Bücher von Robin M. Jensen

"From Idols to Icons is a sweeping work that tackles diverse aspects of image worship, including theological issues, the perception of the senses, and the various meanings of viewing. The question, in Robin Jensen's view, is not really about whether images were acceptable or powerful but about whose images were to be tolerated. The result is an original and well-documented study that brings together the views of Christian and non-Christian authors, apologists, philosophers, and sophists as well."--Brouria Bitton-Ashkelony, Martin Buber Professor of Comparative Religion, Hebrew University of Jerusalem "This book is set to be a standard work in Christian art history, theological aesthetics, and the cultural history of late antiquity. A rarity in the field, Jensen's account is attentive to both the material culture that is early Christian art and the theological lenses through which it was and is understood. A masterful achievement." --Christopher Beeley, Jack and Barbara Bovender Professor of Theology, Duke University

While the average person rarely sees it, the visual arts play a subtle yet profound role in the teaching and formation of faith, both for individuals and religious communities. The Substance of Things Seen explores the intersection of art and faith, offering thoughtful reflections on the way art functions in Christian life and practice.Highly readable and featuring instructive illustrations, this book is meant to engage church leaders as well as artists in constructive conversation about the critical role that art can play in the renewal of Christian education, worship, and study. It also challenges anyone who thinks the arts are only of marginal importance to the religious life. Robin Jensen considers here a broad range of topics relevant to Christian faith and culture, including the construction of sacred space, the use of art in worship and spiritual formation, the way that visual art interprets sacred texts, and the power and danger of art from a historical and contemporary perspective.