There is growing interest in the relationship between the arts and Christian faith. Much has been written about the arts and theology and the place of the arts in church life. Not as much has been written, however, about how the arts might actually advance spiritual formation in terms of the cumulative effect of religious experience and intentional practices. This book provides a modest step forward in that conversation, a conversation between theological aesthetics and practical theology. Understanding aesthetics as ""the realm of sense perception"" and spiritual formation as ""growing...

In Sense and Spirituality, James McCullough offers an account of spiritual formation and how the visual arts might contribute to ongoing Christian discipleship. McCullough claims that there is more involved in proper aesthetic appreciation than like and dislike and argues that a meaningful and sustained appreciation of art leads to spiritual growth. The relationship between theological aesthetics and practical theology is argued to be collaborative, and McCullough proposes the idea that ascesis (spiritual training) can work together with aesthesis (art perception) in order to reap profound...