Arts used for Theology

Jeremy Begbie is a very interesting theologian - a serious piano player before the decided to be a theologian, he has thought quite a bit about music and theology from two angles. The first is what Theology can do for the arts (helping us to understand the place of the arts, in his case music, in creation). He calls this 'theology for the arts'. But the other aspect is what the arts can do for theology, helping us to understand theological things through our experience of creativity. He calls this 'arts for theology'.
Here is a wonderful little video where he demonstrates some of the main contributions that music can make in helping us to think about God and life.

Some of his great observations (demonstrated by some quite nice playing):

• The most wonderful music can come out of the most unlikely things. Variations by Rachmaninoff on Paginini's theme. Inverting the theme, making it major not minor. Something beautiful can be made out of something angular and cranky.
• Even the worst can be woven into God's purposes. Once you've made the mistake - there are 88 keys on the piano but no delete key. You can turn it into a passing note, a note that doesn't fit with the underlying harmony but can be made to fit the context. He says: 'God can take your worst mistakes and turn them into his passing notes. I think every leader needs to recognise that.'
• There is a type of non-order which is not destructive. Many of us think that the only two options in our lives are order and disorder', but there is also non-order. The jazz factor.
• The connection between tradition and innovation: Every player has to be apprenticed into a tradition before you can innovate. 'Improvisation is the exploration of occasion' - having in mind these people, on this occasion, and not some other. 
• The role of the Holy Spirit: For Begbie all this links up quite nicely with the doctrine of the holy Spirit. The Spirit's role seems to be bringing the great truths of Christ to bear on these people in this place and this time.