Western Seminary/
CHS
562i /662i Theological Themes in the Arts
2 credit hours
Fall Semester, 2003
R. A. Krupp
Rkrupp@westernseminary.edu
Writers and other artists often address
theological themes in their work from varying perspectives. You will explore and evaluate various art
forms in this course.
1. The student will gain a
deeper appreciation of the theological content of works of art as they reflect
the worldview of the artist.
2. The student will be able
to identify elements of the worldview of the artist after experiencing his or
her work.
3. The student will be able
to evaluated the theological themes and worldview of works of art more
precisely and accurately.
Godawa.
Hollywood Worldviews (G)
Hemingway. The Old Man
and the Sea
Hugo. Les Miserables
Lewis. The Great Divorce
Meredith and Fitzgerald. Structuring
Your Novel (M&F)
Nouwen. The Return of
the Prodigal Son
Tolkien. Lord of the Rings.
Volume 1
Out-of-print Text
Schaeffer. How Should We
Then Live
There are usually copies of
this book available at Powell=s and there are some used
copies available on Amazon.com.
Note
to ThM students. Additional work
will be required for ThM credit. ThM
students will meet with the instructor after the first class session and the
instructor will inquire about student interest before this extra work is
assigned.
Class Attendance- Because of the
interactive nature of the course students must attend each session. Absences must be discussed with the
instructor in advance so makeup assignments can be given and the students can
stay on pace with the course. 10% of final grade
Class preparation- Because
of the nature of the course students must complete all preparatory assignments
because each class. 45% of final grade
Final Exam- There will be an oral final exam. 15% of final grade
Individual Assignments: 30% of final grade
Students will choose one of the
following projects. The final product
will be about ten pages in length and is due on October 15, 2003 at the
beginning of class. In addition to the
written product the student will present their work to the class on October 27
for fifteen minutes. A one-sheet outline
of the presentation will be given to each member of the class that day.
1. Critique of popular Christian culture- A student will choose
an aspect of contemporary popular Christian culture to critique. They may visit a local Christian bookstore,
listen for three consecutive hours to a local religious radio or television
station (must include more than one show), attend a concert by a popular
musician or read (cover to cover) a magazine designed for the popular Christian
audience. Please consult with the
instructor as you choose your experience for this assignment. The critique
should define the experience and evaluate it theologically and
esthetically. The critique should also
estimate the prospects of the art involved in glorifying God and promoting
godliness.
2. A student will write an in depth critique of the arguments
in Franky Schaeffer=s Sham Pearls for Real
Swine (Brentwood, TN: Wolgemuth &
Hyatt, 1990)
3 A student will write an essay titled ATheological Issues at Stake
in Church Architecture.@
4. A student may write a critique of an art show, novel, movie,
collection of short stories or poetry.
This work may be from a Christian or non-Christian perspective. This critique should discuss the worldview of
the artist as well as specific theological themes addressed by the work.
5. The student may write an essay on the craft of a writer from
a Christian perspective. The following
books may be read, in an overview fashion, to inform this essay. The essay should reflect on the tension of
art as vocation and the artist as tortured creative muse.
Madeleine L'Engle. Walking
on Water: Reflections on Faith and Art.
John Gardner. The Art of
Fiction
John Gardner. On
Becoming a Novelist
Annie Dillard. The
Writing Life
Kurshner. Writing on
Both Sides of the Brain
Ryken. Culture in
Christian Perspective
6. A student may write an essay titled AArt in Cyberspace-
potentials and cautions@
September 17
Course Syllabus
Lecture- Basic Issues
Introduction to Lord of
the Rings
September 19
Medieval Cathedrals and
Stained Glass
Lord of the Rings
September 24
Read Godawa. Hollywood
Worldviews (G)
Read Meredith and
Fitzgerald. Structuring Your Novel (M&F)
Read Tolkien. Lord of
the Rings. Volume 1
Evaluate Tolkien by the
criteria in M&F, Appendix 1 and by the grid on G, p52
Watch Fiddler on the
Roof and prepare to discuss the following questions
1. How is God portrayed in
this work? Is He personal? Can you talk to Him? Does He speak to humanity? How?
2. What is the role of
tradition in this work?
3. How are marriage and
family portrayed?
4. How is vocational work
portrayed?
5. What is said about human
nature?
6. What is said about
suffering?
7. What is the balance
between the serious and the humorous in life according to the movie?
8. What gives meaning to
life?
9. What is the role of
religion?
10. Would the work be different
if a Christian portraying Christians in the same situation wrote it? If so,
how?
11. What theological issues are
addressed in this work?
12. Evaluate Fiddler on the Roof by the criteria in M&F, Appendix 1 and by
the grid on G, p52
September 26
Read
Hemingway. The Old Man and the Sea. Read the Encyclopedia Americana
article on Ernest Hemingway.
1. How are theological issues
such as God, sin, and human nature presented in this book?
2. What does the book say
about the dignity of creation?
3. What does the book say
about the dignity of mankind?
4. How are issues such as
honor, truth, friendship presented?
5. What does the book say
about the purpose of life, fatalism?
6. How does the book balance
optimism and pessimism?
7. Describe Hemingway=s worldview as well as you
can from the book.
