The Substance of Things Seen: Art, Faith, and the Christian Community.Robin M. Jensen The Substance of Things Seen: Art, Faith, and the Christian Community Eerdmans, 2004, 152 pp. In this wide-ranging, clearly written, genially gen·ial 1 adj. 1. Having a pleasant or friendly disposition or manner. See Synonyms at gracious. 2. Conducive to life, growth, or comfort; mild: "the genial sunshine . . . ecumenical survey, Jensen (Professor of the History of Christian Art Christian art is a term that covers all visual works produced in an attempt to illustrate, supplement and portray in tangible form the principles of Christianity. Virtually all Christian groupings use or have used art to some extent. at Vanderbilt Divinity School Vanderbilt Divinity School is a university-based interdenominational theological school based at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. It is one of only four such schools in the U.S., and is the only such school located in the Southern U.S. ), tackles both the theory and practice of Christian art, from the 3rd century catacombs to the Iconoclast iconoclast Surgery A surgical instrument used for blunt dissection, which may be used below the galea aponeurotica in preparation for scalp reduction-browlift in hair restoration. See Hair replacement. heresy to medieval cathedrals to Mathias Grunewald to Edwina Sandys's 1974 sculpture of a (naked) female crucified Christ. The book could use an index and color illustrations, but it makes an ideal introduction to the subject for classes or discussion groups. Jensen sounds as if she's faced more than one bright-but-not-very-esthetically-hip audience before; and she knows just how to handle the situation. She takes nothing for granted, even irenically contesting the Augustinian-Calvinist suspicion of all non-verbal art in worship. But she carries her case through foundational issues to a fairly sophisticated examination of the impact of the arts on present-day congregational con·gre·ga·tion·al adj. 1. Of or relating to a congregation. 2. Congregational Of or relating to Congregationalism or Congregationalists. Adj. 1. life. A first-rate mini-textbook. |
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