Dr Adrienne Dengerink Chaplin and Peter S. Smith will be talking about will talk about the history and current state of Reformed aesthetics with reference to the growing field of theological aesthetics in general. Discussing the contributions of Calvin, Kuyper, Rookmaaker, Seerveld, Wolterstorff, Zuidervaart and others, the presentation is based on a chapter they co-authored for the forthcoming T&T Clark Companion to Theology and the Arts.

Adrienne is a philosopher and Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London and Research Associate at the Margaret Beaufort Institute in Cambridge. She taught at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto and authored books and papers for both public and academic audiences, including the acclaimed Art and Soul: Signposts for Christians in the Arts and, more recently, The Philosophy of Susanne Langer: Embodied Meaning in Logic, Art and Feeling.

Peter is a painter-printmaker and member of the Society of Wood Engravers and the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers. He was Head of the School of Art and Design at Kingston College and currently has a studio at the St. Bride Foundation in London and exhibits his paintings and prints in the UK and overseas with works in public and private collections.

Iron Sharpens Iron is all about sharpening up as a disciple of Jesus Christ. We are inspired by Proverbs 27:17,

As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another.

Iron Sharpens Iron is completely free and open to anyone, although we invite you to donate towards our work (with a suggestion of £5 per event). If you wish to donate an amount not given below, or set up a regular donation, you can donate online (opens in a new tab),

Each event starts at 8pm when our speaker presents a short talk, and then we discuss the topic in hand. We want everyone to contribute to the discussion. We encourage heated debate. We want to learn from each other so we can bear fruit for Jesus Christ, the Lord of heaven and earth. Join at 7.50pm to chat with other participants.