Beauty and Resistance with Jonathan P. Walton

Beauty and Resistance with Jonathan P. Walton

From Makers & Mystics by Stephen Roach

January 13, 2026 · 37 min · Season 16 · Episode 2

About this episode

The episode explores how beauty can serve as a form of resistance in a culture filled with anxiety and uncertainty.

What if beauty isn’t an escape from the outrage and exhaustion of the world—but a form of resistance against it? In a culture overrun with anxiety and uncertainty, turning toward beauty can feel almost defiant. In this episode of Makers & Mystics, host Stephen Roach is joined by theologian, poet, and cultural critic Jonathan P. Walton to explore how beauty forms us for resilience, integrity, and repair—both personally and communally. Drawing from his book Beauty and Resistance: Spiritual ...

People in this episode

Host: Stephen Roach

Guest: Jonathan P. Walton

Topics covered

  • beauty
  • resilience
  • cultural criticism
  • theology
  • art
  • community

Keywords

  • beauty
  • resistance
  • anxiety
  • theology
  • poetry
  • cultural criticism
  • community

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Beauty and Resistance: Spiritual

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