The ‘pictorial turn’ in our culture is having a powerful impact on the way ideas are communicated. This phenomenon may inspire art historians, theologians and communication professionals. For centuries, the magnificent architectural and artistic works commissioned by the Church have conveyed ideas about Christian faith and the presence of the invisible God. However, today’s audiences typically interact with Christian artworks outside of their sacred context. Whereas the original viewers saw the artworks in churches, modern audiences – tourists, pilgrims and art enthusiasts – view them in museums or online. This book emerged from a concern about how to effectively communicate the spiritual meaning of Christian art to today’s diverse audiences. It offers scholarly insights from the perspectives of art history, audience reception and contemporary communication, applying two theoretical frameworks: that of theology and magisterium, as well as visual culture studies.
Maciej Jan Jasiński graduated with a PhD in Communication from the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome in 2024. In 2015, he earned an MA in Theology from the Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań. His academic work focuses on the invisible divine in Christian art and various areas of communication, including religious tourism, catechesis and visual studies. He was ordained as a priest of the Catholic Archdiocese of Gniezno, Poland, in 2015.
