Peter Bouteneff: Orthodox Christianity and Sacred Art

Peter teaches courses in theology, spirituality, and the arts at St. Vladimir’s Orthodox Theological Seminary, where he is professor of systematic theology and founding director of the Institute of Sacred Arts. His books include Sweeter than Honey: Orthodox Thinking on Dogma and Truth, Beginnings: Ancient Christian Readings on the Biblical Creation Narratives, Arvo Pärt: Out of Silence, and How to Be a Sinner: Finding Yourself in the Language of Repentance. Peter has edited and co-edited many other books and published dozens of scholarly essays and book chapters, as well as articles in popular theological and music journals. Most recently he co-edited Arvo Pärt: Sounding the Sacred. In this episode, Peter shares his knowledge and experience with Orthodox Christianity and we discuss what makes an image or object sacred. He also clarifies some common misconceptions regarding differences between the Western and Eastern Churches.