God in the Modern Wing – Viewing Art with Eyes of Faith

Should Christians even bother with the modern wing at the art museum? After all, modern art and artists are often caricatured as rabidly opposed to God, the church—indeed, to faith of any kind. But is that all there is to the story?In this Studies in Theology and the Arts volume, coeditors Cameron J. Anderson and G. Walter Hansen gather the reflections of artists, art historians, and theologians who collectively offer a more complicated narrative of the history of modern art and its place in the Christian life. Here, readers will find insights on the work and faith of artists including Marc Chagall, Jackson Pollock, Mark Rothko, Andy Warhol, and more.For those willing to look with eyes of faith, they may just find that God is present in the modern wing too.The Studies in Theology and the Arts  series encourages Christians to thoughtfully engage with the relationship between their faith and artistic expression, with contributions from both theologians and artists on a range of artistic media including visual art, music, poetry, literature, film, and more.

"In recent years, Christian thinkers have been engaging modern visual art in fresh and telling ways. This collection of penetrating essays is a welcome addition to this growing stream. Through the eyes of an informed and generous faith, a fiercely complex and often obscure movement is seen to be rife with rumors of the Christian God. A fascinating read."Jeremy Begbie, Thomas A. Langford Distinguished Research Professor of Theology, Duke University"If the reader seeks a book that explores important examples of modern art with enviable clarity and keen theological insight, then this book is one to read. Cam Anderson has gathered a group of artists, art historians, curators, and writers who offer searching reflections that emerge from their experience in the studio, classroom, and museum. The result is a pleasure to read."David Morgan, Duke University, author of The Forge of Vision: A Visual History of Modern Christianity

Cameron J. Anderson (MFA, Cranbrook Academy of Art) is an artist, associate director of Upper House, and former executive director of Christians in the Visual Arts (CIVA). Prior to joining CIVA, he served on the staff of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship for thirty years, most recently as the national director of Graduate and Faculty Ministries. He is the author of The Faithful Artist: A Vision for Evangelicalism and the Arts and the coeditor of Faith and Vision: Twenty-Five Years of Christians in the Visual Arts. G. Walter Hansen (ThD, University of Toronto) is professor emeritus at Fuller Theological Seminary. He previously served as a lecturer at Trinity Theological College in Singapore. He is the coauthor of Through Your Eyes: Dialogues on the Paintings of Bruce Herman as well as the author of the IVP New Testament Commentary on Galatians and The Letter to the Philippians.