Syllabus for CATH 325 (Mystery and the Imagination) – Fall 2021 McGill University, School of Religious Studies – Brian A. Butcher
“He Granted Eternity in Their Heart” (Ecc. 3:11)
Orthodox/Eastern(-Rite) Catholic Perspectives on Theology and the Arts
Brian A. Butcher, Adjunct Professor
Class Meets – Mon/Wed (4:05-5:25 pm), Birks 205
Course Description
What is beauty? Why does it matter so? How does it relate to the Christian experience of God and the Church’s interpretation of revelation? What role do the arts play in traditional and contemporary spirituality? This course engages such perennial questions (and more) through a survey of the sources, themes and media characteristic of Eastern Christian, i.e., Orthodox and Eastern(-Rite) Catholic, aesthetic theory and practice, drawing also upon pertinent Western dialogue partners.
Course Objectives
Students successfully completing this course will be able to demonstrate the following outcomes:
1) In respect of general academic skills… • Acquire increased familiarity with the distinctive social histories of the Eastern Churches • Gain a critical perspective on, and aesthetic appreciation of, the role of the arts in the evolution of Eastern Christian religiosity
2) In respect of the understanding of the content of one or more theological disciplines… • Acquire “literacy” in regard to key genres, figures and works of art deriving from Orthodox milieux— whether visual, musical, poetic or other • Explore the theoretical and material relationship between Orthodox worship and culture, as exemplified in the (trans)formation of the principles, media, styles and subject matter of artistic production • Situate the emergence of Eastern Christian theo-aesthetic norms within their various civilizational matrices, including Byzantine, Slavic, Coptic, Armenian and Syriac
3) In respect of personal and spiritual formation…
• Cultivate the ability to appropriate the arts in their own religious praxis
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• Assess the (inter)relationship of the various arts with one another, so as to perceive the integration of beauty with truth and goodness
4) In respect of service and public leadership… • Develop criteria for exercising judgement in regard to contemporary aesthetic debates, especially in religious contexts • Refine tools for exploiting the arts in teaching and group animation
Course Requirements
The final grade for the course will be based on evaluation in six areas:
1) Attendance/Participation 10%
Approx. 60-70 pages of reading required to prepare for each unit, as well as the occasional video.
2) Reflection Paper 10%
Analysis of three passages in Scripture (from different biblical books), wherein the arts are discussed/employed/referenced. This is to be presented in a homiletic/catechetical style, i.e., in a manner which might engage others in considering the role of beauty in divine revelation. 1000-1250 words.
3) Research Essay 35%
This assignment invites you to choose a work of art—e.g., a painting or sculpture, a building, a selection of poetry or other example of literature, a theatrical presentation or film, or a piece of music—and engage with it in light of your theological understanding and spiritual experience (however defined). It is not necessary, by any means, that the work be explicitly sacred—indeed, you may prefer the challenge of contemplating a work without evident religious associations. What is essential is that you attempt to bring your own perspective, whether religious or secular, to bear in considering the meaning of your selection. By the middle of the semester, a proposed title, abstract and bibliography are due: an indication of your chosen work of art, and how it will be approached, in addition to 8-10 pertinent primary and/or secondary sources (which may include course readings). The paper itself is due near the end of the semester. 3500-4000 words.
4) In-Class Oral Presentation of Individual Research 10%
A “TED Talk” based on the investigation conducted in #3 above (Research Essay). Students are invited to prepare and present their research in a creative manner, in accord with its respective subject matter. 10 minutes.
5) Oral Final Exam 30%
This offers a personalized opportunity to demonstrate the cumulative knowledge attained throughout the course. A list of questions will be circulated beforehand. 20 minutes.
6) Self-Evaluation 5%
A rubric will be circulated beforehand.
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Course Schedule
DATE TOPIC REQUIRED READING/ASSIGNMENT DUE
UNIT I Individual Preparation Please watch the following two videos: Sept. 1 NO CLASS BBC - A History of Christianity 1 of 6 – The First Christianity Historical Background to the Eastern Christian Traditions BBC - A History of Christianity 3 of 6 – Orthodoxy: From
Empire to Empire
UNIT II Introduction “Incarnational Aesthetics: Contemporary and Traditional Sept. 8 Citations from Orthodox Saints, Philosophers and Theologians on Kinds of Beauty and Artistic Responsibility,” Road to Emmaus 14:3 (Summer 2013), 70-75.
