Theatrical Theology

by Wesley Vander Lugt (Editor), Trevor Hart (Editor)

Overview

Theology is inherently theatrical, rooted in God's performance on the world stage and oriented toward faith seeking performative understanding in the theatre of everyday life. Following Hans Urs von Balthasar's magisterial, five-volume Theo-Drama, a growing number of theologians and pastors have been engaging more widely with theatre and drama, producing what has been recognized as a "theatrical turn" in theology. This volume includes thirteen essays from theologians and pastors who have contributed in distinct ways to this theatrical turn and who desire to deepen interdisciplinary dialogue between theology and theatre. The result is an unprecedented collection of essays that embodies and advances theatrical theology for the purpose of enriching theological reflection and edifying the church.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781556350726
Publisher:	Cascade Books
Publication date:	07/31/2014
Pages:	298
Sales rank:	1,017,868
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Wesley Vander Lugt is Lead Pastor of Warehouse 242 in Charlotte, NC. He is the author of Living Theodrama: Reimagining Theological Ethics (2014) and the coauthor of Pocket Dictionary of the Reformed Tradition (2013).

Trevor Hart is Rector of Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church and Honorary Professor at the University of St Andrews. His recent publications include Between the Image and the Word: Theological Engagements with Imagination, Literature, and Language (2013) and Making Good: Creation, Creativity, and Artistry (2014).

Table of Contents

Contributors ix

Introduction-Wesley Vander Lugt and Trevor Hart xiii

1 At Play in the Theodrama of the Lord: The Triune God of the Gospel Kevin J. Vanhoozer 1

2 Beyond Theatre and Incarnation Trevor Hart 30

3 The Intractable Sense of an Ending: Gethseniane's Prayer on the Tragic Stage Ivan Patricio Khovacs 44

4 Raising a Tempest: Brookian Theatre as an Analogy for Providence Timothy Gorringe 73

5 In Praise of Empty Churches Shannon Craigo-Snell 88

6 Play It Again: Kierkegaard's Repetition as Philosophy and Drama George Pattison 113

7 The Play of Christian Life: When Wisdom Calls to Wisdom Jim Fodor 126

8 Doing God's Story: Theatre, Christian Initiation, and Being Human Together Todd E. Johnson 153

9 And That's True Too: Revelation, Drama, and the Shape of Christian Ethics David Cunningham 178

10 Eucharistic Drama: Rehearsal for a Revolution Marilyn McCord Adams 203

11 Holy Theatre: Enfleshing the Word Richard Carter Samuel Wells 224

12 The Church as a Theatre of the Oppressed: The Promise of Transformational Theatre for a Youth-Led Urban Revolution Peter Goodwin Heltzel 241

13 Theatre as a Source of Religious Insight and Revelation David Brown 263

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

"It is one thing to say that ethics is 'performative' or that the incarnation is 'theatrical.' It is another thing to presume that these sorts of statements are self-evidential, when they are far from it. This collection of essays offers us a clear-headed and stimulating treatment of the various ways in which 'theatre' orients the work of Christian theology. This is a very welcome volume for both academy and church."
—W. David O. Taylor, Fuller Theological Seminary, Houston, TX

"The dynamic cast of voices in Theatrical Theology enacts a rich and vibrant dialogue rarely heard in academic conversations about theology and the arts. More than merely appropriating a new conceptual vocabulary for theology, Theatrical Theology actually reckons with the cultural practice of 'theatre' in generative and illuminating ways. This text models a careful engagement with the theorists, practitioners, and canons of theatre while also opening up fresh modes of faithful Christian practice."
—Taylor Worley, Union University, Jackson, TN

"For those who have been intrigued by the growing talk of the 'theatrical turn' in theology, this book allows you to enter the conversation. In these suggestive essays the 'performance of faith' is explored in such a way that the possibilities of this approach begin to surface. By the end of the book the reader knows that the conversation is not over, it is just beginning."
—Kelly M. Kapic, Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, GA

Editorial Reviews

"It is one thing to say that ethics is 'performative' or that the incarnation is 'theatrical.' It is another thing to presume that these sorts of statements are self-evidential, when they are far from it. This collection of essays offers us a clear-headed and stimulating treatment of the various ways in which 'theatre' orients the work of Christian theology. This is a very welcome volume for both academy and church."
—W. David O. Taylor, Fuller Theological Seminary, Houston, TX

"The dynamic cast of voices in Theatrical Theology enacts a rich and vibrant dialogue rarely heard in academic conversations about theology and the arts. More than merely appropriating a new conceptual vocabulary for theology, Theatrical Theology actually reckons with the cultural practice of 'theatre' in generative and illuminating ways. This text models a careful engagement with the theorists, practitioners, and canons of theatre while also opening up fresh modes of faithful Christian practice."
—Taylor Worley, Union University, Jackson, TN

"For those who have been intrigued by the growing talk of the 'theatrical turn' in theology, this book allows you to enter the conversation. In these suggestive essays the 'performance of faith' is explored in such a way that the possibilities of this approach begin to surface. By the end of the book the reader knows that the conversation is not over, it is just beginning."
—Kelly M. Kapic, Covenant College, Lookout Mountain, GA

From the Publisher