Jennifer Allen Craft 
Hometown
Albany, Georgia, USA
Education
BA, Biblical Studies & Humanities, Atlanta Christian College
MLitt, Theology, Imagination & the Arts, University of St AndrewsThesis topic
Working title: ‘Making a Place on Earth: A Theology of Place and Artistic Making‘, under the supervision of Trevor Hart.
Jenn’s thesis will explore a theology of place and placemaking that is focused on the central role of artistry in our construction of and identification with place. In recent decades, theologians have expressed a renewed interest in a relational or ecological doctrine of creation, citing the prominent role of land and nature in the Bible and the significance of place for human identity. This thesis will contribute to that vein of theology by suggesting, in agreement, that places are central to our understanding of God, ourselves and the rest of creation. Building on the most recent theological and philosophical engagement with place, this thesis will argue for a theology of place that takes seriously the doctrines of creation and incarnation, focusing on a particularly redemptive and eschatological understanding of places in the material world. However, what this thesis contributes most significantly to a theology of place is an emphasis on the role of human making. In its study of scripture and theology, it will focus on God’s blessing of people to participate in the making of places, and what role this human making has in the divine plan for creation and redemption. After developing a theology of place and placemaking more generally, the second half of this thesis will consider the practical, constructive, and transformative capabilities of placemaking as witnessed through the arts. Relying on theological engagement with the arts, it will argue that artistic making of all kinds and attention to place go hand in hand. Relying on a variety of artistic genres, such as the literature of Wendell Berry, the quilts of Gee’s Bend, the photography of Marlene Creates, and the recent move towards “creative placemaking” in the community arts and development sector, this thesis will suggest that the broad range of human artistic activities in place can give us a deeper understanding of the creative, redemptive, and transformative work of Christ in Creation.
Other information
Jenn is a regular contributor at Transpositions. Her life goals include learning to quilt like her great-grandmother and bake 15-layer cakes like a true Southerner. She also has a profound love for the state of Georgia.
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