Imaging the Infinite

Abstract

Protestantism, particularly as expressed through both the Reformed and radical dissenting traditions, has struggled to find a place for art in faith and worship. The fear of falling into idolatry has always haunted its approach. This paper seeks to show that the twentieth-century move to abstraction in art can be seen, at least in certain respects, as a response to such Protestant concerns. Artists such as Piet Mondrian and Mark Rothko illustrate this, and offer us an important way of understanding and appreciating how abstract art can deepen the spiritual journey.