Can Dance and Faith Be Studied?

The Logos and Cosmos Initiative (LCI) is a platform that empowers and equips Christian students to start projects that explore God’s Word and the world around us. Composed of three members, Zi Yi, Rachel and me, my group wondered if there was a disconnect between the faith of Christian dancers and their involvement in the art. So, our project explored the relationship of dance and faith within Christian communities in Singapore.

There were two main aspects to our project: theological research and surveying the community. For our theological research, we read relevant books on themes such as worship, art, and the body. At the same time, we attempted to use sociological methods to learn more about the local young adult Christian community’s engagement with the topic. This was done through focus group discussions and interviews with fellow dancers, and an online survey for the general young adult community. We also participated in dance conferences, where we immersed ourselves in the local Christian dance communities. Then, we documented the insights from our theological and sociological research in a paper and organised a session where we shared and facilitated discussion about the topic with our community of young adult Christians.

I thoroughly enjoyed the focus group discussions and interviews! Although most of us were initially unfamiliar with one another and had different dance backgrounds, the shared passion for the art form enlivened the conversations. They were also an effective way to gain a deeper understanding of the dancers’ sentiments and reflections about dance as they shared their experiences at length over a meal together.

First focus group discussion! (Sybil is second from right)

While this is a niche topic that seems to be rarely talked about within local churches, it is encouraging to see God working in and through dancers who are actively reflecting and living out their convictions in their own ways to honour Him. I have also been able to learn about and better appreciate various theological concepts through this project. For me, it was interesting that emotions felt through dance, such as the joy of expression and awe towards beautiful dancing, can be theologically grounded, leading us to meditate upon and marvel at God’s creativity and beauty.

This LCI experience was fun yet challenging, as I found myself consistently reflecting about, or even wrestling with, my own attitudes or assumptions during the learning process. This was humbling for me, and sparked greater curiosity towards God, the church, and the world around me.

— Sybil Lim, NUS VCF, Life Sciences, Year 2

This project was made possible through the support of Grant 62750 from the John Templeton Foundation. The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the John Templeton Foundation. 

Science for Seminaries and the ECLAS project are funded by a £6.3 million grant from the John Templeton Foundation, running 2023–2027. ECLAS is led from St John’s College, Durham University in partnership with the University of York and the Church of England, and administered by Singapore Bible College in the Eastern Asia Hub.