Jonathan Edwards, born 300 years ago on October 5, made a contribution to Christian understanding of the highest order. This article will tap into his thoughts on beauty and art.
The nature of true beauty
Art has a God-given duty to express truth beautifully and beauty truthfully. As we are to speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4.15), so art must speak the truth in beauty (love, truth, goodness, beauty and glory are inseparable transcendentals). The ultimate purpose of art is to glorify God, showing his glory and drawing us to him.
The true beauty (glory) cannot be separated from godliness. Umberto Eco tells us, 'When Medieval Scholastics spoke about beauty they meant by this an attribute of God'. They were not wrong, Jonathan Edwards taught the same. Two aspects of beauty especially were said to reflect God's nature: i) poise and balance, best expressed by the terms used to describe the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5.22-23); ii) 'unity in diversity'.
