Art and the Experience of the Divine

“We all need aids on our way to God and with God. The authors make a compelling case that art can be such aid and then show how. Anne Bent’s meditations and prayers exude attentive admiration for art and authentic devotion to God.”


—Miroslav Volf, professor of theology, Yale University





“A fascinating mixture of art, spirituality, and theology, as an expert theologian and artist collaborate to take us on a rich journey through various Old Master drawings of biblical and spiritual themes, sensitively explained and each concluding with helpful meditations and prayers to assist us to discover art as a ‘Way to God.’”


—Richard A. Burridge, professor of theology, University of Manchester





“Art aficionado Anne Bent and Christian thought leader Ian Markham have given us food for eyes, mind, and heart. We are shown how to think theologically about art and inducted into a new journey with God. A gift both for spiritual seekers and Christians facing the long haul, Art and the Experience of the Divine helps us to see, to pray, and to give thanks.”


—Scott Cowdell, research professor in theology, Charles Sturt University





“The rich and ancient relationship between religious experience and beliefs and art is a fascinating topic to explore. The approach of the authors (a Christian theologian and an expert in Old Master Drawings) is fresh, informal, and invitational. The authors invite the reader to think with them, in an informed and interdisciplinary way, about how art can and does inform and enrich religious beliefs and feelings and, in turn, how religious beliefs and feelings help shape one’s perceptions of works of art.”


—Heidi Hadsell, president emeritus, Hartford International University of Religion and Peace