THEO2551: Create, Image, Enact: Christian Theology and the Arts

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• To introduce students to key debates within interdisciplinary work on theology and the arts.
• To develop in students an analytical attentiveness to the theological significance of creative practices and of visual, performative and literary sources.
• To equip students with the methodological tools and critical skills needed to develop their own theological interpretations of works of art.

• This module explores the role of a range of art forms and particular art works in Christian theological discourse and practice. The module places classic and contemporary Christian theological sources in dialogue with modern and postmodern art works and the debates surrounding them. Students will be given the opportunity to develop their own theological responses to art works, informed by relevant scholarship. Students will be able to examine and practice different methodologies for attending to particular pieces of art. The module concentrates on the visual and performing arts, with some attention also given to the literary arts.
• Topics covered might include: the relationship between divine and human creativity; beauty in art and theology; the impact of the visual and performing arts on approaches to theological communication and argument; the function of art works in contemporary worship contexts; the role of the arts in responding to theological debates about embodiment, gender and sexuality; and artistic explorations of the boundaries between the sacred and the secular. The module will typically incorporate study of work by thinkers such as: John of Damascus, Jacques Maritain, Hans urs Von Balthasar, Dorothy L. Sayers, David Jones, Trevor Hart, Jean-Louis Chrtien, and Ben Quash. Art works under consideration will vary from year to year.
• The module will normally include two external visits to see particular works of art: one to Durham Cathedral and one to a gallery in the North East (e.g. the Hatton Gallery; the Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art; the Laing Gallery).

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• Knowledge and critical understanding of the scholarly debates in Christian theology about the theological role and value of the arts.
• Knowledge and critical understanding of selected primary sources from the visual, performing and literary arts.

Subject-specific Skills:

• An ability to apply and evaluate a range of methods of theological analysis with respect to art works and skill in critically handling art as a source for theological reflection.

Key Skills:

• Skills in the acquisition of information through reading and research, including through external visits to churches and galleries.
• Skills in analysing and critically commenting on selected textual, visual and performative sources.
• Skills in structuring and presenting evidence-based arguments in concise written form.

• Lectures convey information and exemplify an approach to the subject-matter, enabling students to develop a clear understanding of the material and to improve their skills in interpreting and evaluating information.
• Seminars enhance subject-specific knowledge and understanding both through preparation and through interaction with students and staff, promoting awareness of different viewpoints and approaches, and enhancing skills in the analysis of sources, concepts and arguments.
• External visits convey information, improving students understanding, and develop skills in applying methodologies taught to particular case studies.
• Formative portfolios develop subject-specific knowledge and understanding, subject-specific skills, and key skills in the acquisition of information through reading and research, critical analysis and structuring and presenting evidence-based arguments in concise written form.
• Summative essays and portfolios assess subject-specific knowledge and understanding, subject-specific skills, and key skills in the acquisition of information through reading and research, critical analysis and structuring and presenting evidence-based arguments in concise written form.

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