Creatively theological: Student-Led Collaborations in review

With the turning of the academic year, the 2018/19 Student-Led Partnerships have drawn to a close. Here, we look back on the findings of the scheme as they emerged from each of our three partnerships. The intention of this TheoArtistry scheme was ‘to develop creative methodologies in theological research.’ Our researchers were encouraged to focus … Read more

Capturing wonder through the arts

Following his TheoArtistry research on the nature of wonder, photographer Michael Thames considers art and art-making as a way of encountering the wonder that awaits us within, and beyond, our world. Wendell Berry once wrote that it takes us several hours to actually inhabit a place which we can pass by on the road in … Read more

Poetry: “Where I’m From”

As part of the 2018/19 TheoArtistry collaborations, each partnership was asked to keep an ongoing ‘scrapbook’ of any ideas, source material, and art-making that formed a part of their research. The following poems capture a significant moment of connection within Marjorie and Mariah’s collaboration. Developing a relational model for their partnership, based on a mutual … Read more

Finding home with poetry (and potatoes)

In this final reflection on their TheoArtistry partnership, Marjorie and Mariah explain how friendship, poetry, sketching, and potatoes deepened their theological exploration of home and belonging. Read poems from Mariah and Marjorie: “Where I’m From.” Both Marjorie and I have thoroughly enjoyed this opportunity to discuss theology and the arts with each other and the … Read more

Working with wonder

TheoArtistry researchers James Ursell, Michael Thames, and Jen Schmidt have experimented with a variety of techniques and approaches to the concept of ‘wonder.’ Here, they discuss the nature of their project, their perspectives on working in creative collaboration, and how TheoArtistry has influenced their relationship with art. Our TheoArtistry project began with the word ‘wonder’. … Read more

Spirituality in Creativity (Part 3)

This three-part blog series presents a joint contribution from one of our TheoArtistry partnerships: Ewan Bowlby, Emily Fleming, and Hannah Palmatary. These reflections have emerged from their recent immersive performance of original poetry and musical compositions, entitled “Spirituality in Creativity: A TheoArtistry Collaboration.” Meditating on spirituality and the body in the poetic form has proven … Read more

Spirituality in Creativity (Part 2)

This three-part blog series presents a joint contribution from one of our TheoArtistry partnerships: Ewan Bowlby, Emily Fleming, and Hannah Palmatary. These reflections have emerged from their recent immersive performance of original poetry and musical compositions, entitled “Spirituality in Creativity: A TheoArtistry Collaboration.” Twenty-one years of playing the violin is enough time for music to … Read more

Spirituality in Creativity (Part 1)

This three-part blog series presents a joint contribution from one of our TheoArtistry partnerships: Ewan Bowlby, Emily Fleming, and Hannah Palmatary. These reflections have emerged from their recent immersive performance of original poetry and musical compositions, entitled “Spirituality in Creativity: A TheoArtistry Collaboration.” Spirituality is a complicated, contested idea, that will inevitably mean different things … Read more

‘Process’ over ‘product’

In both the art world and the academy, our attention is often on the finished product. Whether it’s a painting, a performance, or a research project, the goal is often to create something which is (in some sense) ‘complete,’ or at least satisfying to the creator and thus, hopefully, to others. Considerable effort is made … Read more

Imagining Theology: Embracing the creative process

Theology is a process of the imagination. This is not to say that theology deals with merely imaginary things (though theology in its broadest sense considers cultural myths and belief systems of all stripes). Rather, theology relies on our ability to imagine — to contemplate what cannot always be clearly perceived, and to envision some … Read more