麻豆约拍

Dr Rowan Williams explores the relationship between art and faith.

To help him explore some of his themes, Rowan introduces excerpts from a conversation he held recently with the sculptor Antony Gormley who has worked with the possibilities afforded sculpture by the contemplative atmosphere of places of worship, despite being without faith himself.

From the outset, the association between art and faith has often been difficult, particularly in relation to depicting the divine. Rowan explains, 鈥淔rom the Bible itself through the writings of the great contemplatives, there has been a constant stress on the mysteriousness of a God who can never be seen or touched like the objects of this world. Turn God into an object like others and you may as well forget about any serious religious depth.鈥�

Rowan draws upon the music of Purcell and Elgar and the poetry of George Herbert - and concludes, 鈥淟ike so much we hear and see in churches, images, sculptures, words and music can all be things that get in the way of what we鈥檙e there for鈥� But they can also be invitations, reminding us that we come to sacred places in response to something we don鈥檛 always have words for, searching for a door or window that will let us receive more fully what the mystery that surrounds us wants to give.鈥�

Presenter: Rowan Williams
Producer: Michael Wakelin
A TBI production for 麻豆约拍 Radio 4