November 30, 2020
Painter Fujimura (Culture Care) centers creativity in this elegant treatise that blends reflections from his own artistic practice with biblical texts. He proposes a “theology of making,” or practicing one’s spiritual beliefs through the creation of art, and argues that humanity needs more than “plumbing theology,” which offers utilitarian tools for solving a problem. Fujimura argues that “culture has led to a dehumanized view of art” and that art must be “treated as a gift, not just a commodity.” He implores Christian artists to consider the ways in which their process relates to God’s reliance on cooperation to bring about his intentions, such as the human involvement in making the bread and wine of the Eucharist. He closes with a long, beautiful exegesis of the raising of Lazarus and a call for “practicing resurrection” by expanding what one imagines is possible through the creation of art. Fujimura’s sensitive, evocative theology will appeal to believers interested in the role religion can play in the creation of art.