Since the 1970s Catherine Kapikian has been a
stalwart—and sometimes lonely—pioneer in advocating the vital
relationship between religious faith and the arts. She is the founder
and director of the Henry Luce III Center for the Arts and Religion at
Wesley Theological Seminary (United Methodist) in Washington, D.C. She
also is an artist of considerable reputation. Trained as a painter, she
has worked mostly in the fabric arts. Her works hang in churches and
galleries nationwide. 
Kapikian has spoken widely about her ideas, but they’ve not previously appeared in collected form. Now Abingdon Press has published Art in the Service of the Sacred
(2006), an essential book of her writings, edited by Kathy Black. A
welcome feature is an accompanying DVD featuring numerous photographs
of her works. Especially dramatic are “before” and “after” sets of
transformed church spaces.
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© 2013 Augsburg Fortress, Publishers
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