Visually Sacred: Conversations on the Power of Images

Andrew is a lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at Duke University. He is the managing editor of "Material Religion: the Journal of Objects, Art, and Belief" and the author of "What is Protestant Art?", a short survey of Protestant images and visual cultures from the Reformation to the present. Andrew has published articles on Bible charts, comic book Bibles, and Protestant fundamentalism in America. He is currently working on a project about maps of the "Holy Land" in the Scofield Bible. He also teaches undergraduate classes about the history of religion in the United States, atheism and secularism, and religion and film.
In this episode, I sit down with Andrew to establish the foundations of material religion—what it is, why it matters, and how it’s transforming the study of faith today. He helps map the key debates and methodological commitments shaping the field, emphasizing its inherently interdisciplinary nature and the global perspectives pushing its boundaries. This conversation lays the groundwork for understanding how material forms, ancient and emerging, shape belief, devotion, and religious imagination.

This season, I’m joined by a group of guests carefully chosen for their expertise and for the diverse perspectives they bring. Together, they reflect many facets of material religion—from ancient Christianity to contemporary art, from philosophy and phenomenology to global devotional practices, from museumcuration to heritage studies. Their work illuminates how the sacred is expressed, negotiated, contested, and experienced through the material life of faith.

Aaron Rosen is a writer, curator, and non-profit leader, respected internationally for his work in the public humanities, interfaith dialogue, and the arts.  He is Executive Director of The Clemente Course in the Humanities, and founded and directs the not-for-profit Parsonage Gallery in Maine, exploring issues of ecology and spirituality through contemporary art.  He is the author or editor of a dozen books, including "What Would Jesus See?", and "Art and Religion in the 21st Century" and has provided commentary for the BBC, PBS, CNN.com and The Guardian. He is also the visual arts editor for Image Journal.
​In this conversation, Aaron shared his views on the unique dynamics found in the intersection of art and religion. We explored the importance of religious imagery, visual thinking in understanding Jesus, and the historical influence of Christian art on Jewish artists. Our dialogue also touched on art's role in fostering interfaith dialogue and the Parsonage Gallery's unique contribution to experimental art and community engagement.

Kathryn is Bertelsen Professor of Art History and Religion at the Graduate Theological Union and Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University. She has published extensively on the theory of pilgrimage, especially as it relates to art experience. Her recent project, "Imaging Pilgrimage: Art as Embodied Experience" was the recipient of the American Academy of Religion and the Arts Book Award and the Borsch-Rast Book Prize. She is the founding director of the Berkeley Art and Interreligious Pilgrimage Project, and remains an advisor to the British Pilgrimage Trust.
​In this conversation, I spoke with Kathryn about the multifaceted nature of pilgrimage and its relationship to art, spirituality, and community. We explored how images, objects, and environments enhance the pilgrimage experience, from historical traditions to contemporary practices. We also discussed the transformative power of art and the ways it can foster imagination, communitas, and deeper spiritual engagement.

Julio is president of the Architecture, Culture and Spirituality Forum, that he cofounded in 2007. His interests focus on the relationship between architecture, culture, and spirituality through the lens of phenomenology and neuroscience. Julio has widely lectured, led symposia, taught, published, or appeared in the media covering these areas. Current projects include three neuro-phenomenological studies of sacred vs. secular architecture. He has received several national and international recognitions.
​In this conversation, Julio and I look at how sacred spaces are designed to evoke transcendental experiences. We discuss various architectural principles that contribute to the creation of these spaces, the scientific studies that analyze human responses to sacred architecture, and the differences between Catholic and Protestant church designs. Our talk also covered the importance of community in church architecture and the tension between modern and traditional forms of church architecture. Additionally, we considered the challenges posed by consumerism on the design of contemporary worship environments.