Creative Spirituality: The Way of the Artist

by Robert Wuthnow

In a provocative book that explores the fascinating link between the creative and the sacred, Robert Wuthnow claims that artists have become the spiritual vanguard of our time. Drawing on in-depth interviews with painters, sculptors, writers, singers, dancers, and actors, Wuthnow includes the spiritual insights of accomplished artists who have gained prominence as Broadway performers, gospel singers, jazz musicians, poets, Native American painters, weavers, dancers, and installation artists. He profiles such national figures as novelist Madeleine L'Engle, playwright Tony Kushner, photographer Andres Serrano, sculptor Greg Wyatt, dancer Carla DeSola, and woodcarver David Ellsworth.

Situating these artists' reflections in the context of wider cultural ferment, Wuthnow argues that spirituality is coming increasingly to focus on the inherently ineffable character of the sacred—what artists refer to as divine mystery. As growing numbers of Americans doubt the adequacy of religious creeds in defining the sacred, they are turning to artists who seek a more intuitive sense of the sacred through symbols and imagery.

These artists provide rich insights into the social and cultural problems of our time. Many have been shaped by the growing ethnic, racial, and religious diversity of the United States. Many are at the cutting edge of new thinking about body, mind, and spirit, and many are seeking ways to integrate their understandings of spirituality with interests in nature and preserving the environment. For readers interested in exploring contemporary spirituality or engaged in spiritual pursuits of their own, this engaging, elegantly written, and erudite book will answer many questions about the changing moral and spiritual role of creativity and the arts.

Genres: Art, Spirituality, Nonfiction

Hardcover

First published February 11, 2001

Reviews

[Joni Sensel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a pretty big disappointment. It's mostly interviews of seemingly random artists the author knows (?). Not what I expected and without any of the insights available even in books by, for instance, Julie Cameron.

[David Corbet · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first and last chapters were the real meat of the book. The rest seemed to be filler. The writing style was messy, which was a disappointment. I have read other books by Wuthnow that were excellent and thought provoking. Made me think this one was pushed out under a deadline with out much time to let it stew into the well written and meaningful book it could have been. As an artist and a spiritual practitioner I was hoping for more. Read the first and last chapter and then if you want interesting details read the middle.

[Jenni Butler · Rating 3 out of 5]

very interesting subject matter. the book was a bit more academic than I was expecting - I was hoping maybe for more practical applications than analysis but still got some interesting information.

[Lorisha A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nimble