Why do the arts matter so much to people of religious faith? It is often assumed that the arts are chiefly concerned with pulling us out of this world of space and time into some completely different, supposedly superior world, and that this is why they are so appealing to religion. 

In this distinguished lecture, Prof. Jeremy Begbie will challenge this view. He will argue that the arts are crucial to faith - especially Judaic–Christian faith - because they immerse us in this world in a way that is bodily rooted, emotionally engaged, and socially uniting. As they do this, they make us wonder if there is anything other than this world. 

The lecture will be illustrated extensively with Begbie’s performance at the piano.