8. Would the book be
different if written by a Christian?
9. Hemingway won the Nobel
Prize for literature soon after the publication of this work. It is considered to be one of his greatest
novels. What has earned it this
reputation.
10. Evaluate Hemingway by the criteria in M&F, Appendix 1 and
by the grid on G, p52
Watch Woody Allen=s Crimes and
Misdemeanors and prepare to discuss the following questions:
1. What
are elements of Allen=s worldview? Can you classify it in
Sire=s grid?
2. Is it possible to have
atheistic ethics?
3. How does Allen use the
theme of eyes, light, blindness, eyes of God, eyes as the gateway to the soul,
and an eye doctor to develop the plot and message of the movie?
4. What is the message of the
movie?
5. Does Allen=s character succeed at
anything?
6. Does Allen the author
prove anything with this movie?
7. What is the significance
of the final speech of the Jewish philosophy professor?
8. Evaluate Allen by the criteria in M&F, Appendix 1 and by
the grid on G, p52
October 1
Read Schaeffer. How
Should We Then Live.
1. Is
Schaeffer correct in his thoughts on totalitarianism and Christianity? (24-26)
2. Describe
the worldview dominant during the medieval synthesis?
3. What
is the significance of Thomas Aquinas in the history of western civilization?
4. Describe
the differences between Platonic and Aristotelian thought?
5. What
changes fuelled the Renaissance?
6. Compare
and contrast the view of the arts during the Renaissance, the Reformation and
the Enlightenment.
7. Describe
basic changes in the dominant worldview in western culture since the Enlightenment.
8. Do
you agree or disagree with Schaeffer analysis of the history of western
culture? List points of agreement and disagreement.
Come prepared to evaluate
one movie and one novel of your choice by the criteria in M&F, Appendix 1
and by the grid on G, p52
Read Jonah
Evaluate this book by the
criteria in M&F, Appendix 1 and by the grid on G, p52
October 3
Read Hugo. Les
Miserables.
1. How
are the following portrayed in this novel: women, grace and law, religion, human
nature, sin, and wealth and poverty?
2. What makes this a powerful
novel?
3. How is legalism portrayed
in the character of Javert?
4. How
is debauchery and evil portrayed in the character of Thenardier?
5. How is grace portrayed in
the character of Jean Valjean
6. Evaluate
Hugo by the criteria in M&F, Appendix 1 and by the grid on G, p52
Have any of your answers
changed as a result of watching the video of the songs from the musical?
Watch the movie Chariots
of Fire
Be prepared to discuss the
following questions:
1. What
motivated Harold Abrahams to run? What motivated him in life generally?
2.
What motivated
Eric Liddell to run? What motivated him in life generally?
3.
Evaluate the film by the criteria in M&F, Appendix 1 and by the grid
on G, p52
October 8
Read Luke 18:11-32
Evaluate this parable by
the criteria in M&F, Appendix 1 and by the grid on G, p52
Read Nouwen. The Return
of the Prodigal Son
1.
As you read this
book make notes concerning the following:
Rembrandt=s interpretation of the parable
Nouwen=s interpretation of the parable
Nouwen=s interpretation of Rembrandt=s
painting
Evaluate each of these interpretations.
2.
What are the
strengths and weaknesses of devotional exegesis as practiced in this book?
3.
What is the
source of the power of the painting?
4.
Is the painting
good art? Why or why not?
Read Ruth
Evaluate this book by the criteria in M&F,
Appendix 1 and by the grid on G, p52
October 10
Read Lewis. The Great Divorce.
1. List the theological
points raised by the novel.
2. Does this novel discuss
any points that are not often in traditional theologies?
3. Do you disagree with any
points raised by the novel?
4. Is the novel successful?
5. Evaluate Lewis by the criteria in M&F, Appendix 1 and by
the grid on G, p52
Read the following:
The C.S. Lewis Readers= Encyclopedia. (Reference 828 L673sw)
Biography 9-65
C.S. Lewis: The Man 246-247
Great Divorce 186-188
Lindskoog. Creative
Writing. 243-262 (On reserve)
David Mills, editor. The
Pilgrim Guide: C.S. Lewis and the Art of Witness. p3-40, and one other
essay in the volume that interests you. (On reserve)
Thomas L. Martin. Editor. Reading
the Classics with C. S. Lewis. 32-51 and one other essay that interests
you. (On reserve)
Watch the movie Shadowlands
staring Anthony Hopkins
Evaluate this movie by the
criteria in M&F, Appendix 1 and by the grid on G, p52
1. List events in Lewis= life the are reflected in
his writing.
2. Would you have liked to
study under Lewis? Why or why not?
3. What role did friendships
have in his life?
4. How important was writing
to his spiritual life?
5. What were the strengths
and weaknesses of Lewis= writing?
October 15
Student Reports
October 17
Final Exam- the final exam
will be an oral group exam covering the following questions: 1. What are your views concerning the theological
basis for the arts?
2. Why are the arts a power
tool for communication?
3. Should Christians be
active in the arts? Why?
4. What
is your evaluation of Godawa and Meredith and Fitzgerald?
5.f Any of the questions prepared for the various course sessions
may be used as part of the final?