Over the next week we are going to work our way slowly through the recent collection of essays edited by W. David O. Taylor entitled For the Beauty of the Church. These essays were the result of a conference held in 2008 in Austin, Texas, which brought together pastors and artists to explore the intersection of theology, church, and art. In the Introduction, David Taylor indicates that what emerged is “a vision of the church and the arts that is theologically informed, biblically grounded, liturgically sensitive, artistically alive, and missionally shrewd” (23).
This vision seeks to overcome what David Taylor indicates as a pragmatic perspective on the arts devoid of solid theology and a rich tradition. “My prayer is that, by the grace of Christ and under the Spirit’s supervision, they will stir us together to develop a theology capable of sustaining a long-lasting, fruit-bearing tradition of artmaking by the church, for the church, for the glory of God in the church, and for the good of the world” (27).
Join us, then, as we explore these essays to test the vision and reflect with these authors on fitting and faithful transpositions between the arts and the church.
I must say that I enjoyed Luci Shaw’s beautifully written foreword; particularly her pointing out the use of metaphor for the role of the pastor, as shepherd, and farmer. It’s been such an interesting exercise to review this book chapter by chapter and I look froward to moving the discussion forward as we grapple with the issues and concerns and ideas that Taylor’s book brings to light so effectively!