Roger Scruton, “Why Beauty Matters?” The Monist 101:1 (2018), 9-16.
UNIT III Overview of Aesthetics (I) Mortimer J. Adler, The Great Ideas: A Lexicon of Western Thought Sept. 13 (New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., 1992), Ch. 4 “Art,” Ch. 6 Philosophical Perspectives “Beauty” and Ch. 69 “Poetry.”
UNIT IV Overview of Aesthetics (II) Alejandro García-Rivera, “Aesthetics,” in Arthur Holder, ed. The Sept. 15 Blackwell Companion to Christian Spirituality (Malden, MA: Wiley- Theological Perspectives Blackwell, 2011), 345-62.
Louis Dupré, “The Enigma of Religious Art,” The Review of Metaphysics, 29:1 (September 1975), 27-44.
UNIT V (Re)presentations of Christina M. Gschwandtner, “Mimesis or Metamorphosis? Sept. 20 Tradition (I) Eastern Orthodox Liturgical Practice and Its Philosophical Background,” Religions 2017, 8, 92; doi:10.3390/rel8050092 Liturgy and the Arts George Guiver, Company of Voices: Daily Prayer and the People of God (Eugene, OR: Wipf & Stock, 2001), Part I “Prayer and Human Nature”
UNIT VI (Re)presentations of Bogdan G. Bucur, “Sinai, Zion, and Tabor: An Entry into the Sept. 22 Tradition (II) Christian Bible,” Journal of Theological Interpretation 4:1 (Spring 2010), 33-52. Scripture and the Arts Andrew Louth, Discerning the Mystery: An Essay on the Nature of Theology, rev. ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999), Ch. 5 “Return to Allegory.”
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UNIT VII (Re)presentations of Vassilis Adrahtas, “The Notion of Symbol as a Logical/Aesthetic Sept. 27 Tradition (III) Category According to the Theology of St John of Damascus,” Phronema 17 (2002), 15-34. The Church Fathers and the Matthew Baker, ‘He Has Clothed Himself in Our Language’: Arts The Incarnational Hermeneutic of Saint Ephrem the Syrian” in Seraphim Danckaert, et al. What Is the Bible? The Patristic Doctrine of Scripture (Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Fortress Publishers, 2016), 35-48.
Sept. 29 Seminar Round Table Discussion Based on Units I-VII Unit VIII Case Studies (I) Lucinda Dirven, “Paradise Lost, Paradise Regained: The Oct. 4 Meaning of Adam and Eve in the Baptistery of Dura-Europos,” Iconography – Part 1 Eastern Christian Art 5 (2008), 43-57.
Ragnhild Bjerre Finnestad, “Images as Messengers of Coptic Identity: An Example from Contemporary Egypt,” Scripta Instituti Donneriani Aboensis 16 (1996), 91-110.
Unit IX Case Studies (II) Vladislav Andrejev, trans. Nikita Andrejev, “Art and Religion: Oct. 6 Creativity and the Meaning of ‘Image’ from the Perspective of Iconography – Part 2 the Orthodox Icon,” Theology Today 61:1 (April 2004), 53-66.
George Tsikritsakis, “An Analysis of Two Orthodox Icons: Rublyov’s Nativity of Christ and Ritzos’ Dormition of the Theotokos,” Phronema 24 (2009), 65-82.
Oct. 8 Reflection Paper due Unit X Case Studies (III) Terence Cuneo, Ritualized Faith: Essays on the Philosophy of Liturgy Oct. 14 (Th) (OUP, 2016), Ch. 7, “The Significance of Liturgical Singing.” Sacred Music David Drillock, “Liturgical Song in the Worship of the Church,” St Vladimir's Theological Quarterly 41:2-3 (1997), 183-218.
Unit XI Case Studies (IV) Paul Martin, “Poetry as Theology: An Orthodox Perspective,” Oct. 18 The Greek Orthodox Theological Review 52:1-4 (Spring-Winter Religious Poetry 2007), 145-95.
Andrew Mellas, “The Angel That ‘More Feelingly Feels’: A Theological Quest for Beauty,” Phronema 35:1 (2020), 115-36.
