The Leighton Ford Initiative in
Theology, the Arts, and Gospel Witness
Gordon-Conwell Art Collections
The Gordon-Conwell Art Collections exist to share the beauty of visual art with the seminary community and beyond, making it possible for churches, galleries, educational institutions, museums, and other organizations to host compelling religious exhibits. In doing so, these art collections advance the mission of the Leighton Ford Initiative in Theology, the Arts, and Gospel Witness to form students, enrich the church, and propel participation in God’s mission to make all things new through the gift of artistry.
Each collection is framed and comes ready to hang, including labels and an exhibit poster, and can be requested for a rental of 1-6 months, pending availability. To get a sense for the quality and wide variety of collections, we encourage you to browse the gallery below, and if you are interested in bringing a collection to your space, please reach out with a specific request, and we will respond with more information.
The rental fee for each collection is $500/month, with all proceeds supporting the ongoing work of the Leighton Ford Initiative in Theology, the Arts, and Gospel Witness. Host organizations are responsible for insuring the artwork while on their premises and covering shipping costs back to Gordon-Conwell or the next borrower.
For more information or to submit a particular request, please email [email protected].
The Sacred Art of Ethiopia
Christianity has a long and venerable history in Ethiopia. In the fourth century, Christianity was proclaimed the official faith of the Ethiopian Aksumite Kingdom. Located at the meeting point of three continents on the Horn of Africa, the country developed a richly diverse culture, drawing on Egyptian, African, Byzantine, Arabic-Islamic, and European art to create a style of Ethiopian Orthodox sacred imagery unique in Christendom.
This exhibit features works by contemporary Ethiopian folk artisans who use time-honored techniques and iconographic motifs to create their paintings on leather as modern variations on historic illuminated manuscripts. They depict the life of Christ from the annunciation of his birth to his ascension into heaven, as well as processionals of choristers and priests. Some images include titles in Ge’ez, the ancient language of the Ethiopian Church, and in modern-day Amharic. None of the works are signed, but the hand of individual artists can be recognized in border decorations and distinctive styles of image-making. Overall, these anonymous artists work in the styles of the church schools where they train, continuing an art form rooted in illuminated manuscript painting while adding their own touches.
Leadership
Dr. Wes Vander Lugt
Acting Director of the
Leighton Ford Initiative,
Adjunct Professor of Theology
Dr. Wes Vander Lugt is the Acting Director of the Leighton Ford Initiative and Adjunct Professor of Theology at Gordon-Conwell. Dr. Vander Lugt is a pastor-theologian with a deep love for the arts. He holds a PhD in Theology, Imagination, and the Arts from the University of St Andrews, has pastored in a variety of church contexts, and is a board member of Christian in Theatre Arts and Lorien Academy of the Arts.
He also writes, speaks, and publishes in the area of theology and the arts, including Beauty Is Oxygen: Finding a Faith that Breathes (Eerdmans, 2024) and A Prophet in the Darkness: Exploring Theology in the Art of Georges Rouault (IVP Academic, 2024).
To learn more, visit his faculty page or reach him by email.
Funding for the Leighton Ford Center
Brian Gardner
Vice President of Advancement
The Leighton Ford Initiative will become an official Center within the Gordon-Conwell Institute once $3 million is committed for the Leighton Ford Endowed Chair in Theology, the Arts, and Gospel Witness. Currently, $1.6 million is secured, and once the full amount has been committed, the Center will launch, and attention will turn toward creating operational and scholarship endowments for the Leighton Ford Center.
In addition to the Endowed Chair, the Leighton Ford Initiative relies on gifts that support current programming and operations, and both recurring and one-time gifts are invited.
You can give online by selecting either the Leighton Ford Chair (endowment) or the Arts and Gospel Witness Initiative (operations) in the dropdown menu, or you can give by check, wire transfer, or other methods.
If you have any questions about your gift, please contact Brian Gardner, the Vice President of Advancement, by email. Thank you for your prayerful consideration!