The Theology and Arts in Ministry Initiative (TAM)* exists to facilitate the integration of arts into theological education as well as the discipleship/mentorship of artists on strong theological foundations. To help bridge the usual gap between theological and other ministry education and the biblical foundation of the arts we do things like:

  1. Have conversations with administrative faculty at seminaries or ministry training schools about the topic via webinar or in person.
  2. Participate and present at theological conferences.
  3. Present seminars to the student body of seminaries or colleges.
  4. Develop collaborative teams of theologians and arts practitioners or advocates to broaden the outreach into seminaries and churches, and to implement projects that advance this integration in local communities. (See below for a link to the ICETE Impact Team on Arts in Theology).
  5. Collaborate in the development of a curriculum integrating arts into theological and other ministry types of training.
  6. Create resources (written or otherwise) to facilitate this initiative.

 

Here are some relevant reasons for this initiative:

  • God’s Example or Model: Almost more often than not, God chose to communicate His revelation to us through artistic forms. He must have had a reason. He knows mankind, how we learn and absorb information, and how we can be transformed. His ‘educational’ models should not be ignored.
  • Heart, Soul, and Mind: The arts help us to engage with cognitive information in an experiential way, bringing together heart, soul, and mind. We are instructed to worship God with all of our being.
  • Mentorship/Discipleship: Christians with especially creative gifts (often termed ‘creatives’) need to be mentored or discipled towards a faithful stewardship of their gifts. Those being trained for leadership (pastors, evangelists, teachers, etc.) must first understand the value of such giftings for the Kingdom of God in order to exercise good mentorship in the lives of believers with artistic gifts.
  • Stewardship of Gifts: A calling to ‘ministry’ is not necessarily a call to forsake less spectacular, non-verbal, or other gifts that are not classically acknowledged such as oratory (preaching), missionary church planting, etc. Rather, God is likely to be calling the individual to exercise the total gift (or talent) mix he or she has received from Him in ministry, i.e. in service to Him and others.

Watch the video below for a summary of the TAM Initiative ideas.

The ICETE Arts in Theology Impact Team

Within the umbrella of ICETE – International Council of Evangelical Theological Education – we are developing a long-term Impact Team on Arts and Theology.  If you are involved in the theological field and would like to see greater use of the arts in this context, or if you are an artist (or an advocate for the arts) who is also burdened to spread your vision into theological education, please contact any of us:

To find out more about the teams and to join the Arts in Theology Impact Team, go to https://icete.info/resources/impact-teams/. We would love to hear from you!

Book Recommendations

A Primer for the Theology, the Bible, and the Arts

Art and the Bible, Francis Schaeffer

From the description on Amazon: “The lordship of Christ should include an interest in the arts," writes Francis Schaeffer. "A Christian should use these arts to the glory of God, not just as tracts, mind you, but as things of beauty to the praise of God." Many Christians, wary of creating graven images, have steered clear of artistic creativity. But the Bible offers a robust affirmation of the arts. The human impulse to create reflects our being created in the image of a creator God. Art and the Bible has been a foundational work for generations of Christians in the arts. In this book's classic essays, Francis Schaeffer first examines the scriptural record of the use of various art forms, and then establishes a Christian perspective on art. With clarity and vigor, Schaeffer explains why "the Christian is the one whose imagination should fly beyond the stars.”

For the Beauty of the Church: Casting a Vision for the Arts, David O. Taylor (editor)

The book contains chapters written by key thinkers in this area: Eugene Peterson, Andy Crouch, John Witvliet, Jeremy Begbie, Lauren Winter, Luci Shaw, Marva Dawn, and Barbara Nicolosi. As a whole, it offers a visionary and practical roadmap for churches to fully integrate the arts—not as decoration or afterthought, but as a core component of worship, mission, theology, and community.

*The TAM Initiative also partners with ACT International for support and collaboration among like-minded artists in Christian testimony. ACT International: www.actinternational.org.