EBOOK
About
While some Christians have embraced the relationship between faith and the arts, the Reformed tradition tends to harbor reservations about the arts.
However, among Reformed churches, the Neo-Calvinist tradition-as represented in the work of Abraham Kuyper, Herman Dooyeweerd, Hans Rookmaaker, and others-has consistently demonstrated not just a willingness but a desire to engage with all manner of cultural and artistic expressions.
This volume, edited by art scholar Roger Henderson and Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker, the daughter of art historian and cultural critic Hans Rookmaaker, brings together history, philosophy, and theology to consider the relationship between the arts and the Neo-Calvinist tradition. With affirmations including the Lordship of Christ, the cultural mandate, sphere sovereignty, and common grace, the Neo-Calvinist tradition is well-equipped to offer wisdom on the arts to the whole body of Christ.
However, among Reformed churches, the Neo-Calvinist tradition-as represented in the work of Abraham Kuyper, Herman Dooyeweerd, Hans Rookmaaker, and others-has consistently demonstrated not just a willingness but a desire to engage with all manner of cultural and artistic expressions.
This volume, edited by art scholar Roger Henderson and Marleen Hengelaar-Rookmaaker, the daughter of art historian and cultural critic Hans Rookmaaker, brings together history, philosophy, and theology to consider the relationship between the arts and the Neo-Calvinist tradition. With affirmations including the Lordship of Christ, the cultural mandate, sphere sovereignty, and common grace, the Neo-Calvinist tradition is well-equipped to offer wisdom on the arts to the whole body of Christ.
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Reviews
"The Artistic Sphere is an indispensable collection of essays, skillfully tracing the legacy of Reformed theological aesthetics for over one hundred years, from Kuyper to Romaine and beyond. With its Christian perspective deeply rooted in Scripture, this book offers a redemptive model for those in art and theology."
Sandra Bowden, artist, collector of religious art, and curator
"The Artistic Sphere is an engaging antidote to stereotypes that often cluster around Calvinism and visual images. These essays are not characterized by a uniform viewpoint. There are refreshing differences of emphasis and interpretation in the way topics like beauty, the imagination, or the social roles of art are discussed. This book is an excellent introduction to how the visual arts were and are shaped, understood, and used in Reformational cultures."
Theodore Prescott, emeritus professor of art at Messiah University