The Problem with Beauty: From The Grotesque to The Sublime

About this episode

This episode explores the complex nature of beauty in art and faith, questioning its relationship with suffering and the grotesque.

Beauty is one of the most celebrated words in art and faith conversations, but it may also be one of the most misunderstood. Is beauty simply what pleases the eye, or is it something deeper? Can beauty exist alongside suffering, loss, and the grotesque? And what happens when we settle for beauty that comforts us while avoiding the realities that transform us? What if beauty requires darkness, mystery, and even lament in order to reveal its deepest meaning? In this roundtable discussion,...

People in this episode

Host: Stephen Roach

Topics covered

• beauty
• art
• faith
• suffering
• grotesque
• sublime
• transformation

Keywords

• beauty
• art
• faith
• suffering
• grotesque
• sublime
• transformation
• mystery
• lament

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