Creative arts-based research methods in practical theology: constructing new theologies of practice

Abstract

This article explores the emerging trajectory of creative arts-based research methods in practical theology. Creative arts-based approaches work with the embodied, material, imaginative, and sacred, foregrounding questions of representation and interpretation. Whilst seen as novel or emerging, creative methods fulfil key practical theological tasks and reveal the roots of the discipline as already creative and constructive. Drawing on Westfield's engagement with poetry and poetic writing, Byrne's studio-based visual arts practice, and Walton's life writing and autoethnography, the article examines the distinctiveness of creative methods in representing lived experiences and generating new, liberative theologies. The article engages collaborative creative arts-based research to discuss practical and ethical issues in undertaking these methods. The paper concludes by reflecting on the possibilities for the future of practical theologies shaped through creative methods.

Stitching Narratives: Poetic Autoethnography of Black Women’s Mentorship in Academia

“…This enables a deeper exploration of personal and collective experiences within academic environments, which Crumb et al (2023) suggest is critical for capturing communal experiences. Radford (2021) supports this claim, noting that this approach effectively moves beyond description to bring stories to life. The poem "Overcoming Fear and Uncertainties" for instance, vividly portrays the challenges and triumphs navigating isolation and fear through its imagery and rhythm.…”

Belonging to the City: Alliances between Community Art and Diaconia as a Means to Overcome Segregation in a Gentrifying Neighbourhood in Amsterdam

“…2 The value of community art for diaconal practices has received little attention in diaconal studies so far. 3 This article contributes to the development of creative, arts-based research methods in diaconal studies, as introduced in practical theology by Clare Luise Radford (2020) and others (Boursier 2021;Walton 2019), and reflects on the role of art in diaconal practices. My leading question is: how can alliances between community art and diaconia contribute to overcoming segregation in urban contexts?…”