Worship Reshaped by Interruption: How Art Fosters Liturgical Participation

This monograph presents a new understanding of how art fosters the liturgical principle of participation. It begins by highlighting the importance of liturgical participation and how it qualifies works of art intended for display in a liturgical environment, before discussing the key moments of conflict surrounding contemporary art in liturgical space over the last century. Following this historical review, the author brings Flemish theologian Lieven Boeve's hermeneutic of interruption into dialogue with principles of art identified as postmodern. In the process, he examines the theological significance of art that involves the viewer in an interruptive, ethical, and empathetic encounter with Christ in the Other. Drawing on several areas of study, including contextual theology, liturgical inculturation, art theory and philosophy, this study concludes by demonstrating how present-day strategies in art constructively challenge and vivify an assembly so as to advance their full, conscious and active participation in the liturgy.