“When you enter the world of art you are, like it or not, entering the realm of religion” (7). Aaron Rosen, professor of religious studies at Rocky Mountain College, argues that the relationship between religion and the arts has often been characterized as strained and strange; and at times the two have been “typecast as mortal enemies” (9). Yet, Rosen, like many other contemporary writers, seeks to overcome these worn stereotypes and misperceptions. Rosen's stunningly illustrated Art + Religion in the 21st Century looks at the widespread engagement of contemporary art with religion.

Rosen's introduction acknowledges that the conflict between the two fields is often played out in culture and politics, but he argues that both art and religion lose out, as neither is better understood (15), and thus the two miss a “tremendous potential for reciprocity” (17). While artist provocateurs exist, they are actually rare in regard to religious content. Rosen argues that many more artists “seriously engage with religious traditions, themes, and institutions … and are much more interesting” (17). Thus Rosen's “goal is to give … an indication of the most interesting and relevant things that twenty-first century art has to say about religion” (20).

With an eye on the recent debates within both religious studies and art history, Rosen posits the waning of the secularization thesis as a renewed impetus for recasting the relationship between art and religion (18). Stepping away from a taxonomic approach toward cultural studies and lived experience allows religion to broaden its scope to include, among other things, visual culture (19). Rosen hopes that by adopting a thematic approach, he can sidestep “discussions about what counts as Christian or Hindu art” and instead demonstrate “the capacity of art to illuminate religious issues … for interfaith dialogue in its widest sense, whether between practitioners of different faiths or none at all” (22).

Following the fine introduction, the book is divided into five sections with two chapters apiece. Rosen begins each chapter with a short essay exploring the theme while referencing the included artworks, which largely follow the essay with further interpretive comments. Section 1 adopts a theological approach to consider two primary subjects in the history of art: Creation and Jesus. Section 2 explores the idea of “wonder” from a philosophical perspective with chapters on “the sublime” and “heaven and earthworks.” Section 3 takes a cultural-studies approach to religious identities through chapters on “creative differences” and “conflicting images.” Section 4 explores the role of art in conveying and enacting ritual in chapters on “performance rites” and “structure and loss.” The final section pursues phenomenological questions about indwelling regarding our own “embodiment” and “galleries and sanctuaries.”

The greatest strength of Rosen's text is its truly contemporary nature. While Rosen does mention some of the modern standards of engagement with religion of Warhol and Rothko, as well as the provocative standards of Andres Serrano, Chris Ofili, and Maurizo Cattelan leading up to the new century, he offers a remarkable vista of global contemporary art.

Two minor criticisms have to do with the book's design and depth. While the text is clean, with bright white paper, ample negative space, and filled with beautiful and sizable reproductions, the layout is a minor frustration. Perhaps it is a case of form over functionality. The brevity of each essay does not, in most cases, allow for the relevant artwork to be included in line on that particular page, nor are the images numbered and listed in the essay body. Religious studies scholars may wish for more substantial essays that allow deeper scholarly interaction and documentation, and an overall better method of citation keying essay comments to the image reproductions.

In spite of these criticisms, Rosen's text is relevant to religion scholars, art historians, and artists alike, offering readers a wonderful survey of contemporary art and points of contact with religion. It challenges readers to move beyond old assumptions and straw men of conflict, and instead see in them a great potential for a richer conversation. The text would serve well for courses and libraries in both fields, deepen one's personal library, and offer an object of beauty to any coffee table.