Creator Spirit: The Holy Spirit and the Art of Becoming Human - Paperback

by Steven R. Guthrie (Author), Jeremy S. Begbie (Foreword by)

Art is often viewed as being inherently spiritual. But what does it mean to describe an experience of art or beauty as "spiritual"? Is there a relationship between the spiritual experience a person has in the presence of a work of art and the Holy Spirit of Christian faith? Skilled theologian, musician, and educator Steven Guthrie examines areas of overlap between spirituality, human creativity, and the arts with the goal of sharpening and refining how we speak and think about the Holy Spirit. By exploring various connections between art and spirituality, he helps Christians better understand the doctrine of the Holy Spirit and offers a clear, engaging theology of the arts. The book includes a foreword by renowned theologian and musician Jeremy Begbie.

Back Jacket

Exploring the Holy Spirit through the Arts

"[Steven Guthrie] invites us to enter the world of human artistry and reenvision the arts in ways that are illuminating, compelling, and always down to earth. . . . You will encounter a first-rate teacher who seems to be able to draw on a vast range of images and metaphors to press each point home. You will encounter a theologian who can bring clarity out of confusion without ever stifling a sense of openness and wonder. And most important, you will, by God's grace, encounter the work of the Spirit, sharpening your thinking and enlarging your vision."--Jeremy S. Begbie, Duke Divinity School (from the foreword)

"The renaissance in pneumatology and pneumatological theology takes a quantum leap with this book, which propels us into other dimensions of the Spirit that allow us to see, hear, and perceive the signs of the coming kingdom in the arts, music, and even Scripture that have otherwise been beyond our ken. Creator Spirit participates in the re-creative work of the Spirit to make all things new and beautiful."--Amos Yong, Fuller Theological Seminary

"Creator Spirit brings the Holy Spirit and art together into the creative center of human life. Guthrie shows how the Holy Spirit and art illumine each other and, together, create spaces where God is glorified and we are allowed to become what God intended. This is one of the best treatments of the Holy Spirit's activity in culture."―William Dyrness, Fuller Theological Seminary

"Guthrie compellingly engages what may be the most profound, yet often the most trivialized, dimension of theological aesthetics. The result is a rich, reflective, and learned work that artists and theologians alike have been hoping for."--Robin Jensen, University of Notre Dame

"In this important new work Guthrie combines his technical expertise and experience as a practicing musician with a sure-footed treatment of core biblical and theological issues. The result is a compelling cross-disciplinary conversation that both advances the concerns of constructive Christian theology and offers insights and resources for those involved in the arts."--Trevor Hart, Institute for Theology, Imagination, and the Arts, University of St. Andrews, Scotland

Author Biography

Steven R. Guthrie (PhD, University of St. Andrews) teaches religion at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, where he helped launch a new program in religion and the arts. He previously taught at the University of St. Andrews and was on the faculty of the Institute for Theology, Imagination, and the Arts. Guthrie contributed to the Encyclopedia of Christianity, coedited Resonant Witness with Jeremy Begbie, and is the author of numerous articles.