The Arts in Ministry: Engaging the Confluence of Faith, Art, Beauty and Restorative Justice

This project is a labor of love grounded in the belief that the redemptive arts, informed by the glory, beauty, and grace of Jesus Christ, can change the world. Obviously, a sweeping statement bordering on the esoteric, it is a given that the life-affirming grace of Christ has already saved the world. But dark shadows still engulf much of the earth so that creation cries out for illuminating truth. Indeed, a wounded world longs for heaven’s momentum where the lost are found, the last are first, and the least are empowered. In answer to this longing, this writing addresses the confluence of faith, art, beauty, and restorative justice as a viable means of initiating proactive transformation in the hearts of individuals, cities, and entire nations.

Utilizing qualitative research methodologies in establishing a viable framework for understanding pertinent concepts and implementations relative to the arts in ministry, the following body of inquiry contends that biblically informed artistry invites humanity into heaven’s grand narrative, where good overcomes evil, beauty abounds, and communities are freed to flourish. The research data seeks to validate the life-affirming propensity of the arts to facilitate spiritual and social healing through such diverse expressions as painting, film, poetry, photography, sculpture, drama, writing, and dance. The subsequent media outreach referenced in the project employs innovation diffusion by informing, inspiring, and engaging community concerning the immense capacity of the arts to facilitate change.