Unit XII Case Studies (V) Andrew Gould, “On Earth as It Is in Heaven: Form and Oct. 20 Meaning in Orthodox Architecture,” Road to Emmaus 16:4 (Fall Church Architecture 2015), 3-15.
Mattheus Immerzeel, “The Decorated Syrian Orthodox
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Churches of Saddad (Syria),” Eastern Christian Art 8 (2011), 57- 82.
Krikor Haleblian, “Art, Theology, and Contextualization: The Armenian Orthodox Experience,” Missiology 32:3 (July 2004), 309-35.
Unit XIII Case Studies (VI) Excerpts from Thomas Seltzer, ed. Best Russian Short Stories Oct. 25 (Project Gutenberg, 2004) Modern Orthodox Literature
Oct. 26 Proposed title, abstract and bibliography of Research Essay due Unit XIV Case Studies (VII) Alina Birzache, “In Search of Cinematic Holy Foolishness as a Oct. 27 Form of Orthodox Peacemaking,” Studies in World Christianity Cinema 14:2 (2008), 153-67.
Telford Work, “‘Iconomy”: A Rule Theory for Images in the Church,” St Vladimir's Theological Quarterly 52:3-4 (2008), 293- 338.
Nov. 1 Seminar Round Table Discussion Based on Units VIII-XIV Unit XV Openings onto Interreligious Ali Qadir and Tatiana Tiaynen-Qadir, “Towards an Imaginal Nov. 3 Dialogue Through the Arts Dialogue: Archetypal Symbols Between Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Islam,” Approaching Religion 6:2 (2016): 81-95.
Jonathan Martin Ciraulo, “The Divine Image: Hindu Murtī and Byzantine Iconography,” Journal of Ecumenical Studies 48:4 (Fall 2013), 509-22.
Unit XVI Aesthetics and Ethics Nancy C. Lee, “Lamentations and Polemic: The Nov. 8 Rejection/Reception History of Women’s Lament...and Syria,” Interpretation 67:2 (April 2013), 155-83.
Timothy Patitsas, “A Feeling for Beauty: The Aesthetic Ground of Orthodox Ethics,” Road to Emmaus 15:2 (Spring 2014), 3-39.
Unit XVII Leisure and Culture Josef Pieper, Leisure, The Basis of Culture, intr. Roger Scruton and Nov. 10 trans. Gerald Malsbary (Liberty Fund, 1999), Ch. 1, “Leisure the Basis of Culture.”
Nov. 15 Student Oral Presentations (I) Nov. 17 Student Oral Presentations (II) Nov. 22 Instructor away at the Please watch the following film: American Academy of Religion Ostrov (“The Island”) NO CLASS
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Nov. 24 Guest Lecture (TBD) Nov. 29 Student Oral Presentations (III) Dec. 1 Student Oral Presentations (IV) Dec. 6 Seminar Concluding Round Table Discussion Dec. 10 Research Essay due Dec. 13-15 Oral Exams (by individual appointment) Dec. 17 Self-Evaluation due
Required Readings
All primary and secondary source readings, indicated in the course schedule above, will be posted on- line. In addition, the following are also recommended:
• Louis Dupré, Religious Mystery and Rational Reflection (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1998)
• Andrew Louth, Discerning the Mystery: An Essay on the Nature of Theology, rev. ed. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1999)
• Roger Scruton, Beauty: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford: OUP, 2011)
Academic Integrity
McGill University values academic integrity. Therefore, all students must understand the meaning and consequences of cheating, plagiarism and other academic offences under the “Code of Student Conduct and Disciplinary Procedures” (see http://www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/honest/ for more information). It is your responsibility to educate yourself on this issue. Please do so using the resources here: http://www.mcgill.ca/students/srr/publications/
If you still have questions regarding academic culture at McGill after reviewing these documents, you are urged to consult with the instructor personally.
Language of Submission
In accord with McGill University’s Charter of Students ’Rights, students in this course have the right to submit in English or in French any written work that is to be graded.
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Copyright and Recordings
Instructor-generated course materials (e.g., handouts, notes, summaries, exam questions, etc.) are protected by law and may not be copied or distributed in any form or in any medium without explicit permission of the instructor. Video and audio recording of lectures and review sessions without the consent of the instructor is prohibited. Unless explicit permission is obtained from the instructor, recordings of lectures and review sessions may not be modified and must not be transferred or transmitted to any other person, whether or not that individual is enrolled in the course.
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