The Integration of Faith and Learning Among Collegiate Theatre Artists

Since the early days of Christianity there has been a contentious relationship between the theater and the pulpit, with each vying for the hearts and minds of their respective audience. Especially in the United States this contention often led to excommunication of known theatre practitioners by churches, and the creation of plays mocking Christians or church practices by those who found no welcome within church walls. But in recent decades many within Christianity have begun to explore how theatre and other arts might enhance, enlighten or explain their faith. The literature surrounding the intersection of Christianity and theatre is scarce, usually focusing on how theatrical conventions can be used within the church
there is very little that seeks to understand Christian theatre professionals on their own terms. In an attempt to start addressing this dearth of material and research, scholar and artist Jeff Tirrell explores how one population of Christian theatre students and faculty at a faith-based, Christian university perceive and imagine faith integration happening within their department. Using a hermeneutical phenomenological framework, Tirrell conducted in-person interviews with a sample of current theatre students, alumni/ae, and the full-time departmental faculty in order to better understand how faith integration (also referred to as IFL, or the Integration of Faith and Learning) was understood in their context. This results of this study provide new insights into how students and faculty understand the integration of faith and learning, and have the potential to reshape the way faith-based theatrical education is done. They are also important for the church because they can shed light on how artists express their faith, which can in turn lead to potentially new ways for understanding and communicating the gospel. This book offers the alert reader a wide variety of insights for increasing the effectiveness of arts education in the Christian context. The volume is a must read for those looking to move beyond fascicle dichotomies or uncritical assimilation.