Wes Vander Lugt, a PhD student at St. Andrews in Theology and The Arts who is also the editor of the ITIA Blog Transpositions, has a thought provoking and cogent post inquiring into what the church can learn from theater, specifically regarding the relation between "actors/Christians" and "audience/non-Christians." Check out his "Church Beyond the Fourth Wall" in its entirety by following this link or take in a sample by way of the excerpt below. Enjoy! -- Leif
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I am suggesting that interactive theatre provides a compelling model by which to re-imagine Christian mission, not as a mission to unbelievers through an impenetrable fourth wall or a mission with others where no fourth wall exists, but a mission among and in interaction with unbelieving guests in the context of our everyday lives. In order to participate in God’s mission, we need to take church beyond the fourth wall.
Thanks for featuring this post, Leif! I did want to make a clarification, however, and that is the distinction I am referring to is not between actors/clergy and audience/congregation, but between actors/Christians and audience/non-Christians. There is a definitely theatrical dynamics going on within the church as well, but in this post I am focusing on the interactive theatre between the church as God's people and those outside the church.
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Wes
Hi Wes! Thanks for this clarification! Sorry about the misquote! Great job with the ITIA blog - its fantastic! - Leif
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