Visual Theology

(1 Credit Hour) · Undergraduate

Works of art and archaeological artifacts have represented rich windows into the historical understanding of the Church and theological movements across time. For centuries, the dialectic between the written word and visual culture has shaped systematic theology, liturgy, biblical interpretation, and tradition. This one-credit course, taught exclusively at the Raclin Murphy Museum of Art and using works from the collection, will allow students a “hands-on” experience to cultivate their theological imaginations through guided viewings of original works of art. This class will engage with a wide variety of media and time periods, highlighting religious works from Rembrandt and Dürer prints, to Renaissance paintings, to modern and contemporary sculpture, and much more.