Recent reviews: Jonathan Evens

Jonathan Evens has recently had a book review published by the Journal of Theological Studies and an exhibition review by the Church Times.

His book review is of: Bridge to Wonder: Art as a Gospel of Beauty. By CECILIA GONZALEZ-ANDRIEU. Jonathan Evens The Journal of Theological Studies 2013; doi: 10.1093/jts/flt004

Bridge to Wonder is described by its publisher as proposing "a method of theological aesthetics allowing readers to mine the depths of creative beauty to discover variegated theological truths that enable greater communion with each other and the One source of all that is beautiful." Cecilia González-Andrieu is Assistant Professor of Theological Studies at Loyola Marymount University and has been described as a promising young Catholic theologian.

His latest exhibition review was described by the Church Times as follows: "Our arts coverage features a Polish painter, Maciej Hoffman, engaged in a quest for spiritual freedom, having experienced the ups and downs of communism and capitalism and found them wanting."

For other earlier pieces by Jonathan in the Church Times, click here. His earlier book reviews for the Journal of Theological Studies can be found by clicking here and here.

Members' update: Nadiya Pavliv Tokarska

Nadiya Pavliv Tokarska is exhibiting at the Edith Stein House in Wroclaw, Poland, this weekend as part of a fascinating weekend of events. The Edith Stein Society is inspired by the diversity of Edith Stein to create a space for cooperation, dialogue and development that shapes an active and responsible society.

Jim Insole

Jim Insole lives in Neath, South Wales. He became a committed (R.C.) Christian in 1966 and soon became aware of a facility to represent devotional religious and philosophical ideas graphically. He has been engaged in religious art, much of it ceramic, since 1975. Before this he was a gardener and has continually been a folk musician since the late 1950's.

He studied art and pottery during the '80's, setting up a small, basic pottery workshop in the early '90's. Here he evolved the mandala-like bas-relief plaque form which may be seen above. He graduated in theology in 2005 from Lampeter College (University of Wales), with an emphasis on scriptural studies (with Greek and Hebrew), and Early Church History. He retains an abiding interest in cosmology and philosophy.

Since 2005 he has resumed potting and painting. At root, his work seeks to reconcile traditional (but not fundamentalist!) doctrine with current perceptions of the cosmos and history, anthropology etc. Even more importantly it seeks a peace, a shalom between what is believed, what is intellectually perceived and what is devotionally, existentially and emotionally felt.