Dance and the Christian Faith

Book excerpt: "First published in 1985, this pioneering work on religious dance was written in response to the paradoxical attitude of many Christians who express an interest and enthusiasm for the arts as part of Christian worship, yet retain a suspicion, even a dislike, of dance. Dance and the Christian Faith examines what the bible says about both dance and worship, and relates it to an understanding of what dance is and how it can be used in the church and in education today. Martin Blogg relates his faith to his profession of teaching dance drama and his non-verbal approach to Christian dance opens up new avenues for the expression of the faith, complementing the more traditional forms of speech, music and sacrament. The book is a critical discussion, both theoretical and practical, of the nature and conditions of religious dance, as explored through the disciplines of scripture, education and dance as art. At the same time, Dance and the Christian Faith is a call for Christians to embrace dance as a means to prayer and worship, outreach and renewal. Although centred on dance within a religious context, much of the discussion is directly relevant to dance education and the performing arts in general. With a Foreword by the Rt Revd Maurice Wood, former Bishop of Norwich."