Jesus and the Emergence of a Catholic Imagination: An Illustrated Journey

Catholics have always expressed their faith through art, whether in painting, sculpture, music, poetry, literature, or--in modern times--film. And yet much of the discussion of Catholic art in universities, museums, and public lectures ignores the essential dimension of religious belief. Michelangelo, for example, is studied as a Florentine, a political discontent, a Renaissance luminary, even as a businessman, but the personal faith that suffuses his work is very often ignored. And yet Michelangelo was continuing a tradition of distinctively Catholic art that originated in the early church. Jesus and the Emergence of a Catholic Imagination corrects this oversight by tracing the development of a Catholic way of imagining the world, from its genesis in Jesus' teachings through the first eight hundred years of Christianity.

Starting with a close examination of Jesus' own intensely creative religious imagination, this richly illustrated book discusses how the early Christian church fashioned images of Jesus and the events of his life through narratives, poetry, and even abstract design. The examples it considers include works from Syria, Italy, Spain, Ireland, and Germany. From the ancient house church at Dura Europos, to the art of the catacombs, the poetry of Prudentius, the Book of Kells, the Utrecht Psalter, and the Saxon Heliand, the author demonstrates how the Catholic tradition has evolved its unique way of imagining the self, the world, and God--a way that remains vibrant within the Catholic faith community to this day. Includes 59 illustrations.