Images preaching : the significance of aesthetic experiences with artworks for the art of preaching
Date
2019
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Pieter de Waal Neethling Trust
Abstract
Art confronts us with seeing our seeing as well as with the ambiguity of the meaning of
what we see. This is the double transcendence of art whereby it acquires its theologically
productive function. In this article I want to show that images of art can preach and
how they do so, using as illustrations stained-glass windows by Johannes Schreiter in
the Jakobi-Kirche in Göttingen, and a work of art that was shown at dOCUMENTA
13 (2012) in Kassel.
Works of art can irritate our eyes. There is also the beauty of humour and folly that
works of art can bring to preaching. If you have a sense of humour, you can see
many things – especially those that are obviously distressing and oppressive – quite
differently, and even give the negative a positive interpretation. Artworks can express
such humour or motivate us to perceive it. I demonstrate at the end of this article how
a contemporary painting conveying a disturbing picture of the crucified Christ can
inspire preaching.
Description
CITATION: Grab, W. 2019. Images preaching : the significance of aesthetic experiences with artworks for the art of preaching. Stellenbosch Theological Journal, 5(2):175-192, doi:10.17570/stj.Supp. 2019.v5n2.a10.
The original publication is available at https://ojs.reformedjournals.co.za/stj
The original publication is available at https://ojs.reformedjournals.co.za/stj
Keywords
Aesthetics, Art, Preaching, Christianity and the arts
Citation
Grab, W. 2019. Images preaching : the significance of aesthetic experiences with artworks for the art of preaching. Stellenbosch Theological Journal, 5(2):175-192, doi:10.17570/stj.Supp. 2019.v5n2.a10