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‘Theology and the arts’ is a discipline that has witnessed an explosion of scholarly and practical interest in the last decade. From the influence of the arts on theological belief and liturgical practice to theological thinking on creativity and the role of the artist in society, there is much to celebrate. This Special Issue contributes to the dialogue on theology and the arts by considering the role of ‘place’ in such encounters and investigations, particularly as it relates to the visual arts. In the world we live in today—an increasingly global and virtual space—it is sometimes easy to lose sight of our humanity in the relationship with the places in which we find ourselves. If we are indeed “enfleshed (and therefore, en-placed!) souls”, as Genesis 2 communicates, then in order to understand our humanity, our sins, our practices, or our hopes, we might observe the ways that place factors into those experiences—how the geography and social relationships of our material world continue to impact the ways that we understand ourselves and others. Therefore, both the visual arts and place studies are arenas of significant theological import, and this issue invites authors who are interested in investigating some of the ways that place, theology, and the visual arts meet together for fruitful discourse and discovery. Drawing together theologians, artists, and other social scholars on this topic, we wish to highlight the variety of ways that visual art might expand our understanding and experience of place, how our relationships with places through the arts have theological consequences and implications, and how theologians might offer frameworks for the interpretation of both place and the arts in a richer way in the contemporary world.
Some questions might include: How do the visual arts/artists contribute to our relationships with both places and the people within them, and what theological significance might this have? How can the interdisciplinary dialogue between theology, visual art, and place contribute to other important areas of thought and practice, including social justice, education, or liturgical studies? How do the arts and architecture become sites and practices in which to understand ourselves and our enfleshed/enplaced humanity further? How do certain theological doctrines—such as the doctrine of creation, incarnation, or eschatology—impact our understanding of the arts and place in practical ways?
We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 400-600 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send it to the guest editors (Jennifer.craft@point.edu) or to Religions/ editorial office (religions@mdpi.com). Abstracts will be reviewed by the guest editors for the purposes of ensuring proper fit within the scope of the special issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer-review.
Dr. Jennifer Allen Craft
Guest Editor