Art and the Beauty of God

Richard Harries gives us his take on Christian aesthetics. Is beauty only in the eye of the beholder? How do the classical aesthetic judgments play out in a modern world? Can truth, beauty, and goodness still function as the parameter of critical evaluation? Harries answers these questions in very accessible language. His understanding of beauty as an aspect of God's glory is right on target. He says, "The conjunction of beauty with truth and goodness has its origin in God and is what we mean by His glory. The Bible does not dwell long on beauty in isolation but it has much to say on the subject of glory."

Unfortunately there are comparatively few books on the aesthetic tradition in Christianity, which is sad given the key role creative art has had to play in this faith. From the loving creation of icons in Orthodox Church to the beautiful architecture of medieval cathedrals to the great works of poetry and literature by writers like Dante, Hopkins and Milton, artistic creativity has been a key expression of religious faith for many centuries. Central to this is the idea of God being beautiful, or as Gregory of Nyssa would say, the archetype of beauty. Harries offers a useful introduction to how Christians have seen God, despite his infinity, invisiblity and incomprehensibility, as the beautiful, along with the true and the good. This work is ecunmical and looks at how Catholics, Orthodox Christians, and Protestants have conceived of the aesthetic exploration of their faith in great works of art. It is a useful introduction to the subject of aesthetics in a theological context.