While the average person rarely sees it, the visual arts play a subtle yet profound role in the teaching and formation of faith, both for individuals and religious communities. The Substance of Things Seen explores the intersection of art and faith, offering thoughtful reflections on the way art functions in Christian life and practice. Highly readable and featuring instructive illustrations, this book is meant to engage church leaders as well as artists in constructive conversation about the critical role that art can play in the renewal of Christian education, worship, and study. It also challenges anyone who thinks the arts are only of marginal importance to the religious life. Robin Jensen considers here a broad range of topics relevant to Christian faith and culture, including the construction of sacred space, the use of art in worship and spiritual formation, the way that visual art interprets sacred texts, and the power and danger of art from a historical and contemporary perspective.
Über den Autor Robin M. Jensen
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Robin M. Jensen is the Patrick O'Brien Professor of Theology at the University of Notre Dame, where she is a fellow of the Medieval Institute and holds concurrent appointments in the Departments of Art History and Classics. Her published works explore the intersection of early Christian art, ecclesial architecture, liturgy, and theological discourse. Her most recent publication is From Idols to Icons: The Emergence of Christian Devotional Art in Late Antiquity (2022), and she co-edited The Routledge Handbook of Early Christian Art (2018).
