Many Christian theologians have associated beauty, both in nature and art, with the Holy Spirit. They include early Fathers like St Irenaeus and St Clement of Alexandria, as well as later writers like Calvin, Jonathan Edwards, Sergius Bulgakov and Hans Urs von Balthasar. This text investigates what they said and why. In doing so, it also serves as an introduction to the whole area of theological aesthetics. Besides exploring the connection between the Holy Spirit and beauty, it ranges more widely by considering topics such as divine glory, inspiration and the eschatological character of beauty. Its discussions bring together two areas of lively interest in contemporary Christianity: the theology of the Holy Spirit and theological aesthetics.
Originally published in 1992, Patrick Sherry's Spirit and Beauty offers a clear, in-depth discussion of theological aesthetics in regard to the Holy Spirit's presence and activity in discernible beauty. Sherry distills his topic, drawing a clear distinction between inferences to God's existence in the beautiful things we perceive (natural theology) and sacramental knowledge of God's presence -- the sensible revealing the spiritual. The Holy Spirit's association with aesthetics retains a long and rich history in the writings of the church. Beginning with Irenaeus, Sherry surveys a list of venerable church fathers from Gregory of Nazianzus to Cyril, Hilary, Augustine and Aquinas before likewise tackling Calvin, Edwards, Bulgakov, Florensky, Evdokimov, von Balthasar, and Barth. Yet Sherry still considers the theologies of both Beauty and the Holy Spirit to be underdeveloped, in part, for fear of confusing the holy with the beautiful in an idolatrous way. Bravely, he persists. Starting with an examination of beauty in general and beauty divine, Sherry then focuses on the role of the Holy Spirit, the nature of inspiration, the relationship between aesthetic qualities and divine perfection, and an exploration of the view that beauty anticipates the restoration of all things in the life to come. This second edition paperback is not only far more affordable than the first but also includes an updated bibliography and a new postscript discussing theological developments that have occurred in the years since the book's original publication. 184 pp.
Originally published in 1992, Patrick Sherry's Spirit and Beauty offers a clear, in-depth discussion of theological aesthetics in regard to the Holy Spirit's presence and activity in discernible beauty. Sherry distills his topic, drawing a clear distinction between inferences to God's existence in the beautiful things we perceive (natural theology) and sacramental knowledge of God's presence -- the sensible revealing the spiritual. The Holy Spirit's association with aesthetics retains a long and rich history in the writings of the church. Beginning with Irenaeus, Sherry surveys a list of venerable church fathers from Gregory of Nazianzus to Cyril, Hilary, Augustine and Aquinas before likewise tackling Calvin, Edwards, Bulgakov, Florensky, Evdokimov, von Balthasar, and Barth. Yet Sherry still considers the theologies of both Beauty and the Holy Spirit to be underdeveloped, in part, for fear of confusing the holy with the beautiful in an idolatrous way. Bravely, he persists. Starting with an examination of beauty in general and beauty divine, Sherry then focuses on the role of the Holy Spirit, the nature of inspiration, the relationship between aesthetic qualities and divine perfection, and an exploration of the view that beauty anticipates the restoration of all things in the life to come. This second edition paperback is not only far more affordable than the first but also includes an updated bibliography and a new postscript discussing theological developments that have occurred in the years since the book's original publication. 184 pp.
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