship, Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2013.
Brueggemann, Walter. Hopeful Imagination: Prophetic Voices in Exile, Philadelphia PA: Fortress Press 1986.
Brueggemann, Walter. The Prophetic Imagination, 2nd Edition. Minneapolis MN: Augsburg Fortress, 2001.
Craft, Jennifer Allen. Placemaking and the Arts: Cultivating the Christian Life, Downers Grove IL: IVP 2018.
DeBoer, Lisa J. Visual Arts in the Worshiping Church, Grand Rapids IL: Eerdmans, 2016.
Dyrness, William A. Visual Faith: Art, Theology, and Worship in Dialogue, Baker Academic, 2001.
Fujimura, Makoto. Art and Faith: A Theology of Making, New Haven CT: Yale University Press, 2020.
Gonzalez-Andrieu, Cecilia. Bridge to Wonder: Art As A Gospel of Beauty, Waco TX: Baylor University Press, 2012.
Guite, Malcolm. Faith, Hope and Poetry: Theology and the Poetic Imagination, Surry UK: Ashgate, 2010.
Guthrie, Steven, R. Creator Spirit: The Holy Spirit and the Art of Becoming Human, Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic, 2011.
Hart, Trevor. Making Good: Creation, Creativity and Artistry, Waco TX: Baylor University Press, 2014.
Howison, Jamie. God’s Mind in That Music: Theological Exploration through the Music of John Coltrane. Eugene OR: Cascade Books, 2012.
Jeffrey, David Lyle. In the Beauty of Holiness: Arts and the Bible in Western Culture, Eerdmans, 2017.
Jenson, Robin, M. The Substance of Things Seen: Art Faith and the Christian Community, Grand Rapids MI: Eerdmans, 2004.
Johnson, Darrell. Discipleship on the Edge: An Expository Journey through the Book of Revelation, Vancouver CA: Regent College Publishing, 2004.
Johnston, Robert, K. Craig Detweiler, Kutter Callaway, Deep Focus: Film and Theology in Dialogue, Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic, 2019.
Johnston, Robert, K. God’s Wider Presence: Reconsidering General Revelation, Baker Academic, 2014.
Kearney, Richard. Poetics of Imagining: Modern to Post-modern, New York: Fordham University Press, 1998.
Larsen, Josh. Movies are Prayers: How Films Voice our Deepest Longings, Downers Grove IL: IVP, 2017.
Levy, Sandra M. Imagination and the Journey of Faith, Grand Rapids MI Eerdmans 2008.
McCullough, James. Sense and Spirituality: The Arts and Spiritual Formation, Eugene OR: Cascade Books, 2015.
Sherry, Patrick. Spirit and Beauty, London: SCM Press, 2002.
Smith, James K. A. Desiring the Kingdom: Worship, Worldview and Cultural Formation: Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic, 2011.
Smith, James K. A. Imagining the Kingdom: How Worship Works, Grand Rapids MI: Baker Academic, 2013.
Steiner, George. Real Presences, Chicago IL: University of Chicago Press, 1989.
Taylor, David. O, and Taylor Worley. Contemporary Art and the Church: A Conversation Between Two Worlds, Downers Grove IL: IVP, 2017.
Taylor, David, O, editor. For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts. Grand Rapids MI: Baker Books, 2010.
Taylor, David O. Glimpses of the New Creation: Worship and the Formative Power of the Arts, Grand Rapids IL: Eerdmans, 2019.