Religion, Spirituality, and the Arts (RSA) is a program of the Herron School of Art and Design at Indiana University Indianapolis that brings together artists, religious scholars, religious communities, humanities experts, and a broad range of publics from diverse backgrounds and disciplinary perspectives for sustained study, analysis, and discussion of religious texts in a seminar environment.
These textual discussions, which explore the varieties of religious experience and understanding, provide the inspiration for creating new artistic works (e.g. music, poetry, fiction, drama, performance, visual art, dance). Artists share their creations through exhibitions and presentations to members of the Central Indiana community, including religious organizations, congregations, schools, libraries, and community groups.
When Moses goes to investigate a burning bush in Exodus 3, he hardly expects to encounter the divine, let alone have a conversation with God. He’s not sure that he is the right person or that he wants this responsibility to lead his community, but he accepts it. As the famous spiritual Go Down Moses hints, fate calls many of us to do the extraordinary. Who Am I to Answer the Call? Artists in the 2024-2025 Religion, Spirituality, and the Arts program will explore traditions around Exodus 3 and Go Down Moses and respond with their own works of creative debate.
The Religion, Spirituality, and the Arts (RSA) is a program of Herron School of Art + Design that brings together artists, religious leaders, religious communities, humanities experts, and a broad range of people from diverse backgrounds and disciplinary perspectives for sustained study, analysis, and discussions of religious texts in a seminar environment.
These textual discussions explore the varieties of religious experience and understanding and inspire new artistic works (e.g. music, poetry, fiction, drama, visual art, dance). Artists share their creations through exhibitions and presentations to members of the Central Indiana community, including religious organizations, congregations, schools, libraries, and community groups.
RSA programming fosters a respectful and stimulating environment designed to foster creativity, and participants engage with world-class faculty from across disciplines. Special recognition and thanks go to the Lilly Endowment and Herbert Simon Family Foundation for their generous support of the program and participating artists.
For more information, please contact Andrew Findley at [email protected].
Religion, Spirituality, and the Arts Brochure (2023) by Herron External Affairs on Scribd
