And We Shall Learn through the Dance
Liturgical Dance as Religious Education
Foreword by Floyd Flake and Elaine Flake
Imprint: Pickwick Publications
Liturgical dance is a way to present, reflect, instruct, learn, study, and share religious beliefs with one's self, within one's worship community, and with one's God. Such a belief is confirmed and witnessed within a variety of religious settings throughout the world from the beginning of time to this present age. However, there is a vacuum of resources that connect liturgical dance within the Christian context as a tool for religious learning within the field of religious education. With the continual rise of liturgical dance as an artistic form of expression, this book proposes that liturgical dance offers unique attributes conducive to the teaching and learning of faith and to faith formation. Kathleen S. Turner shows how liturgical dance is religious education in two very important ways: first, by addressing the power and potential liturgical dance has in nourishing the faith life of Christian congregants through means that are both educative and reflective; and second, by giving examples of how liturgical dance can be implemented as a religious-education tool within the teaching life of the church.
Kathleen S. Turner is Director of Christian Education/Discipleship at The Greater Allen AME Church in Jamaica, New York. She is an adjunct professor at New York Theology Seminary and is a continuing contributor with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, in Grand Rapids, Michigan.
“Having been moved by seeing Kathleen Turner dance in worship, I was delighted to read her thorough and fascinating exploration of the historical and spiritual depths out of which such prayerful dance arises. She draws upon tradition and theories of knowing to vitalize the ministries of dance for today. The book is a rich resource for seminary classes and gives congregations a theological understanding of the transformative role dance can play in education and worship.”
—Thomas H. Troeger, Lantz Professor, emeritus, Yale Divinity School & Institute of Sacred Music
“This book is a gift to the People of God . . . Dr. Turner presents readers with a lattice work of the power and possibilities of liturgical dance. The book itself reads like a dance, moving to unfold the richness of dance as an artistic prayer form which frees and forms the religious imagination. The author’s carefully selected themes treat readers to essential aspects of religious learning and knowing that liturgical dance can uniquely engender.”
—Gloria Durka, Author of The Teacher’s Calling