Art and the Mission of Regis University
Images crafted by humans have been significant in the historical and spiritual traditions of countless tribes, peoples and nations over the globe. In the Jesuit tradition, where the essential goodness of Creation is affirmed, and the belief that God is to be found in all things, the arts, including painting, sculpture, music, drama, architecture and dance, have all been pursued as ways to engage the human and the Divine. For Ignatius, the appropriateness of any Jesuit pursuit was to be discerned by whether or not it promoted “the greater service of God and the more universal good” (Constitutions of the Society of Jesus, no. 622). As long as the making (and appreciation) of images, music, stories and buildings achieves that purpose, there is room for that activity in the Ignatian world.
The Faith in Art series was begun through a grant by the John and Florence Fortune Family Foundation in 2000, and continued through other University and donor funding since that time. The goal has been to represent the University’s Jesuit, Catholic identity through art installations in classrooms, meeting rooms, and public spaces. In addition, the series has intentionally included art from a range of faith traditions around the world. The following list includes a representative sample of these art works on campus, some of which date back decades, others of which are more recent.