Dr Sara Schumacher is Academic Dean and Tutor and Lecturer in Theology & the Arts.
Tell us a bit about yourself
I’m originally from the States, having come to the UK when I was 22 for a two-year cross-cultural experience… and I never left! I’ve lived in Oxford, St Andrews, and now London; before that, Kansas, Louisiana, Texas, Arkansas and Wisconsin. I trained as an artist, working as a graphic designer, before doing postgraduate study in theology and the arts. I don’t make art as much as I used to but I love to go to the theatre and try to keep up with the latest exhibitions.
What’s your St Mellitus story?
I started at St Mellitus as Tutor in Theology and the Arts right after finishing my PhD. My thesis was on contemporary church patronage of the visual arts in the UK and, in many ways, this job is an embodiment of my research. I get to lecture on such a wide range of interesting topics: the role of the imagination, the contribution of the artist to the life of the church, popular culture, and human flourishing to name a few! I love it when students start to see art through theological eyes. After serving as Director of Education for five years, I took on the role of Academic Dean a little over a year ago.
What are you thinking about right now?
I’ve just finished a Christ and Being Human pedagogy fellowship through the Yale Center for Faith and Culture. This fellowship gave me the opportunity to think deeply about our current perceptions of what it means to have a ‘good life’ as a human being, specifically considering how art plays a role in shaping what we imagine the good life to be and how that impacts our actions. Working alongside a group of academics from around the world, we were able to think together about how the life and teaching of Jesus is a paradigm for the truly good life and theology’s role in commending that vision. Last year, I taught a module that focused on these themes and learned so much from the discussions we had in the classroom. I’m looking forward to teaching this again and continuing to deepen my own understanding.
What are you passionate about?
I’m passionate about seeing the artist and the church flourish in relation to one another. And I’m passionate about Christian theology helping us to re-imagine what that might look like in practice.
What would you say to someone considering studying theology?
Do it. You are about to embark on a deep and rich exploration of the living God, an adventure that will dazzle you with its beauty, stretch you in its complexity, and lead you to prayer and worship of the One we serve. The world needs confident Christ-followers who can proclaim the Gospel and demonstrate the Life it calls us to imitate
Dr Sara Schumacher
