Theology & the Arts Initiative

Photo credit: Carol M. Highsmith, 2009
Street murals on Balmy Alley, Mission District, San Francisco, California
“A Tribute to Archbishop Oscar Romero” (left), by Jamie Morgan, 2001
“Un Pasado Que Aun Vive” (right), by Joel Bergner, 2004

 

Welcome to the Boston University Theology and the Arts Initiative. This website curates resources and opportunities across the University for students who are interested in pursuing study at the intersection of religion, theology, spirituality, and the arts.

Opportunities to explore related themes can be found in the School of Theology, the Department of Religion, and the BU Arts programs, as well as in many other undergraduate and graduate programs in the humanities, academic and cultural centers and institutes, and performance and worship spaces like Booth Theatre and Marsh Chapel.

BU’s historic School of Theology generates many resources in religion and the arts, which are highlighted on this site.

Get acquainted with some School of Theology faculty who work with various arts in their teaching and research, and meet featured student currently working across religion and the arts at BU.

Learn about past competitions TAI has hosted in poetry, photography, and hymn writing and watch for an announcement about the next competition.

Check out some formal areas of study students can pursue in the School of Theology:

As a top research university, BU includes the study of religion and the arts in a variety of contexts beyond the School of Theology.

Browse through a list of programs, centers, and departments that include the study of religion and the arts. See especially the BU Arts Initiative and the Program in Scripture and the Arts.

Take a look at Booth Theatre, the state-of-the-art performance venue that hosts class, workshops, and shows in acting, dance, and more.

In addition to weekly chapel and Sunday worship services, Marsh Chapel hosts musical concerts, including a cantata series called The Bach Experience.

Check out a sampling of upcoming undergraduate and graduate courses that combine religion and the arts.

We are eager to help you further your study and experience of religion and the arts at BU. If I can answer any questions or help you find resources, please be in touch.
—Dr. Andrew Shenton, Director

 

School of Theology Resources

BU Resources

Upcoming Events

Forecast Form: Art in the Caribbean Diaspora, 1990s–Today, ICA

Forecast Form: Art in the Caribbean Diaspora, 1990s–Today gathers artworks by 28 artists connected to the region, including standout works by María Magdalena Campos-Pons, Teresita Fernández, Felix Gonzalez-Torres, Deborah Jack, Ana Mendieta, Suchitra Mattai, Lorraine O’Grady, and Ebony G. Patterson. Full of new ideas, this far-reaching and evocative exhibition looks at the complexities of the region […]

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Natural Wanderment: Stewardship. Sovereignty. Sacredness.

Boston University Arts Initiative, in partnership with Boston University Art Galleries, announces a special exhibition at 808 Gallery in spring 2024: Natural Wanderment: Stewardship. Sovereignty. Sacredness., which is part of the expansive Project 562: Changing the Way We See Native America. The book by the same name was published in April 2023, and instantly became a New York Times Best Seller. Created […]

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