The sacred in art: an interpretative study of Bernard Lonergan's theory of art

Abstract

This thesis interprets the work of Bernard Lonergan. The objective of the thesis is to explore what it is Lonergan has to say about art and its relation to rehgious meaning. By examining works in which he writes about the aesthetic realm, we are able to come to understand the importance of art for Lonergan and its significance in both religion and in our day-to-day living. The three main texts interpreted are, in chronological order: Insight: A Study of Human Understanding (1957), Topics in Education (1959) and Method in Theology (1972). These are the foundational works on which the thesis stands. After interpreting these texts we then move on to the concluding chapter in which the rehgious dimension is brought forth through a brief biography of Lonergan himself. By reflecting on the impact art had on his hfe and his religious perspective, we are able to fiirther illuminate our understanding of the important connection between the aesthetic and the religious.