Putting Art (Back) in Its Place - Softcover

Skillen, John E.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1619707594 ISBN 13: 9781619707597

Publisher: Hendrickson Publishers, 2016

Synopsis

While most Christians today view art from a distance and Christian discussions of art focus primarily on artists as lonely dreamers, this has not always been the case. In Putting Art (Back) in its Place Dr. John Skillen, an expert in medieval and Renaissance art and literature, calls for the church to come together as one body to reclaim that rich heritage where art touched the entire believing community.

For quite some time, art played a vital role in the life of the community, assisting Christian community in performing actions that defined their corporate work and identity (their liturgies). Patrons commissioned artists, advisors helped to determine subject matter, and the whole church celebrated and partook in what was eventually displayed.

Skillen offers readers a compelling call to foster a vibrant culture of the arts by restoring and cultivating active and respectful relationships among artists, patrons, scholars, communities and the art they create. Putting Art (Back) in its Place equips laity and clergy to think historically about the vibrant role the visual arts have played--and could again play--in the life of the church and its mission.

About this title

About the Author

John Skillen directs the Studio for Art, Faith & History at Gordon College
in Wenham, MA, where he has taught since 1983. A specialist in medieval,
Renaissance, and 17th-century literature, Dr. Skillen oversees several
programs in Europe administered through Gordon’s Global Education
Office, and frequently leads seminars in Italy, where he directed the
Gordon In Orvieto program from 1998 to 2009.

Edition details

• Publisher: Hendrickson Publishers
• Publication date: 2016
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1619707594
• ISBN 13: 9781619707597
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 223