Yale Professor to Present Series on
Christianity and the Arts
Why is now a great time to talk about
Christianity and the arts? First, Yale University Professor
Nicholas Wolterstorff is coming next month to Westminster. His
books about religion and the arts have been recognized as the most
influential works on this topic in the last century.
Having such a renowned speaker on the arts at
a church is remarkable when you consider that Presbyterianism's
founder John Calvin tried to rid the church of musical instruments,
paintings and other arts! What we have learned since Calvin's time
is, you cannot think of God without some sort of artistic
experience. Paintings, sculptures and carvings all help us to
conceive of the Holy. Music leads us down pathways of faith's
feelings. Dance helps us to express grace in motion.
We will explore Dr. Wolterstorff's
groundbreaking thought through his book, Art in Action, a
book designed for the casual philosopher. It looks at both how
actions stimulate art, and how art moves us to action. We are
inviting a host of experts to help us prepare for this important
event. In January and February, our adult seminars will include:
Dr. Dan Crawford,
UNL Senior Lecturer of Philosophy, will introduce the
broader context of Art in Action.
Dr. John Richmond,
UNL Director of the School of Music, will discuss
Wolterstorff's impact on art and worship.
Dr. Lisa Wilkinson,
Assistant Professor of Philosophy at Nebraska
Wesleyan, will compare ancient and modern perspectives on art, and
how
artistic ideals guide us.
Dr. Joe Herl,
Assistant Professor of Music at Concordia College, will look at
the importance of music in shaping human life and community.
Dr. Peter Heckman,
Chair of the Religion and Philosophy Department at
Wesleyan, will explore the place of religion in the arts.
Watch the
Vine for More details!
We are excited to partner with the University
of Nebraska in bringing Dr.Wolterstorff to Lincoln. He will lecture
at UNL on Feb15 &16 and present sermons and seminar at Westminster
on Feb 18.
The second reason now is a great time to talk
about Christianity and the arts is that Westminster is about to kick
off a two million dollar campaign to restore and renovate the
sanctuary. Changes in the sanctuary will allow new uses of the arts
to grow in our spiritual worship experiences. We continue to be a
church that is "Spiritually alive, broadly inclusive, and growing in
mission."
Sincerely,
Andrew L. McDonald, Pastor |
