Description

St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary will establish an Institute of Sacred Arts. Building on previous work, the Institute will seek to bring fresh theological insights into the study of art, attending to the ways that material forms convey spiritual realities.  As the Institute’s leaders write, “We see the arts—embodied, material, and ideally beautiful—as capable of expressing and conveying the sacred.”  The work of the Institute will encompass attention to multiple art forms, including music, iconography, architecture, wood and metal crafts, and homiletics.  Organizing events that focus on liturgy, interreligious dialogue, and public life, the Institute will gather scholars and artists, host an artists-in-residence program, support greater integration of the sacred arts into the Seminary’s degree programs, publish a series of books, and produce regular podcasts to highlight the Institute’s activities and extend its reach.  The Luce Foundation’s grant will provide support for academic symposia, public events, and podcast production, along with partial support for the Institute’s director.
 
Founded in 1938, St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary is the primary graduate theological school of the Orthodox Church in America.  The Seminary hosts ecumenical dialogue, operates a major church publishing house, and offers regular programs in music and the arts to leaders from many different traditions.