BOOK REVIEW
Drawn by Beauty
By Matthew Capps
"Beauty stirs us with longing."
Beauty is rarely talked about in many Christian circles. Yet it’s such a wondrous, glorious thing.
"Beauty can penetrate to the very depths of one’s heart, stilling it in ways nothing else can."
Glimpses of beauty wake us up. Beauty causes us to see beyond the broken ugliness of our world and long for our true home. It leads us to desire God, “the foundation and fountain of all being and all beauty”. In appreciating beauty, the danger is that we chase after the beautiful things themelves, but in this book, Matthew Capps invites us to look beyond them to their “final end”. To direct our gaze towards true Beauty, our precious Lord Jesus.
"All beauties, as well as our aesthetic longings, find their final and perfect embodiment in Jesus Christ. For this reason alone, Christians dare to sing about the beauty of the cross, by which the most hideous sight is received as breathtakingly beautiful."
Drawn to Beauty is an excellent introduction to the theology of beauty. It’s not heavy or hard going or dull. It’s a beautiful exploration of why beauty is so compelling. It’s treasure trove of quotations and references to other books and authors. If you want to dig deeper into the conversation around beauty, this is a wonderful place to start and will point you on the way to other great works that can help you dive even deeper.
"Beauty demands to be noticed."
When it comes to our own graphic design work or other artistic creations, we must pursue beauty. Time spent creating can be time for worship and adoration, and any beautiful work we produce can point others to the One who is truly beautiful.
"Every act of creative making is to be a worship-ful response to offer back to God what has been given to us."
If you’re a designer or artist who wants to think deeply about the importance of beauty, I think you’ll love this book as much as I did. Or if you’re searching for an introduction to the theology of beauty, this is a wonderful place to start.
Abby Chilton
Graphic Designer at Greater Worth
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