The Art of Abstraction: An Exercise in Sacramental Theology

A growing number of people are skeptical of religious claims and creeds for accessing the sacred. Many are looking to artists who search for a more instinctive sense of the sacred by means of symbols and imagery. In the desire and mission of the Roman Catholic Church to bring the human being into greater relationship with the Paschal Mystery, the Church realizes the importance of attending to the circumstances and needs of modern times. The Church has always sought the noble help of the arts, stating she does not adopt any particular style of art as her own (SC 122-123), yet in magisterial documents and theological research there is a lack of attention given to the role of abstract art in the endeavor to increase active participation of the human being in the liturgy. In order to elucidate the mediating capacity of abstract art for accessing the sacred in liturgy: (i) a historical investigation of abstract art will be made and five case studies, chosen from the artistic elements emphasized in abstract art, will be examined; and (ii) an examination of the theological theories of art, especially regarding the "narthical" role of abstract art # the dynamic of inviting the viewer into further engagement with its imagery and of communicating a message # will be made and assessed in relation to the central Mystery of the liturgy.status: publishe