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In
every culture the arts are of great importance in the human
quest for authentic expression and the search for meaning
in response to life. Through a variety of media — such
as paint, stone, tapestry, glass, music, dance, drama —
they are able to communicate within and across cultures
in a way which throws a particular and also universal light
on human life. They are thus essential to the health and
vitality of every society and for our human existence in
the world.
Within
the Church and the Christian tradition this quest through
the arts has played a very important role. Christians live
in the conviction that all human beings are created in God’s
image and so endowed with an inherent dignity and capacity
to respond to God’s marvellous creation. They also
believe that people are called to be partners in God’s
continuing work of creation. Moreover, the God of Christians
became concretely incarnate in that creation in the person
of Jesus Christ, and is bringing it to perfection in and
through his life, death and resurrection. Human beings are
thus recreated and made new by God’s grace as they
respond to his revelation of himself in Creation and Redemption.
Artistic activity can be seen as a distinctive response
to the Spirit of God who is active both in Church and world
bringing to birth God’s new creation. Creativity and
recreativity thus lie at the heart of the Christian Gospel.
The
Chaplaincy's main purpose is, therefore,to promote the Church's
engagement with the arts, and thus to explore and witness
to these realities within both the Church and the world
and to bring to the Church's ministry a special concern
for the creative and recreative attributes of human activity
experienced by all people.
To
this end we aim to:
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develop a pastoral and prophetic ministry which
recognises and affirms the importance of creation and
re-creation for individuals and society. |
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explore and witness to the importance of the human
capacity for creative and recreative activity as a way
of expressing life and seeking its purpose. |
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encourage an awareness of, and a Christian response
to, issues concerning the Church, arts and recreation. |
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stimulate and encourage theological exploration
of the concepts of creation and re-creation. |
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minister to those engaged in the arts and recreation
and build bridges between them and the Church. |
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encourage responsible provision of the arts and
recreation in Church and society |
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initiate and support appropriate projects |
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provide information and advice |
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support the work of parishes and other groups |
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