The Way of Beauty

Pope Francis mentions the route pulchritudinis, Latin for "the way of beauty," in his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). "Proclaiming Christ," Francis explains, "means demonstrating that believing in and following him is not only good and true, but also beautiful.... Every manifestation of true beauty can thus be recognized as a route leading to an experience with the Lord Jesus." Beauty has always been and should continue to be a powerful tool for the Church to proclaim the Gospel and evangelize, whether in the form of paintings, poetry, architecture, sculptures, music, or even the lives of the saints. And whatever is beautiful in the culture—from a good baseball game to the music of Bob Dylan—can potentially open the nonreligious to the source of all beauty.

 

Based on Bishop Robert Barron's address at the 2018 Los Angeles Religious Education Congress, Way of Beauty presents a brief tour of the way of beauty in a beautiful way, mirroring the reality it portrays. These reflections highlight the force of the Catholic emphasis on the route pulchritudinis—and the critical relevance of that emphasis today—whether you're familiar with these great works of art and concepts from the Church's heritage or you're experiencing them for the first time.

Hardcover, 40 pages

Dimensions: 14 x 11 x .25"

Language: English

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