From Clay to Spirit: Ceramics as Transformative Practical Theology

This paper introduces “Fabricandi Divina,” an innovative pedagogical method positioning the embodied practice of ceramics-making as a primary site for theological reflection and spiritual formation. Moving beyond traditional theological aesthetics (von Balthasar), hermeneutical analyses (Begbie, Morgan), and elite-oriented art theologies (Fujimura), this approach emphasizes accessible, democratic forms of creativity rooted in the theological anthropology of Dorothy Sayers and the aesthetic philosophy of Soetsu Yanagi. Structured around a ceramics-adapted lectio divina—formatio, conformatio, ornatum, contemplatio, traditio—this method uses embodied, communal creativity to overcome Cartesian subjectivity, fostering holistic spiritual integration. Especially transformative is the final act of ritualized offering, symbolically entrusting clay pieces to the kiln’s unpredictable firing process, embodying trust, surrender, and grace. Student reflections underscore profound spiritual insights, aligning human and divine creativity. Ultimately, this paper argues that embodied creativity offers practical theology classrooms a deeply formative pedagogical innovation, reconnecting mind, body, and spirit.